Royal Challengers to face high-voltage encounter

Bangalore, Apr 24: An intense battle is on the cards as two in-form teams in start-studded Royal Challengers Bangalore and defending champions Chennai Super Kings lock horns in an important Indian Premier League encounter, here tomorrow.

Both RCB and CSK have hit form after a slow start to the tournament. While RCB has registered three back-to-back wins after a few defeats, CSK will riding high on confidence following victories over Pune Warriors India and Rajasthan Royals in their last two matches.

But tomorrow’s match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium occupies special significance for RCB as they will be eyeing revenge following their lost to CSK in Chennai earlier this month.

And the hosts, who would be desperate after the last-over loss to CSK in the away match, have the ammunition to dismantle the visitors’ fort at home conditions.

RCB, who lost to CSK and Rajasthan Royals in a row, have improved a lot as the tournament progressed, winning three games on the trot and would be hoping to continue their unbeaten stretch.

RCB would be taking heart from the fact that they pulled off an easy win against Rajasthan Royals in their own backyard last night without much contributions from explosive Chris Gayle (4) and Virat Kohli (16).

To RCB’s delight, Tillakaratne Dilshan and A B de Villiers have regained their lost touch, which should sound warning bells in the opposition camps.

Dilshan returned to form in style, scoring a match-winning unbeaten 76 and together with AB de Villiers, who scored a quickfire unbeaten 59 off just 23 balls, shared an unconquered 122-run fourth wicket partnership to propel RCB to 189 for three against Rajasthan last night.

But Virat Kohli’s dismal form will be the only concern for RCB skipper Daniel Vettori ahead of the CSK tie.

Gayle powers Royal Challengers to 5-wicket win

Mohali, Apr 21: West Indies batsman Chris Gayle struck a brilliant 87 as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Kings XI Punjab by five wickets in the IPL match here last night.

Gayle and AB de Villiers (52) added 131 runs for the fifth wicket partnership as RCB , set a target of 164, made 166 with three balls to spare.

Gayle was adjudged the man-of-the-match for his brilliant 56-ball innings that included eight fours and four sixes.

With their second consecutive win, Royal Challengers Bangalore got their campaign back on track after having suffered three losses on the trot.

RCB move up a place to the seventh spot with six points from six matches while Kings XI slipped a spot to the eighth with four points from six matches.

Asked to bat first, Kings XI Punjab, who were without their captain Adam Gilchrist, again made a poor start.

Hoever, stand-in skipper David Hussey (41) and former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood (33 not out) helped them get to a score of 163 for six in 20 overs.

Gilchrist is down with a hamstring injury. Kings XI bowler Parvinder Awana took four wickets for 34 runs.

He took the wickets of opener Mayank Aggarwal (1), Virat Kohli (4) and Saurabh Tiwary (4) to reduce RCB to 25 for three in six overs.

Gayle took his time to settle down before an onslaught. He took 28 balls to score 31 runs but once he took off, there was no stopping him.

The match looked evenly balanced till the 17th over as Royal Challengers needed 24 runs off the last three overs.

But Awana, who was the best bowler for the Kings XI till then, bowled a pathetic 18th over that made things easy for the visitors.

Gayle smashed Awana for 17 runs in the eight-ball over before departing on the fourth ball but by then he had taken Royal Challengers to the threshold of a win.

Hussey took a brilliant catch at extra cover to end Gayle's whirlwind knock.

Mahmood, who registered himself as a British citizen, made a memorable debut in the IPL smashing 33 off 14 balls that helped Kings XI get a competitive total on board. Mahmood's arrival to India was delayed due to visa issues.

The 37-year-old, who has played 21 Tests and 143 ODIs, had surprisingly applied for visa in his Pakistani passport that delayed his arrival.