Virat Kohli (72 n.o., 53b, 7x4, 2x6) and Devdutt Padikkal (63, 45b, 6x4, 1x6) guided Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to a facile eight-wicket victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR), in an IPL encounter at Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
The duo helped RCB reach the modest 155-run target with five balls to spare, giving the side a third win in four matches. Kohli, after three failures in this tournament, struck form with a steady knock. With two clean sixes off leg-spinners Riyan Parag and Rahul Tewatia, Kohli showed that he had regained his old touch.
Growing reputation
Padikkal added to his growing reputation with a third fifty in four matches. The southpaw scored a bulk of his boundaries on the leg-side, with sweetly timed pulls and flicks. The 20-year-old battled cramps late in his knock, before losing his stumps to a fiery yorker from Jofra Archer.
Earlier, RR recovered from a shaky start to record a respectable total. Jos Buttler, Steve Smith and Sanju Samson – the three key batsmen – fell cheaply, leaving the side tottering at 31 for three. A low diving catch at slip by Padikkal got rid of the dangerous Buttler (22, 12b, 4x3, 1x6), while leggie Yuzvendra Chahal showed great athleticism to take a tough return catch to dismiss Samson.
Robin Uthappa (17, 22b, 1x4) and Mahipal Lomror (47, 39b, 1x4, 3x6) rebuilt the innings to a small extent with a 39-run fourth-wicket stand. Chahal then showed his class, taking out Uthappa and Lomror with enticing, flighted deliveries. Neither batsman was able to get under the ball, resulting in catches in the deep.
Tewatia (24 n.o., 12b, 3x6) smacked it around, providing vital acceleration at the death. He survived a scare, getting hit flush on the chest by a fast beamer from Navdeep Saini. But Tewatia shook it off, and smashed Saini for sixes off the next two deliveries.
Chahal emerged as RCB’s most successful bowler (4-0-24-3), while off-spinner Washington Sundar once again returned miserly figures (4-0-20-0). With an impressive tournament economy rate of 4.72, Washington has emerged as an invaluable part of the RCB bowling attack.
Scoreboard
Rajasthan Royals Innings: Jos Buttler c Padikkal b Saini 22; Steve Smith b Udana 5; Sanju Samson c & b Chahal 4; Robin Uthappa c Udana b Chahal 17; Mahipal Lomror c Padikkal b Chahal 47; Riyan Parag c Finch b Udana 16; Rahul Tewatia not out 24; Jofra Archer not out 16. Extras: (LB-1, NB-1, W-1) 3
Total: (for 6 wickets in 20 overs) 154
Fall of wickets: 1-27, 2-31, 3-31, 4-70, 5-105, 6-114
Royal Challengers Bangalore bowling: Isuru Udana 4-0-41-2, Washington Sundar 4-0-20-0, Navdeep Saini 4-1-37-1, Yuzvendra Chahal 4-0-24-3, Adam Zampa 3-0-27-0, Shivam Dube 1-0-4-0.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Devdutt Padikkal b Archer 63; Aaron Finch lbw b Gopal 8; Virat Kohli not out 72; AB de Villiers not out 12. Extras: (B-1, W-2) 3
Total: (for 2 wickets in 19.1 overs) 158
Fall of wickets: 1-25, 2-124
Rajasthan Royals bowling: Jofra Archer 4-0-18-1, Jaydev Unadkat 3-0-31-0, Shreyas Gopal 4-0-27-1, Tom Curran 3.1-0-40-0, Rahul Tewatia 4-0-28-0, Riyan Parag 1-0-13 -0.