Images from the IPL match between Royal Challengers and Kolkata Knight Riders, in Chennai.
Glenn Maxwell and AB de Villiers produced a masterclass in batting as Royal Challengers Bangalore posted an imposing 204 for 4 against Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL match, at the M A Chidambaram stadium, in Chennai, on Sunday.
Maxwell scored 78 off 49 balls, including nine boundaries and three sixes, while De Villiers blazed away to 76 off 34, with the help of nine fours and three sixes, as Royal Challengers recovered from the loss of two early wickets to set the Knight Riders a stiff target.
What a turnaround it was from Royal Challengers. They scored 70 from the last five overs, including 21 off the final six deliveries, de Villiers getting 55 of them.
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat.
Interestingly, RCB went into the match with just three overseas players, including Rajat Patidar in place of Dan Christian, while KKR were unchanged from the previous match against Mumbai Indians, which they lost by 10 runs.
Former India spin ace Harbhajan Singh opened the bowling for KKR, while Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal got the RCB innings underway.
With RCB scoring just six runs from the first over, KKR chose to continue with spin from the other end too.
The decision paid off as Varun Chakravarthy struck, getting the big wicket of Kohli (5) with his second delivery.
RCB’s skipper tried to slice Chakravarthy over the off-side but miscued the shot and Rahul Tripathi took the catch, running back from point.
Rajat Tripathi came in at No 3, but did not last long. Chakravarthy struck again, with the last ball of the over, having Patidar bowled off his pads for one.
Royal Challengers were in early trouble at 9 for 2 after two overs.
The in-form Glenn Maxwell came in next and joined Padikkal. Together they got the innings going as the Australian went on a big-hitting spree, a six included, bringing up 45 runs of the first six overs.
Maxwell blasted a free-hit delivery square on the off-side for a four to take RCB past the 50-run mark in the seventh over and then brought up a 28-ball half-century in the ninth.
It was his third straight fifty. Padikkal had scored 19 from 23 balls as RCB got to 78 for 2.
However, just when the runs were coming at a fast pace, Prasidh Krishna effected the breakthrough, dismissing Padikkal with the first delivery of the 11th over.
The left-hander pulled a short ball straight into the hands of Tripathi, at deep midwicket, and was out after scoring 25 off 28 balls.
New-man in AB de Villiers got going immediately, cutting the fifth ball past point for two runs to get off the mark and hit the last delivery through the covers for three runs, as RCB went past 100 in the 12th over.
Maxwell continued to blaze away as 28 runs came off the 14th and 15th over.
Maxwell (77) and de Villiers (31) brought up a 50-run partnership for the fourth wicket off just 29 balls in the 16th over as RCB recovered to 145 for 3.
Pat Cummins, who had one over in hand, returned to the attack in the 17th over and ended the partnership with his last delivery.
He induced the top edge from Maxwell and the pull shot was caught at short fine leg by Harbhajan.
Maxwell walked back after a superb 78 from 49 balls, including nine fours and three sixes.
De Villiers then took over from the Aussie and raced to his fifty off just 27 balls.
The South African was sensational in the final few overs, smashing his way to 76 not out from just 34 balls, including nine fours and three sixes, as RCB finished with a huge 204 for 4 in their 20 overs. Andre Russell conceded 21 from the final over.
What a turnaround from the Royal Challengers. They scored 70 off the last five overs, de Villiers hitting 55 of them.
- IPL 2021
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