Chennai: Rajat Patidar’s attacking fifty and inspired bowling set up Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s fifth straight win to improve their IPL play-off hopes with a 47-run thrashing of Delhi Capitals yesterday.
Bengaluru posted 187-9 after Cameron Green hit an unbeaten 24-ball 32 and bowlers then combined to bowl out Delhi for 140 in 19.1 overs at their home M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Bengaluru, who moved to fifth, have mounted a late charge to make the play-offs but will need to win their last league match and other results to go in their favour to be in the top four.
Delhi slipped to sixth and go into their final match with 12 points. Bengaluru have also 12 points from 13 matches, but boast a better run-rate.
Star batsman Virat Kohli took charge after he smashed 27 off 13 balls to lay the foundation of Bengaluru’s total in a match where Delhi missed skipper Rishabh Pant, who was suspended after a slow over-rate offence.
Kohli remains the leading batsman this season with 661 runs including one century and five half-tons.
Patidar, who hit 52, soon took control in a 88-run stand with England batsman Will Jacks, who smashed 41, before a late charge by Green.
Delhi faltered in their chase after they lost David Warner for one off left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh. Left-arm quick Yash Dayal took down Abishek Porel and then ran out Jake Fraser-McGurk in successive balls and soon Delhi slipped to 30-4.
BRIEF SCORESRoyal Challengers Bengaluru 187 for 9 (Patidar 52, Jacks 41, Salam 2-23, Khaleel 2-31) beat Delhi Capitals 140 (Axar 57, Dayal 3-20, Ferguson 2-23) by 47 runs