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Jacques Kallis gave critics who didn't consider him a player good enough for the T20 format a fitting reply with a superlative unbeaten 89 in Royal Challengers Bangalore's emphatic eight-wicket win over Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.
The South African veteran was deservedly named the man-of-the-match for his stupendous effort with the blade.
Kallis's 55-ball knock was his second half-century on the trot, following his 65 not out against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday, and his sixth overall in the tournament. He helped himself to eight boundaries and two sixes and took over the Orange Cap -- given to the tournament's top scorer -- from Ravi Bopara, who had taken possession of it earlier in the day.
Kallis was involved in three crucial partnerships that ensured the eventuality.
His 74-run partnership for the first wicket with Manish Pandey (38) was the best opening stand in the tournament for the team from Bangalore and laid the foundations of the chase.
His second wicket stand with Robin Uthappa (51) yielded Bangalore 69 runs in just 35 balls -- and changed the course of the game.
The South African also put on 61 runs (in just 29 balls) in an unbroken third wicket stand with Virat Kohli (16 not out) that took the team from Bangalore through to the eventual result -- a happy ending after a not-so-happy beginning.