Royal Challengers Bangalore dodged the rain and a batting powerplay by Sunrisers Hyderabad to script a thrilling six-wicket victory last night.
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Set to chase 81 runs in a revised target of six overs, the Bangalore victory was turbo-charged by Chris Gayle (35 off 10 balls) and their captain Virat Kohli (44 of 19 balls).
It was a bizarre game of cricket where rain consumed 23 overs and threatened to do more damage, AB de Villiers was dismissed for a first-ball duck and David Warner stepped on the boundary line after he had caught Kohli pretty easily.
Needing 14 runs in the final over bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Kohli had creamed two successive fours with stunning placements and six were needed off the final two.
When no one thought we could achieve the target, the boys stood up & achieved the impossible! #SRHvRCB #PlayBold pic.twitter.com/ybziyjA4SR
— Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 16, 2015
The Bangalore opener lofted high but it landed in the hands of Warner, who caught it safely but in trying to regain his balance, he stepped on the boundary line and it ended being declared a six.
Kohli let out a huge roar to spark celebrations in the Bangalore camp and Gayle joined in by doing push-ups on the ground.
The victory lifted Bangalore to the second spot as they now have 15 points from 13 games and are in line for a play-off spot.
Had they lost this game, they would have struggled to make it to the top four with three other teams – Kolkata Knight Riders (15 points in 13 games), Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians (both on 14 points from 13 matches each) – vying for the three spots.
Two-time champions Chennai Super Kings (16 from 13 points) have qualified.
After the first spell of rain had reduced the game to a 11-over-a-side affair, Hyderabad smashed 135-3 with Warner (52 not out off 32 balls) and Moises Henriques (57 off 22 balls).
The Hyderabad captain hit five fours and a six, while Henriques smacked four sixes and five fours.
Before Bangalore could resume their chase, another spell of rain led to further reduction of the overs.
After Gayle had blasted four fours and three sixes in the first two overs, Henriques pulled it back for Hyderabad by dismissing the
Jamaican and de Villiers in a brilliant over where he conceded just three runs.
However, Kohli ensured a safe passage for Bangalore by standing up to the challenge.
He termed the victory as his best in the last two years and said the moment he saw Warner step on the rope, he knew they had wrapped up the game.
So this is how it feels to loose at home. Okay @RCBTweets we understood. #OrangeArmy #OrangeVoice #SRHvsRCB
— Bhargav Mbv (@mbvBhargav) May 15, 2015
“I think these are the two most important points in the last two years,” he said.
“Hyderabad were the team that cost us before too. They came out all guns blazing – it was a tough chase, but these are the games you play for.
“It was a mixed bag. One side of me said if it rained 15 more minutes we won’t have a game. But another side of me says, I wanted to go out and fight it out.
“These are the moments you play for. It’s a tough pill to swallow when AB and Chris fell chasing 13 an over, but you had to take a deep breadth and move on.
“I decided to play percentage shots, keep still and run hard. It’s a big outfield.
“I clearly saw the compression in the foam, it will stay in my memory for a long time. I knew instantly that he stepped on it.
“I could see it from his body language. He’s (Warner) a great fielder, but in pressure, the best can falter”
