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IPL PHOTOS: Punjab destroy RCB despite AB's 46-ball 89

April 10, 2017 23:53 IST

Hashim Amla

IMAGE: Kings XI Punjab's Hashim Amla hits a six. Photograph: BCCI

Kings XI Punjab dished out a superb all-round performance to thrash Royal Challengers Bangalore by eight-wickets, despite a scintillating knock by AB de Villiers, during an Indian Premier League match in Indore, on Monday.


Electing to bat, RCB rode on de Villiers' unbeaten 46-ball 89 laced with as many as nine sixes and three fours to post a modest 148 for four after being reduced to 22 for three at one stage.

Chasing the target, Manan Vohra (34) and Amla (58) gave Punjab a flying start, sharing 62 off 35 balls for the opening wicket before Tymal Mills put the breaks by getting rid of the former in the sixth over.

Vohra hit four boundaries and a six in his 21-ball innings before he was trapped leg before by Mills.

AB de Villiers

IMAGE: AB de Villiers hit out. Photograph: BCCI

New man Axar Patel (9) too didn't stay for too long as after hitting a six off Iqbal Abdulla, he was flummoxed by Yuzvendra Chahal with a googly and ended up being clean bowled in the ninth over.

However, it didn't affect Punjab's runchase as Amla and skipper Glenn Maxwell never took their foot off the accelerator and kept dealing in boundaries to overhaul the target in just 14.3 overs.

Amla finished unbeaten on 58 from just 38 balls, while Maxwell played an entertaining innings of 43 from 22 balls, inclusive of four sixes and three fours, to help Punjab register their second successive victory.

For Punjab, Varun Aaron (2/21) snapped up two wickets, while Sandeep Sharma (1/26) and Axar Patel (1/12) picked one wicket each.

Glenn Maxwell

IMAGE: Kings XI Punjab captain Glenn Maxwell hits a six. Photograph: BCCI

Earlier, RCB found themselves in a spot of bother early in their innings before de Villiers shared 46 runs off 49 balls with Mandeep Singh (28) for the fourth wicket to steady the innings.

Left-arm spinner Axar started the bowling attack for Punjab and he struck the first blow, dismissing opener Shane Watson (1) in the first over of the innings. Looking to play a cut shot, Watson ended up dragging the ball on to his stumps.

De Villiers, who replaced West Indies' destructive batsman Chris Gayle in the team, produced the first six of the match in the third over when he blasted Mohit Sharma over extra cover.

However, opener Vishnu Vinod (7) also tried to get into the act in the next over off Sandeep Sharma but he was cramped for room and ended up giving a simple catch to Maxwell at long-on.

IMAGE: Varun Aaron celebrates the wicket of Kedar Jadhav. Photograph: BCCI

In the next over, Aaron trapped Kedar Jadhav (1) leg before wicket to leave RCB struggling on 22 for three in five overs.

After a few quiet overs, de Villiers plundered a six and a four to accumulate 13 runs off young left-arm seamer T Natarajan in the ninth over.

De Villiers and Mandeep kept dealing in ones and twos to keep the scoreboard ticking before Aaron dismissed the Punjab batsman in the 14th over with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha taking a brilliant catch.

In the 16th over, de Villiers slammed Aaron over mid-off to pick up his second six off the innings. The South African then smashed Marcus Stoinis over deep midwicket twice in the next over to bring up his fifty from 31 balls.

Wriddhiman Saha

IMAGE: Kings XI Punjab wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha takes the catch to dismiss Mandeep Singh. Photograph: BCCI

Stuart Binny then got into the act and clobbered a six and a four off Mohit before de Villiers blasted another six over the leg side.

The South African continued his assault as he smashed a four and successive sixes off Sandeep to amass 19 runs in the penultimate over.

Mohit bowled four good balls in the last over before de Villiers ended the innings with two lusty blows to help RCB recover after a slow start.

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