IPL 2018 highlights Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab: de Villiers 57 guides RCB to 4-wicket win

Royal Challengers Bangalore ended their poor run at home with a magnificent four-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab. AB de Villiers was the star with a magnificent 57, his 23rd IPL fifty. Earlier, KL Rahul top-scored with 47 and he was given good support from Ravichandran Ashwin (33) and Karun Nair (29). However, Kings XI Punjab lost wickets at regular intervals and the stars for Royal Challengers Bangalore with the ball were Umesh Yadav and Washington Sundar, who picked up three and two wickets respectively.

Here are the highlights of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 match.

Also read:SCORE | STREAMING INFO

23:59 hrs IST: That is all we have from here. Join us tomorrow for the double-header.

23:58 hrs IST: Umesh Yadav, Man of the Match: I was backing myself and my strengths, bowling quick at the stumps. Whatever you want, you do it is what Kohli and the coach tells. They want me to bowl with pace and attack the stumps, and not worry about the variations

23:55 hrs IST: AB de Villiers: Really wanted to get over the line. Wanted to be not out in the end but feel sorry that I got out and put pressure on the lower order batsmen

23:51 hrs IST: Virat Kohli: First home game is crucial. Last year, we couldn’t get off to a start. Crowd has a lot of expectations, and tonight was a game we wanted badly, especially in the initial stages of the tournament.

23:47 hrs IST: R Ashwin: Always thought we had our backs against the wall because we were about 20-30 short. Still we fought hard and I am proud of the guys. (If the toss is crucial this season) Cannot always depend on the tosses, tournaments are won on good performances

23:40 hrs IST: Washington Sundar seals the deal with two boundaries as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Kings XI Punjab by four wickets to get their campaign back on track.

23:33 hrs IST: We are going into the last over again. They need five runs off six balls.

23:31 hrs IST: WICKET - Suicidal stuff from Mandeep Singh. There was no chance of a second there. Low full toss and the batsman swipes it to deep mid wicket, Mayank Dagar, Virender Sehwag’s nephew, fires a rocket throw and the keeper does the rest.

23:27 hrs IST: WICKET - Too little too late one feels. Full and wide ball outside off, de Villiers carves it to sweeper cover where the fielder takes the catch near the ropes. AB de Villiers c Nair b Tye 57 (40).

23:25 hrs IST: Brilliant from AB de Villiers. Launches Mohit Sharma out of the stadium to bring up his 23rd fifty. What a player.

23:19 hrs IST: AB de Villiers, you legend! That is why he is a genius. Launches two massive sixes, one over long off and one over deep mid wicket. RCB closing in on victory.

23:14 hrs IST: We are now approaching the business end of the match. Mujeeb, the Afghanistan sensation who knocked over Virat Kohli comes into the attack now. If he gets de Villiers, he will be the toast of KXIP.

23:09 hrs IST: De Villiers hits a crucial boundary. RCB need 47 off 30. Until the South Africa batsman is there, KXIP will feel that they have not sealed victory.

23:02 hrs IST: Another tight over from Andrew Tye. The required rate is mounting for Kohli’s side. They need 56 off 36 balls.

22:58 hrs IST: Just five runs in Axar Patel’s final over. Ends a spell with 4-0-25-1. RCB need 63 off 42. Game very much still in the balance.

22:51 hrs IST: WICKET - Ashwin on a hat-trick. The quicker legbreak, much like Anil Kumble, it turns away and Sarfaraz Khan steers it straight to slip. Sarfaraz Khan c Nair b Ashwin 0 (1).

22:49 hrs IST: WICKET - That is a vital wicket. Flatter delivery on off stump, De Kock jumps down the track and gets beaten in the flight, he misses it and the ball crashes into the stumps. Quinton de Kock b Ashwin 45 (34).

22:48 hrs IST: In the air but safe! De Kock attempts the slog sweep but gets a big top edge to mid off, three fielders converge but it lands safely in between them. The South African is nearing his fifty.

22:42 hrs IST: Ashwin is trying some legbreaks against AB de Villiers. In his traditional offbreaks, de Kock is able to read him and he dances down the track to launch him over long off for a big six. He capitalises on a wrong line from Ashwin by sweeping him to the long leg fence.

22:34 hrs IST: 16 runs in Mohit Sharma’s first over, and this included the 100th six in the 2018 edition. What a player.

22:31 hrs IST: SIX and FOUR - AB de Villiers has teed off in style. He mauls Rohit Sharma over deep mid wicket for a six while he steers a short of a length ball past short third man for a boundary.

22:28 hrs IST: AB de Villiers has started off with a few singles. RCB 48/2 after 7 overs.

22:24 hrs IST: Eight runs off Ashwin’s over. RCB 41/2.

22:19 hrs IST: OUT! Mujeeb removes Kohli. The RCB skipper departs and in comes AB de Villiers. RCB 33/2.

22:16 hrs IST: Two Kohli boundaries from that over. RCB 32/1 after 4 overs.

22:13 hrs IST: Good opening over by Mujeeb ur Rahman; just three runs off it. RCB 22/1 in three overs.

22:08 hrs IST: 19 runs from the first over. Good recovery by RCB after losing the opening wicket.

22:00 hrs IST: OUT! Axar Patel gets Brendon McCullum’s wicket in the second ball of RCB’s chase. The hosts are 1/1.

21:46 hrs IST: That is the end of the KXIP innings. They have been bowled out for 155 in 19.2 overs. RCB will be backing themselves to chase this down.

21:41 hrs IST: WICKET - The fun ends for Ashwin. He dances down the track but Chahal fires this legbreak quick outside off, Ashwin swings across the line and misses it. Ravichandran Ashwin st de Kock b Chahal 33 (21).

21:39 hrs IST: Fantastic shot from Ashwin and Kings XI Punjab go past 150. Chahal fires this legbreak wide outside off, Ashwin uses his reach and thumps it over long off for a six.

21:36 hrs IST: WICKET - Ashwin has struck three crisp boundaries but wickets continue to tumble. Andrew Tye toe-ends a full ball from Woakes to long on. Andrew Tye c Kohli b Woakes 7 (7).

21:29 hrs IST: Umesh Yadav finishes his spell. 4-0-22-3. Brilliant spell of bowling and RCB will look to restrict KXIP to under 160.

21:23 hrs IST: Washington Sundar has finished his spell. 4-0-22-2. This is the kind of figures you associate with the youngster. In the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka, he was known for these performances.

21:18 hrs IST: WICKET - Kings XI Punjab are sinking fast here. Full ball and it decks back in, Axar Patel plays all around that delivery and gets hit on the pad, he is given out LBW, replays show the ball was hitting leg stump. Axar Patel LBW Kulwant Khejroliya 2 (3).

21:09 hrs IST: WICKET - Kulwant Khejroliya strikes and KXIP are in real trouble now. Short of a length ball close to the off stump, Karun Nair drags the cut shot back on to the stumps. Karun Nair b Kulwant Khejroliya 29 (26).

21:02 hrs IST: Sundar has bowled a great spell so far. 2-0-9-1. Kings XI Punjab need to finish well here.

20:58 hrs IST: WICKET - Rash shot and the pressure gets to Rahul. Full and loopy delivery on off stump, Rahul attempts the mighty heave ho down the ground but gets a top edge that is snapped up at short third man. Misses out on a fifty. KL Rahul c Sarfaraz Khan b Washington Sundar 47 (30).

20:56 hrs IST: The partnership between Karun and Rahul is over 50 now. Both batsmen have to stay till the end if Kings XI Punjab are to reach a good total on this flat deck.

20:51 hrs IST: Five runs in Washington Sundar’s first over. Kings XI Punjab need to play with a calm mind.

20:42 hrs IST: Superbly played by Karun as he arches back and upper-glides a short ball from Woakes to the third man fence. This partnership is vital for Kings XI Punjab.

20:36 hrs IST: Rahul’s mantra at the M Chinnaswamy stadium is to just hit sixes. Yuzvendra Chahal drags this flatter delivery short and Rahul pulls it over deep square leg for his fourth six.

20:32 hrs IST: Umesh Yadav’s current bowling analysis is 3-0-15-3. In the Powerplay, Kings XI Punjab scored 50 runs but have lost three wickets.

20:26 hrs IST: Karun Nair gets off the mark with a lovely boundary past mid-off. The onus for KXIP is on the two Karnataka lads.

20:25 hrs IST: Rahul is batting on a different wicket. Short ball again from Khejroliya on leg stump, Rahul easily helps the pull over the fine leg fence for his third six.

20:21 hrs IST: WICKET - What an over this is from Umesh. After getting hit for a boundary that too due to a misjudgment from the fielder, the right-arm pacer slants a full ball in and it zips off the deck, Yuvraj is beaten for pace and the middle stump is knocked back. Yuvraj Singh b Umesh Yadav 4 (4).

20:18 hrs IST: WICKET - Umesh on a hat-trick. Good length ball and it cuts back in, Aaron Finch is stuck on the crease as he looks to work it to the leg side, gets hit on the pad and the umpire gives it out, replays show the ball was clipping the top of leg stump and thus, the review cannot save him. Aaron Finch LBW Umesh Yadav 0 (1).

20:15 hrs IST: WICKET - Superb catch from Quinton de Kock. Full ball outside off, a bit of extra bounce, Agarwal goes for the drive and De Kock flies to his right to take a splendid catch. Mayank Agarwal c Quinton de Kock b Umesh Yadav 15 (11).

20:14 hrs IST: Catch dropped? Agarwal pulls another short ball to fine leg but has not timed it well, Sarfaraz Khan runs forward and dives but fails to hold on. He is holding his wrist. Has he injured it?

20:11 hrs IST: Bad start for Kulwant Khejroliya. Short ball and on leg stump, Agarwal just helps the pull shot to the fine leg fence.

20:07 hrs IST: Superb start for Agarwal as well. He helps a short ball from Umesh Yadav to deep backward square leg and then makes room to drill a full ball past the bowler for a boundary to long off.

20:04 hrs IST: Brilliant start from KL Rahul. He mauls a lofted drive over extra cover to get off the mark with a six, then flicks a length ball on the pads ovr deep mid wicket and ends the over with a flick past short fine leg. 16 runs in the first over. Poor from Woakes.

20:00 hrs IST: KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal, two Karnataka batsmen, will take strike against RCB. Chris Woakes will open. The vagaries of the IPL.

19:56 hrs IST: If KL Rahul plays a knock similar to the way he did against Delhi Daredevils, will the fans at the M Chinnaswamy stadium cheer him? Maybe, maybe not!

19:47 hrs IST: Both teams, along with Delhi Daredevils, are the only teams to have never won the IPL. Can any of them change their fortunes in 2018?

19:38 hrs IST: Here are the playing XIs

Kings XI Punjab: Lokesh Rahul(w), Mayank Agarwal, Yuvraj Singh, Aaron Finch, Karun Nair, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin(c), Andrew Tye, Mohit Sharma, Mujeeb Ur Rahman

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Brendon McCullum, Quinton de Kock(w), Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Sarfaraz Khan, Mandeep Singh, Chris Woakes, Washington Sundar, Kulwant Khejroliya, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal

19:35 hrs IST: Royal Challengers Bangalore have chosen to bowl against Kings XI Punjab. Virat Kohli’s side are unchanged while Aaron Finch has replaced David Miller in the Kings XI Punjab side.

19:28 hrs IST: Brendon McCullum, AB de Villiers, Virat Kohli, Aaron Finch, Chris Gayle, Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Yuvraj Singh and Quinton de Kock. Chinnaswamy boundaries, Anil Kumble circle, get ready for plenty of missiles today.

19:22 hrs IST: In IPL 2017, Royal Challengers Bangalore had won just one out of their seven home games. Virat and ABD were injured. Can they break their home jinx, considering that RCB are not good travellers?

19:17 hrs IST: Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers will hold the key on this M Chinnaswamy stadium with its short boundaries. However, apart from the duo, there is one more name who was a big impact player for RCB but he is now on the opposition camp. Chris Gayle was the star in his seven years for RCB and it will be interesting whether he plays in front of the Chinnaswamy fans today.

19:09 hrs IST: A warm welcome to the match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab. Virat Kohli’s side have gotten off to a poor start in the 2018 Indian Premier League with a loss to Kolkata Knight Riders. Kings XI Punjab, on the other hand, have started well under Ravichandran Ashwin with a win over Delhi Daredevils.

The first home match for RCB this season gives a great opportunity to show they have found that balance, against another team searching for its first IPL title. A small ground with great batting conditions give Virat Kohli’s side a great chance to get the first win in IPL 2018.

The India skipper has pinned faith in wrist spin over finger-spin in the national team in the shorter formats, and Kings XI Punjab skipper R Ashwin, the man who lost his limited-overs spot last year, gets a great chance to prove a point.

On captaincy debut, Ashwin guided KXIP to an easy win over Delhi Daredevils in Mohali, even bowling four leg-breaks to show his variation can be an effective weapon.

Picked over Ashwin in limited-overs cricket, leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal will be RCB’s main spinner, but will have to rediscover his form after leaking runs for country and IPL team in recent games.