IPL 2019 highlights: Bangalore register first win, beat Punjab by 8 wickets
Invited to bat, KXIP posted 173 for 4 against RCB. Chris Gayle missed a century by a whisker, blasting an unbeaten 99 runs off 64 balls.
 "IPL 2019, RCB first win in 2019")
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) captain Virat Kohli reacts during IPL match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kings XI Punjab( KXIP) at I S Bindra Stadium in Mohali after winning first match in IPL 2019. Photo: PTI
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IPL 2019, match 28: KXIP vs RCB full scorecard
Invited to bat, dashing West Indies opener Chris Gayle (99) carried his bat through with an unbeaten 99, studded with five sixes and as many as 10 hits to the fence to single-handedly anchor Punjab to 173 for four.
Kohli and de Villiers then did bulk of the scoring and once the skipper was dismissed in the 16th over, Marcus Stoinis (28 off 16) played a crucial cameo to take the team through with four balls to spare.
With this victory, RCB also avoided the ignominy of most successive losses for a team at the start of an IPL season.
Chasing 174 to win, Parthiv Patel and Kohli gave RCB a flying start, amassing 43 off 23 balls but the left-handed opener was caught by Mayank Agarwal off R Ashwin in the 4th over.
de Villiers and Kohli then took the bowlers to the cleaners, picking up boundaries at will, as RCB brought up the 100 in the 12th over.
Kohli completed his second fifty of this IPL season in 37 balls but runs dried up a bit in the middle with M Ashwin (24/0) and Andrew Tye (4/40) bowling a tight over each.
Mohammad Shami then gave Punjab a glimmer of hope when over he dismissed Kohli, who pulled one straight to M Ashwin as RCB slipped to 128 for two.
But Marcus Stoinis and de Villiers ensured there were no hiccups, sharing 46 runs, as RCB romped home comfortably in the end.
Earlier, Gayle stitched a 66-run opening stand off 38 balls with KL Rahul (18) and kept the scoreboard ticking even though he lost partners on the other end.
RCB could have dismissed Gayle in the first over itself when he was hit on the leg by Umesh Yadav but Virat Kohli didn't go for a DRS and the West Indian escaped.
Gayle made RCB pay for the mistake as he hit a four and six off Umesh's next over, before Rahul joined the party and smashed a couple of fours off the India pacer in his third over.
In the sixth over, Gayle exploded as he welcomed Mohammad Siraj with a four at long off and followed it up with a six over long-on and another boundary across cover.
He then pulled another one over square leg before sending the ball across the fine leg as KXIP amassed 24 runs to end the powerplay at 60 for no loss.
Chahal was then introduced into the attack and Rahul lifted him over long-on for a maximum but the spinner had him stumped in the next delivery to produce a crucial breakthrough.
Over 19.2; RCB win
Over 19
Mohammed Shami [3.0-0-29-1] is back into the attack and de Villiers picks a double off the first ball. de Villiers hit the 2nd ball uppishly which reach sweeper cover on a bounce, one run taken. DOT... A low full toss and Stoinis takes it on full and hammers it over mid-off for FOUR follows by a single to long-on. An attempted yorker and ABD goes on one foot and sweeps it over deep fine leg for SIX.
Over 18; CRR: 8.56 REQ: 10
Andrew Tye [3.0-0-22-0] is back into the attack and bowls a half-volley on pads, Stoinis flicks it to deep backward point for FOUR. Stoinis cuts and times the 2nd ball superbly for FOUR towards deep point. Murugan Ashwin drops a skier to give Marcus Stoinis a lifeline, meanwhile stoinis collects a single. de Villiers smashes the 4th ball over cover for SIX. A single for de Villiers off the 5th ball. Stoinis collects a couple of runs off the last ball.
Over 17; CRR: 8 REQ: 12.67
R Ashwin [3.0-0-24-1] is back into the attack and de Villiers takes a single off the first ball. DOT... Stoinis collects a couple of runs off the 3rd ball. DOT... A couple of runs for Stoinis thanks to miss-field at extra-cover. Stoinis drives the last ball to long-off for a single.
Over 16; Kohli OUT
Over 15; RR: 8.4 REQ: 9.6
Murugan Ashwin [3.0-0-20-0] is back into the attack and de Villiers drags the first ball to long-on. DOT... Kohli picks a single off the 3rd ball to deep point. DOT... de Villiers picks a single off the 5th ball to long-on. A single for Kohli to end the over.
Over 14; CRR: 8.71 REQ: 8.67
Andrew Tye continues and concedes only 5 runs as Kohli, de Villiers not playing any high risk shots.
Time-out
Over 13; CRR: 9 REQ: 8.14
Sam Curran [2.0-0-21-0] is back into the attack and Kohli pulls the short ball to deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs. A single for Kohli off the 2nd ball. de Villiers punches the 3rd ball to long-on for a single. Kohli works the 4th ball for a single to short fine-leg. Mr 360 sweeps Curran over short fine leg for FOUR. de Villiers tucks the last ball to mid-wicket for a single.
Over 12; CRR: 8.92 REQ: 8.38
Andrew Tye [1.0-0-8-0] is back into the attack and Kohli picks a couple of runs off the first ball. DOT.. Kohli hits the 3rd ball for FOUR. A couple of runs for Kohli off the 4th ball. A single for kohli off the 5th ball. DOT to end the over.
Over 11; Kohli hits fifty
R Ashwin continues and starts his spell with a WIDE. Kohli cuts the first ball to backward point region for FOUR follows bu a siingle. A single for de Villiers to sweeper cover. A single for Kohli off the 4th ball to long-off. A single for de Villiers to sweeper cover. Kohli works the last ball to long-on for a single and completes his fifty.
Over 10; CRR: 8.8 REQ: 8.6
Murugan Ashwin continues and a sloppy work by Rahul at long-off boundary gives de Villiers 4 runs. de Villiers works the 2nd ball to long-on for a single. Kohli clips the 3rd ball to leg side for a couple of runs. DOT.. DOT.. A single for Kohli off the last ball.
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First Published: Apr 13 2019 | 5:27 PM IST
