Dubai, Oct 8: A last-ball six by K S Bharat powered Royal Challengers Bangalore to a seven-wicket win over Delhi Capitals in a thrilling finish to their Indian Premier League match that shifted this way and that here on Friday.
Bharat smashed an unbeaten 78 off 52 balls while Glenn Maxwell blazed away to 51 in 33 deliveries as RCB chased down a target of 165 with the former’s heroics. Needing 15 to win from the final over, Maxwell started it with a boundary but pacer Avesh Khan came back with a couple of excellent deliveries, including a yorker.
However, Bharat had the last laugh as he smoked Khan’s full toss over long-on for a six to seal the game in his team’s favour.
A wide off the fifth delivery from Khan helped RCB’s cause. Pacer Anrich Nortje had bowled a brilliant penultimate over, conceding just four runs even as Bharat and Maxwell were on the lookout for runs with 19 needed off the last two overs.
The match-winning 111-run fourth-wicket partnership between Bharat and Maxwell gave RCB a rather unexpected win over Delhi Capitals, who finished on top of the league standings despite the loss in the final game.
Avesh, who bowled superbly save for the final over, finished with 0 for 31 in 4 overs while Nortje was brilliant, ending up with figures of 2/24 in 4 overs.
Axar Patel bowled his four overs for 39 runs with 1 wicket while ace off-spinner R Ashwin just bowled one over for 11 runs. Pacer Kagiso Rabada went wicket-less in his 4 overs.
The Virat Kohli-led RCB will finish third in the standings with 18 points and take on Kolkata Knight Riders (fourth place) in the Eliminator on Monday.
Wicketkeeper Bharat, who has been pushed up and down the order by the RCB think-tank, underlined his value with this knock, often displaying his big-hitting abilities too.
A maiden IPL half-century for Bharat ahead of the play-offs would probably be a good sign for the Bangalore team which has tried several batters at the crucial No.3 spot. (PTI)
