Bangalore’s wait for rain and a victory for Royal Challengers came to an end on a Tuesday unlike many.
After restricting Pune Warriors to 182 for six at the Chinnaswamy stadium, the hosts came up with a brilliant chase to scale down the target in the final ball to win their first match in four games.
RCB’s run-chase pivoted on a breathtaking innings from the West Indian marauder Chris Gayle (81, 48b, 4x4, 8x6), and a calculated late attack from AB de Villiers (33, 14b, 2x4, 3x6) and Saurabh Tiwary (36, 23b, 1x4, 2x6).
De Villiers and Tiwary, who came together after the loss of Gayle with the score on 127, stitched a 59-run partnership for the fifth-wicket to carry the home side through as Tiwary smashed a six over long-on with three runs to win off the last ball to end RCB’s wait.
Gayle’s innings and his effect on the home side was summarised in the one Rahul Sharma over.
With Sharma offering some flight, Gayle bludgeoned the first ball way over long-off and the second delivery over deep mid-wicket to bring up his fifty in 33 balls.
Gayle carnage
Three balls still remained, and carnage had not ended. Gayle hit the leg-spinner’s fourth ball straight over the bowler’s head for maximum, but his fourth six was as the biggest. Sharma, bowling from around the wicket, once again threw the ball up, and the Jamaican hit it 106 metres for the biggest six of the IPL V – bettering compatriot Kieron Pollard’s 105-metre effort.
Gayle concluded the punishment with a high and handsome hit over deep square leg.
Rousing start
Earlier in the day, after deciding to bat, the Warriors got off to a rousing start with home boy Robin Uthappa and burly New Zealand opener Jesse Ryder (34, 22b, 4x4, 1x6) scoring runs at a fast clip.
While Ryder was audacious in disposing anything wide, Uthappa (69, 45b, 9x4, 2x6) played a more composed innings. But once set, the Karnataka right-hander swapped his scalpel for a cudgel to take RCB bowlers to the cleaners. Fours and sixes poured in as Uthappa rushed to his half-century, his first in this edition of the IPL, in 33 balls.
He had his share of luck as well, but fell to Daniel Vettori offering a simple catch to Harshal Patel at point.
The arrival of Marlon Samuels (34, 20b, 1x4, 2x6) gave Pune the required boost, and they moved to a competitive total.
But RCB bowlers, who until then looked like enduring another modest day at the office, got a grip of things. R Vinay Kumar led the way for RCB’s under-fire bowling department as the wily seamer scalped two wickets for 34 in his four overs.
Harshal, who was brought in for S Arvind, was clinical, and made up for his dismal show against the Chennai Super Kings a week ago.
The total was Warriors’ second highest in their two-year IPL history, and it did give RCB a lot to worry about. With Gayle and the rest firing on all cylinders, the target was not enough to curb RCB’s march, but only by just.
