OLD IS GOLD: Adam Gilchrist’s unbeaten 85 came off just 54 balls as Kings XI Punjab overtook Royal Challengers Bangalore's 174 in 18.1 overs and seven wickets to spare. (BCCI)
IANS/Bangalore
Veterans Adam Gilchrist (85 not out, 54b, 10x4, 3x6) and Azhar Mahmood (61, 41b, 8x4, 1x6) rolled back the years as the duo spearheaded a resurgent Kings XI Punjab to a seven-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in a crucial Pepsi Indian Premier League game yesterday. RCB were riding high after scoring 174 for three, courtesy a 136-run partnership in 14.2 overs between Chris Gayle (77, 53b, 4x4, 6x6) and skipper Virat Kohli (58, 43b, 6x4, 2x6), but 41-year-old Gilchrist and Mahmood, 38, made light of the target with a splendid 118-run stand for the second wicket as Kings XI coasted past the target in 18.1 overs.
The result anchored RCB to 16 points from 15 games while Kings XI moved up to 12 with two more matches in hand. RCB, playing at home after three weeks and six away games, are slated to play favourites Chennai Super Kings on May 18.
The RCB innings had a sedate start despite some boundaries in the early overs by Cheteshwar Pujara who, however, was the first of Awana’s three victims, caught brilliantly by Miller at point. Thereafter, Gayle and Kohli steadied the ship though runs were hard to come by as the Kings XI bowlers showed a lot of discipline to restrict RCB to just 58 after 11 overs. However, it was not long before the RCB duo opened their shoulders and chanced their arms to open the floodgates and quite dramatically, runs began to flow in torrents.