Chris Gayle played another brain-storming innings which enthralled the RCB fans at Chinnaswamy stadium as he hit the 175 runs in just 66 balls. He hit those 17 sixes, many of which ended up on the roof. His monstrous hit simply outclassed Pune warriors India and gave their bowlers, Ali Murtaza and Ishwar Pandey, a night-mare start to their career. He chipped in with couple of wickets while bowling the final over of the match and took his team to a comfortable victory. AB De Villiers also batted brilliantly and slammed 31 runs off just eight balls to rip apart the PWI bowling.
Here we bring before you the hits and flops from the match.
Hits
Chris Gayle: Gayle single-handedly won the match for RCB as he smashed 175 runs and picked up two wickets. He was simply outstanding and the way he muscled the ball for those sky-high sixes, was a treat to watch. He scored 17 sixes and 13 fours in his swash-buckling knock and helped RCB surpass 260.
AB De Villiers: De Villiers played a brilliant cameo of 31 runs in just eight balls. He scored three fours and three sixes in his knock and took past his team total to 250. His ability to play these explosive innings makes him a great asset for RCB.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar: Bhuvneshwar was once again outstanding with the ball and did fine job in his four overs. He ended up with a bowling figures of 0/23. Though he didn’t get any wicket, but he restricted the opposition batsmen to play any shots in his first three overs.
Ravi Rampaul: Ravi Rampaul bowled brilliantly and gave his side the most important wicket of Aaron Finch and Steve Smith who were looking really dangerous with the bat. He ended up with the figures of 2/21 in his four overs.
Jaydev Unadkat: Unadkat gave some early blows to dismantle the top-order as he dismissed Yuvraj Singh and Luke Wright in his very first over. He was bit expensive as he ended up with the figures of 2/38.
RP Singh: RP was again brilliant with the ball as he ended up with the figures of 1/20 in his four overs. He kept his length very tight and kept using short balls to trouble the batsmen and restrict them from scoring against him.
Steve Smith: Steve Smith played brilliantly to score 41 runs off 31 balls but he didn’t bat till the end and got out after scoring six fours. Smith was trying to hold on the innings and added 58 runs with Mitchell Marsh but that wasn’t quite enough while chasing almost an impossible total of 264.
Flops
Virat Kohli: Kohli got run-out after scoring just 11 runs which included one six. In last match, De Villiers did the same thing and got himself out and these batting masters should avoid these things especially when they are in brilliant touch.
Ali Murtaza: He had the toughest time on the field as he ended up with the figures of 0/45 in his two overs. He got smacked for five sixes and three fours in his two overs and he bowled just one dot ball in his spell.
Aaron Finch: Finch wasn’t reading the situation well. First he introduced Ali Murtaza into the attack as he got smacked for 28 runs and in next over he himself came to bowl and gave away 29 runs. It’s pretty much understandable that when Gayle starts taking on the bowlers it’s almost impossible to get him out but his inability to make wise decision cost PWI this match. He failed in batting too as he got out after scoring 18 runs.
Ishwar Pandey: Pandey had the worst possible start of his IPL career as he ended up with the figures of 0/33 in his two overs. Gayle wasn’t giving him any chance to settle and kept slamming for fours and sixes.
Robin Uthappa: Uthappa was out for duck in very first over of the innings and ran his side into a deep trouble. Murali Kartik got his wicket by tossing the ball up when Uthappa was trying to get innovative by playing a reverse sweep against him.
By Amit Chopra
Indian Sports News Network
