Pune: Royal Challengers Bangalore finally broke the jinx of losing the away game as they outplayed Pune warriors India by 17 runs at Subrata Roy Sahara Stadium here on Thursday. AB De Villiers played a mind-boggling knock and scored 50 off just 23 balls and helped RCB set a huge target of 188 for PWI.
Earlier it was Saurabh Tiwary who played a steady innings for RCB to give them a good start and went on to score 52 runs.
But Pune warriors India had their best time when Robin Uthappa and Angelo Mathews were on the crease and smacking the ball all over the park. The duo added 63 runs for the fifth wicket. But it was Vinay Kumar who turned the tables with his brilliant performance to dismiss Yuvraj Singh, Steve Smith and Angelo Mathews at crucial times and put RCB on the top. Uthappa scored 75 runs off just 45 balls and smacked five fours and five sixes to give Pune an outside chance.
Pune warriors India had a terrible start as they lost the wicket of Aaron Finch early in their chase. But Robin Uthappa looked in good touch as he kept the scoreboard ticking without much difficulty. However he kept running out of partners at the other end as T Suman got out after scoring 11 runs while Vinay Kumar sent Yuvraj Singh and Steve Smith back to the dug-out, reducing Pune to 4/81 in 11 overs.
But Uthappa found an able company in Angelo Mathews and they both started ressurecting the Pune innings and added 63 runs for the fifth wicket. Mathews departed after hitting three sixes and scoring 32 runs, but Uthappa kept his fight on till the 18th over. He lost his wicket to Murali Kartik and got out after making 75 runs off 45 balls. He smashed five fours and as much sixes. After the fall of his wicket, it was just too easy for RCB to wind up the match and they registered their first away victory as they defeated PWI by 17 run.
Earlier, Chris Gayle and Saurabh Tiwary gave RCB a decent start once again and added 36 runs for the first wicket. Suman got the wicket of Chris Gayle which brought Virat Kohli on to the centre. Kohli was looking in good touch as he kept scoring those odd-boundaries and allowed Tiwary to take the risk. Bowling change made by Finch worked out well when he introduced Ashok Dinda into the attack. Dinda got the wicket of Kohli in his very first over. Dinda struck again when he got Tiwary out in the 16th over.
But it was the innings of AB De Villiers and Moises Henriques which turned the match in favour of RCB. They added 68 runs for the fourth wicket and were coming all guns blazing on Pune Warriors. Henriques contributed with his 27 runs off just 13 balls. But it was De Villiers who played some outrageous strokes and smacked Dinda for 26 runs in final over and reached his fifty in just 23 balls. RCB posted a huge total of 187 on the board on this slow and sluggish wicket.
By ISN