Rajkot: Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli turned up the fireworks on Tuesday night in Rajkot, as Royal Challengers Bangalore ran away with a 21-run win at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium.
The Gujarat Lions got off to a poor start with leg-spinner Youzvendra Chahal striking early on.
However, Brendon McCullum played a stellar innings of 72 runs from 44 balls, to keep Gujarat in the fight till the end.
Chahal produced a fine performance with the ball, ending the day with figures of 3-31. He managed to remove Gujarat's top three batsmen -- Smith, Suresh Raina, and the dangerous McCullum.
Ishan Kishan also had a good day with the bat, as he belted 39 runs from just 16 balls, but his efforts came too little too late, as RCB waltzed their way to the win.
Earlier, Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle got RCB off to a flying start, posting an opening partnership of 122 runs from 76 balls. Gayle, who scored 77 runs from 38 balls, had hit five 4s and seven 6s.
While the two RCB openers departed after a great start, Travis Head and Kedar Jadhav picked up the baton, as they launched into the overdrive in the last couple of overs, scoring 30 and 38 runs, both off 16 balls.
GL: 192-7 from 20 overs
And that’s the end of that. RCB get the second win of their 2017 IPL campaign, after Gujarat Lions fail to chase-down the target set by Virat Kohli and co. McCullum and Ishan Kishan put up a good fight, but the target turned out to be too big in the end.
GL: 165-6 from 17.4 overs
WICKET! Its all going wrong for GL here. Ishan Kishan puts his head down, and dashes for the second run. However, he did not see his partner Jadeja calling him not to take the 2nd run. Both batsmen ended up at the bowling crease, and the umpires decide that Jadeja has to depart.
GL: 137-5 from 14.4 overs
WICKET! Kohli brings on his strike bowler Chahal, and the leggie does the trick. And what a big wicket that was. McCullum went for the big slog on the leg side, but this time, his shot was too high, and did not have much distance on it. Adam Milne took a good catch in the deep.
GL: 106-4 from 11 overs
WICKET! Another one bites the dust! Dinesh Karthick slogged Aravind down the ground, but he hit it straight at RCB skipper Virat Kohli, who gleefully took the catch.
GL: 103-3 from 9.4 overs
WICKET! Brilliant bowling by Pawan Negi! After being hit for a few, he slowed it down, and tossed it up, as Finch fished for the ball outside his crease. Kedar Jadhav did well to whip off the bails in time.
Earlier, Brendon McCullum brought up his 50 from just 30 balls, to lead the Gujarat Lions' charge.
GL: 48-2 from 5 overs
RCB are already on their way, with Youzvendra Chahal picking up a couple of wickets. However, GL opener Brendon McCullum has been on fire tonight, and he is the main danger man for RCB, as he has already hit one 4 and two 6s.
GL: 37-2 from 4 overs
WICKET! Raina had smashed the bowlers all over the park, but the momentum could have gotten the better of him. Went for another lofted shot on the leg side, but picked out the safe hands of Shane Watson in the deep.
GL: 1-1 from 1.4 overs
WICKET! Dwayne Smith becomes the first one to depart. Goes for the big shot on the leg side, but ends up finding Mandeep Singh in the deep.
RCB: 213-2 from 20 overs
Kedar Jadhav put-in a vary good cameo effort in the end, as he smashed Ravindra Jadeja for 17 runs off the last over. RCB have set a mammoth target for Gujarat Lions, who need to come out all guns blazing in the 2nd innings.
RCB: 153-2 from 15.5 overs
WICKET! And the brilliant innings comes to an end. Kohli goes for a lofted shot towards the deep mid-wicket boundary, but manages to find Dwayne Smith, who took a comfortable catch in the deep.
RCB: 153-1 from 15 overs
After Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli nownow brings up his half century, as he guides his side, to what looks like, a big total.
RCB: 122-1 from 12.4 overs
WICKET! Basil Thampi brings out the yorkers, and it works magnificently with Gayle, as the big man was trapped lbw in front of the stumps.
Gayle showecased some brilliant batting tonight. He brought-up his 50 from 23 balls with a huge six off Kaushik. Earlier, he was very lucky to get a second life. Gayle had hit Jadeja flat on the off side. To Gayle’s dismay, Brendan McCullum grabbed on to the ball that was hurtling towards the boundary. However, replays showed that McCullum’s hat had touched the boundary rope. Umpire signals for a six
RCB: 36-0 from 5 overs
RCB have gotten off to a brisk start, bith Kohli and Gayle firing on all cylinders. Interestingly, Gayle completed his 10,000th T20 run in this game.
Teams:
Royal Challengers
Gujarat Lions XI: Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina (c), Aaron Finch, Ishan Kishan, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Andrew Tye, Dhawal Kulkarni, Basil Thampi, Shivil Koushik.
Toss:
Gujarat Lions have won the toss, and have decided to bowl first.
Preview: Gujarat Lions and Royal Challengers Bangalore will be looking to get back to winning ways, as the two sides get ready for the Tuesday night clash against each other at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
Both the sides have been able to get just one win on their board and need to turn things around quickly, if they are to harbour any hopes of finishing in the top four, in the league stage of the tournament.
However, the star-studded RCB side will have to miss out on the services of South Africa maestro AB de Villiers has been ruled out of the match due to an injury.
On the other hand, the Gujarat Lions are set to welcome Aaron Finch back into their team, after the Aussie batter had to sit out of their previous game against Mumbai Indians after his kit-bag got misplaced.
