BANGALORE: Australian imports Steve Smith and James Faulkner pounded 65 runs in just 17 balls to carry Rajasthan Royals to a five-wicket win against Royal Challengers Bangalore in a crucial IPL game here yesterday.
Smith (48 not out, 21b, 4x4, 4x6) and Faulkner (41 not out, 17b, 3x4, 3x6) came together in the 14th over with Rajasthan on 106 for five, and played some clever cricket to help their team overhaul RCB’s total of 190 for five with seven balls to spare.
In the process, Yuvraj Singh’s dream performance of 83 off 38 balls (7x4, 7x6) and 4 for 35 went in vain for RCB whose re-jigged line-up failed to deliver as they slid to their sixth defeat in nine matches while Rajasthan chalked up sixth win to consolidate their third place on the leaderboard.
The Smith-Faulkner partnership left RCB shell-shocked considering that a rollicking 132-run partnership between Yuvraj and AB de Villiers (58, 32b, 1x4, 5x6) had given them a seemingly winning total.
Contributing to RCB’s optimism was Yuvraj’s performance with the ball as he tore apart the Rajasthan middle-order, beginning with a double strike in his very first over and then picking up two more wickets to put the hosts on top. However, Smith and Faulker turned the game around for Rajasthan who had started well with openers Ajinkya Rahane (24) and Karun Nair (56, 39b, 8x4) putting on 54 runs before Yuzvendra Chahal dismissed the former to set the stage for Yuvraj’s four-wicket haul.
Earlier, Yuvraj and de Villiers smashed 84 runs in the last five overs in the course of their century partnership to lift RCB’s sagging spirits.
Barring their association, there was little to enthuse about RCB’s innings that was otherwise in tatters after the cheap dismissals of skipper Virat Kohli (4) who had promoted himself to open with Chris Gayle (19) and Vijay Zol (16).
Meanwhile in Cuttack, the Kolkata Knight Riders thrashed Indian Premier League (IPL) table toppers Kings XI Punjab by nine wickets at the Barabati Stadium here Sunday. Chasing a modest target of 150, the Kolkata outfit reached home comfortably in 18 overs.
Skipper Gautam Gambhir played the anchor’s role with a match-winning innings of 63 not out.
Kings XI scored 149/8 after being put in to bat.AGENCIES
