Bangalore: Royal Challengers Bangalore pulled off a nail-biting win over Delhi Daredevils via a super over in a thrilling Indian Premier League match, here on Tuesday.
With both teams tied at 152 after the end of Bangalore’s innings, the result was decided with the help of a super over wherein both sides got six balls each.
AB de Villiers smashed Umesh Yadav for two sixes, both over deep midwicket region, to help Bangalore score 15 runs in the super over. In reply, Delhi could manage only 11 runs with the loss of two wickets against a fired-up Ravi Rampaul, who removed danger-man David Warner on the very first ball and then went on to take the wicket of Ben Rohrer.
Irfan Pathan tried to earn the Daredevils their first win in the tournament, hitting a four and six over deep back-ward square leg, but his ef-forts fell short by five runs.
This was the second time a super over was played in just two weeks – both the occasions involving Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Earlier, needing 12 runs off the last over with three wickets in hand, Bangalore could not cross the finishing line despite skipper Virat Kohli’s sensational 50-ball 65 and AB de Villiers’ equally impressive 32-ball 39.
In the last over, Rampaul hit a six off Pathan’s first ball to bring down the equation to six off five balls but Pathan kept his cool and bowled within his limits to take the match into Super Over for the visitors.
Bangalore made heavy weather of their run chase despite a power-packed batting performance from Kohli and de Villiers.
Both added 103 runs in just 75 balls for the third-wicket to anchor the Bangalore’s run chase.
The downfall of de Villiers in the 16th over spelt doom for the hosts as their batsmen committed hara-kiri and from 129 for three, they slumped to 138 for seven.
Umesh Yadav bowled a sensational 19th over to get rid of J Syed Mohammad (1) and Kohli off the successive deliveries to make the life difficult for Bangalore batsmen as the pressure of mounting run-rate weighed heavily on them.
It was a sweet win for the RCB who had lost to Chennai Super Kings in their previous match in another nail-biting thriller.
While Kohli smashed seven fours and a six en route his 50-ball knock, de Villiers chose to play the role of second fiddle to perfection, hitting three fours and one six.
Earlier, Daredevils failed to capitalise on a good start provided by their openers as they could score a fighting 152 for five after being sent in to bat.
Delhi failed to build any substantial partnership, the highest being the opening stand of 43 off 34 balls between Virender Sehwag (25) and David Warner (15).
Kedar Jadhav top-scored with a 16-ball unbeaten 29 which he made with the help of two fours and a six while Sehwag, captain Mahela Jayawardene and Pathan were the other notable contributors.
Bangalore bowlers put up a disciplined effort to deny the visiting side easy runs. Pacer Jaydev Unadkat was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets for 24 runs. Two other bowlers, Vinay Kumar and Andrew McDonald, took a wicket each.
Delhi were to blame themselves as most of them were out to loose shots as they lost four wickets for 91 in 14.1 overs. Losing wickets at regular interval pegged Bangalore back.
Openers Sehwag and Warner put on 43 runs for the first wicket before falling in quick succession, leaving Manpreet Juneja and Jayawardene in the middle to bring the innings on track.
Warner was dismissed the over after Sehwag, however, with the score still on 43, after Vinay Kumar took a stunning return catch. Sehwag was picked up by Mcdonald in his very first ball of the IPL this year. He was caught at midwicket by Virat Kohli.
Jayawardene and Juneja (17 off 16) tried to build a partnership but their efforts were undone when the latter fell to Unadkat, who went on to dismiss Ben Rohrer (14 off 14).
Jadhav and Pathan added unbeaten 30 runs for the sixth wicket to provide some semblance of respectability to the score after Delhi were left struggling at 122 for five in 18.1 overs. (PTI)