BENGALURU : While a disappointed Virat Kohli headed back to the dugout after scoring 13, chants of “ABD, ABD” grew louder as AB De Villiers walked in at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.That’s the kind of respect the South African has gained from the local crowd, who adore him. He has bailed them out of trouble many times in the past, and he did so again on Wednesday night against Kings XI Punjab.
After a sedate start to his innings, De Villiers was at his impressive best at the end. If he managed just 25 runs off his first 25, he turned on the heat with a batting exhibition of how to change gears, remaining not out on a 44-ball 82. That included seven sixes and helped Bangalore end on 202/4, which proved to be enough as the home side won by 17 runs. This is their fourth win in the last five games, and has kept their faint playoff hopes alive.
De Villiers unleashed his best in the 19th over, hitting Mohammed Shami for three sixes. That rubbed off on his partner Marcus Stoinis, as he took 20 runs off the final four balls after De Villiers hit seven off first two. They scored 64 in the final three overs to push Bangalore past 200. Though De Villiers played a pivotal role in the team’s win, Stoinis and Parthiv Patel also made solid contributions. The latter scored a 24-ball 43, and Stoinis (46 off 34) and De Villiers were involved in an unbroken 121-run stand that gave Bangalore momentum.
Despite setting a massive target, it was not going to be easy for Bangalore. They had to contain a top-three consisting of Chris Gayle, KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal in batting-friendly conditions and with small boundaries where even mishits go for sixes.Early wickets were the need of the hour, and Umesh Yadav obliged, removing Gayle in the fourth over. After Mayank joined Rahul, the two Karnataka players made use of their knowledge of their domestic cricket homeground well.
They looked comfortable, scoring all over the ground, and hitting fours and sixes at will. But, the wickets of Mayank (35) and Rahul (42) in the 10th and 11th overs helped Kohli’s men regain control. But Nicholas Pooran, playing only his third match of this season, threatened to take the game away with his amazing hitting skills. The left-hander smashed three sixes in the 14th over, and two sixes and a four in the 15th. He made Kohli look helpless after two more sixes in the 16th.
It looked like Pooran was set to quash Bangalore’s playoff hopes, but the hosts held their nerves in the slog overs. They bounced back strongly in the last four, when the visitors required 47. Tim Southee, Umesh and Navdeep Saini combined well to take 29/4 at the back end, as the capacity crowd went back home with a smile.
Brief scores
Royal Challengers Bangalore 202/4 in 20 ovs (AB de Villiers 82 n.o, Marcus Stoinis 46 n.o) bt Kings XI Punjab 185/7 in 20 ovs (Nicholas Pooran 46, KL Rahul 42, Umesh Yadav 3/36).