Photographs: BCCI
Royal Challengers Bangalore scored a narrow four-run win over Delhi Daredevils on Friday to enhance their chances of qualifying for the play-offs of the Pepsi Indian Premier League.
After scoring 183 for four at the Ferozshah Kotla, the visitors restricted the hosts to 179 for seven. It was Delhi's fifth defeat in six matches at their home ground.
Earlier, Delhi Daredevils, led by David Warner, won the toss and invited Royal Challengers Bangalore to bat first.
The captain's decision was vindicated as Irfan Pathan struck early, claiming the big wicket of Chris Gayle.
Bangalore's West Indies opener, looking to pull a delivery outside off-stump, got a thick edge and the ball crashed back on to the stumps.
Gayle was out for four off seven balls and Royal Challengers Bangalore were 6 for 1 after two overs.
Siddarth Kaul sends Pujara packing
Photographs: BCCI
Siddarth Kaul was introduced into the attack in the fifth over and he struck with the last delivery, claiming the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara.
The batsman gave the bowler the charge but played all over and the ball rattled the stumps.
Pujara was out for 17 off as many ball and Bangalore were reduced to 32 for 2 after five overs.
Kaul gets the stick in his last over
Photographs: BCCI
Kaul kept things tight but came in for some stick in the 19th over, his last, conceding 12 runs, 11 of which were scored by Ab de Villiers.
He finished one wicket for 36 runs in his four overs.
Kohli scored his 12th IPL fifty
Photographs: BCCI
Two down with hardly anything on the board it was left to skipper Virat Kohli to resurrect the innings.
He did it in style, scoring a whirlwind 99 off 58 balls, including four sixes and ten fours, before he was run-out by Ben Rohrer off the last delivery of the innings.
It was the Bangalore captain's 12th IPL fifty.
AB de Villiers provides late boost
Photographs: BCCI
AB de Villiers provided Kohli excellent support in a 50-run partnership off just 27 balls.
He started the onslaught by clobbering Morne Morkel for a huge six over the fine-leg boundary.
He finished with 32 runs off 17 balls, including two 4s and two 6s.
Unadkat top-scored with 41
Photographs: BCCI
Delhi lost three wickets early but Chand and Rohrer played sensibly to take Delhi past the 100-run mark inside the 12th over.
Just when the duo of Chand and Rohrer (32 off 27) were looking dangerous, the later departed inside edging a R Vinay Kumar delivery on to his stumps. The fourth wicket partnership of Chand and Rohrer yielded 58 runs off 44 balls.
The asking rate took a toll on Chand too as he also departed soon, caught by Vinay Kumar off Unadkat. He scored 41 off 35 balls with the help of four fours and a six.
Unadkat picked up five wickets
Photographs: BCCI
Jaydev Unadkat picked up a five-wicket haul (5-25) to help restrict Delhi to 179 for six.
Chasing an imposing target, Delhi lost their openers, Mahela Jayawardene (19) and Virender Sehwag (18), to Unadkat.
The bowler returned to remove Unmukt Chand (41) and Kedar Jadhav (8) in his third over before cleaning up Morne Morkel (19) in his fourth, one that happened to be the last of the innings.
Unadkat was named the man-of-the-match for his effort.
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