R Vinay Kumar's final-over assault during which he smashed birthday boy James Faulkner for three sixes propelled Royal Challengers Bangalore to a challenging 171 for six in their Pepsi Indian Premier League match against Rajasthan Royals here today.
Bangalore, who were 149 for six after the end of the 19th over, scored 22 runs in the innings' last over with Vinay Kumar hitting Faulkner over deep mid-wicket, long on and over the bowler's head for three sixes.
Though Chris Gayle top-scored for RCB with a 16-ball 34, Vinay Kumar's 22 runs off just six balls could prove to be the deciding factor in the end.
Shane Watson returned as the most impressive bowler with figures of three for 22. Faulkner's final over spoilt what was turning out to be a decent day for him.
Sent into bat, RCB's Gayle was in his element from the beginning, hitting six fours and a six during his whirlwind knock of 34 that came off just 16 balls.
But Watson had the dangerous West Indian caught behind with a ball that was slightly on the shorter side outside off, drawing Gayle to go for a loose cut.
After the early onslaught by Gayle, RCB's run rate dropped considerably and there was a period when Rajasthan conceded just 22 runs in four overs.
The visitors struggled to find the ropes for as many as 40 balls before A B de Villiers dispatched Ajit Chandila over midwicket for a boundary.
Two balls later Virat Kohli hit one straight down the bowler's head, before de Villiers reverse-swept him for the over's third boundary. Chandila's was a productive over for RCB as they took 16 runs.
De Villiers found the fence one more time before S Sreesanth came back to dismiss the South African for a 13-ball 21, the batsman's slice going straight to the deep point fielder in the first delivery of what was to be a wicket-maiden over.
RCB were kept quiet after that before Vinay Kumar smashed those three sixes in the final over to spoil Rajasthan's calculations.
