BANGALORE, May 11:
In an incredible power-hitting show, Steven Smith and James Faulkner rattled up a match-winning 85-run stand from no where as Rajasthan Royals pulled off a stunning five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in an IPL match, here today.
Chasing a daunting 191 to win, Rajasthan were staring down the barrel after losing five wickets for 106 runs in 14th over but Smith (48 off 21) and Faulkner (41 off 17) combined well to find boundary after boundary.
In complete mayhem, the Australian duo scored the last 65 runs off just 17 balls to not only secure the win with seven balls to spare but also steal the thunder from Yuvraj Singh, who had roared back to form with a strokeful; 83 and followed it up with four wickets.
It all started in the 17th over as Faulkner creamed off two fours and a six off the fellow Australian Mitchel Starc. Smith began the next over, bowled by Ashoke Dinda, with a six and two shots to the fence.
Faulkner then finished it off quickly in the 19th over, punishing Varun Aaron with two sixes and a four, stunning the RCB camp and the home fans.
With this win, Rajasthan have strengthened their position in top-four although they remained in third position with 10 points. RCB are still at sixth place with six points.
Bangalore owed their big total to Yuvraj and AB de Villiers (58) as they shared a magnificent 132 run stand, which powered RCB to 190 for five after electing to bat.
Yuvraj, who was dropped on 47 by Sanju Samson, and de Villiers put up a gallant fight as RCB scored 84 runs in the last five overs to snatch the momentum from their rivals, who were well in command till 12 overs.
Sending the Rajasthan bowlers on a leather-hunt, the hosts belted 120 runs in the last eight overs.
Rajasthan too had to endure a bad start as Yuvraj rocked the visitors middle-order with his spin, starting the rot with the important wicket of skipper Shane Watson (1).
The left-armer also scalped Rajasthan’s top scorer Karun Nair (56), Stuart Binny (1) and very talented Sanju Samson (13) to end with figures of 4-0-35-4.
Rajasthan were reeling at 106 for five in the 14th over but what followed was complete mayhem. From nowhere, Smith in company of James Faulkner changed the game with their amazing ability to bat under pressure.
Steven Smith played a blinder, scoring 48 off 21 balls with four sixes and as many fours while Faulkner hit three sixes and three fours in his 17-ball knock.
Yuvraj, who received criticism for his slow batting and failures in this IPL, punished the bowlers with seven fours and seven sixes in 38-ball knock. (PTI)
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