Royal Challengers Bengaluru 206 for 7 (Kohli 51, Patidar 50, Unadkat 3-30, Natarajan 2-39) beat Sunrisers Hyderabad 171 for 8 (Shahbaz 40, Green 2-12, Karn 2-29, Swapnil 2-40) by 35 runs
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) rode on the success of their spinners – considered the team’s least-fancied department – to force big-hitting Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) into submission in Hyderabad. Their 35-run victory on Thursday, the season’s second for RCB, also ended their six-game losing streak and kept them alive for playoff contention.
Favourites to chase 207 down, SRH lost their way right from the opening over when part-time offspinner Will Jacks won the tactical battle against left-hand batter Travis Head. Making his debut for RCB, Swapnil Singh and experienced wristspinner Karn Sharma then caused further damage. By the time the tenth over rolled along, SRH were 85 for 6, and the result was pretty much decided.
RCB also had a strong day with the bat, banking on Rajat Patidar‘s 19-ball half-century and quick-fire cameos from Cameron Green and Faf du Plessis. Virat Kohli also scored his 53rd IPL fifty, but his 51 in 43 balls came at a strike rate of 118.60, following a big slowdown.
Full report to follow…
Source: ESPN Crickinfo