An all-round performance from Australia's Shane Watson powered Rajasthan Royals to a commanding seven-wicket victory over Bangalore Royal Challengers in Bangalore on Saturday.
Watson slammed an unbeaten 61 from 41 balls and Graeme Smith scored 49 from 42 as Rajasthan raced to 138 for three in 17.1 overs to register their third win in four matches.
Though Rajasthan lost opening batsman Mahesh Rawat in the first over of the innings, South African captain Smith and Yusuf Pathan (21) consolidated the innings before an onslaught from Watson.
Smith was dismissed by Sunil Joshi with Rajasthan only six runs away from victory, but he had already done the job.
Earlier, Watson (two for 20) and Munaf Patel (two for 20) had helped the visitors restrict Bangalore to 135 for eight.
Put in to bat by Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Warne, the home team top order, except Ross Taylor, failed to click.
Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2), Rahul Dravid (0), Jacques Kallis (11) and Mark Boucher (4) fell cheaply and that piled pressure on the lower order.
Taylor's 20-ball 44 which he he made with the help of six fours and three sixes provided some respectability to Bangalore Royal Challengers total.
Towards the end, young Praveen Kumar made a breezy 34 from 30 runs with two fours and three sixes before getting run out. He was particularly harsh on Warne.
Rajasthan Royals got immediate success when home team captain Rahul Dravid scored a first ball duck holing out to Ravindra Jadeja at deep fine-leg.
A perfect trap was laid for Dravid, who perhaps failed to read the fielder on the boundary line giving Shane Watson a prize wicket.
Two overs later his opening partner Shivnarine Chanderpaul also fell to a similar trap to the same combo as
Bangalore Challengers were reduced to 16 for 2.
Ross Taylor then consolidated the innings with some lusty hitting before seeing the back of his partner Jacques Kallis (11).
