Bangalore's most adored IPL player, Chris Gayle, began on a high. He promised to take the Sunrisers Hyderabad bowlers to the cleaners when he sent the ball into the stands twice. But he did not last long as little-known Railways leg-break bowler Karn Sharma laid a trap and had the big-hitting Jamaican caught at deep wicket in his first over.
Gayle fell for 19-ball 27. That was some recovery by RCB, who had earlier contained Sunrisers to 155/6. RCB had lost opener Parthiv Patel and captain Virat Kohli in the innings' second over, failing to the moving deliveries of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. It was Kohli's second duck in six visits to the crease in this league.
However, not all was lost for RCB, who despite the brakes applied by Sunrisers bowlers, until AB de Villiers and Yuvraj Singh were at the crease. They took up the challenge, runs came thick and fast.
Earlier, winning the toss, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli had no hesitation in asking Sunrisers Hyderabad to take the first strike. On a wicket that had something for the bowlers initially, Sunrisers, who had a dismal performance in the first leg of IPL-7 in the UAE, had their task
cut out.
With the left-arm seamer Mitchell Starc bowling a steady line, it was going to be tough for the Sunrisers batsmen. Opening the innings with captain Shikhar Dhawan, Aaron Finch did begin his innings on a promising note. But the right-handed Australian did not last long. With the team's score on 20, Finch was the first to depart, caught behind by Parthiv Patel off the bowling of Starc.
In came local boy KL Rahul for a thunderous applause. He too departed for a well-judged catch by Chris Gayle at first slip off Ashok Dinda. At the other end, Dhawan was playing a waiting game to shore up the team's innings.
If Sunrisers set up a fighting total, it was mainly the third wicketpartnership between Dhawan and David Warner. Successfully taking the fight back into the enemy's camp, the duo put on 62 runs for the third wicket. Though he struggled to get his rhythm right, Dhawan ensured Warner got most of the strike.
The pocket-sized Warner was severe on all RCB bowlers except Starc, as he slowly but surely inched towards a well-deserved half-century. At the other end, Dhawan labored his way to a 36-ball 37 before falling to Varun Aaron, caught in the deep by AB de Villiers.
Warner duly completed his 50 with a massive six off Dinda and two balls later, the left-hander celebrated his half-century with another mighty six.
By the time he got out in the last over, bowled by Starc, Warner had taken his team to a respectable total. His 49-ball 61 was studded with four boundaries and three sixes.
Starc turned out to be the pick of the bowlers as he claimed two wickets, conceding 21 runs.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}