Indian Premier League 2020, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders: AB De Villiers Masterclass Leads To Demolition Job On KKR

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) romped to a massive 82-run victory over Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Monday in Sharjah on the again of an AB de Villiers masterclass of 73 not out from simply 33 balls. His partnership with RCB skipper Virat Kohli, who remained unbeaten on 33 off 28, for the third wicket that was price 100 runs in simply 7.four overs took RCB from a gentle begin to an imposing whole of 194/2. KKR, in reply, capitulated fairly early of their chase, shedding key wickets of Shubman Gill, Eoin Morgan and Andre Russell within the house of two overs, and have been restricted to 112/9.

De Villiers got here in with RCB 94/2 in 12.2 overs and a platform set for the final-overs assault. The South African took particular liking to the KKR pacers, hitting Kamlesh Nagarkoti for 2 sixes and a 4 within the 16^th over adopted by two extra sixes and a boundary off Pat Cummins within the subsequent.

Russell, the designated loss of life bowler for KKR this season, additionally went the space because the 18^th over started with de Villiers hammering the large West Indian for a six and a 4. The ultimate over, additionally bowled by Russell, fetched 17 runs for RCB with de Villiers scoring 15 of these.

Such was the batsman’s dominance that Kohli was diminished to a mere spectator on the different finish as de Villiers farmed a lot of the strike.

The KKR reply was tepid proper from the phrase go. Debutant Tom Banton, taking part in within the place of Sunil Narine who acquired reported for a suspect action, may handle solely eight off 12 earlier than Navdeep Saini bowled him with a 148 kmph ripper.

Nitish Rana (9), Morgan (eight) and captain Dinesh Karthik (1) all failed on the day and whereas Russell impressed for a bit, hitting Isuru Udana for six, four, 6 within the latter’s first over of the match, he holed out in the identical over to long-off thereby ending KKR’s hopes of a win.

Promoted

Chris Morris and Washington Sundar acquired two wickets every for RCB whereas Udana, Saini, Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal returned with a wicket every.

With this victory, RCB moved to the third place on the factors desk with 10 factors from seven matches whereas KKR dropped right down to fourth with eight factors.