The IPL caravan finally reached a pit stop at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, home to Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Hosts, RCB, went on to put an end to their losing streak at home with their all-around brilliance. With this four-wicket win, Virat Kohli‘s men opened their account in the 2018 edition.
Here is a look at the game-changing moments in the game.
Karnataka boys show their class at Chinnaswamy.
In a strange turn of events, the three men from Karnataka stateside, featured in the reds of KXIP, as opposed to the adopted sons of RCB. Both Rahul and Mayank were the key members of the RCB side in the past.
However, the Karnataka trio entertained their home crowd with a flurry of boundaries. The three in total hit eight boundaries, and four maximums to give a firm statement in front of Chinnaswamy.
Unfortunately, the big guns in the team could quite support their strokeplay.
Umesh Yadav’s game-changing three-wicket over
KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal gave their side a lightning start, carrying one from where they left against Delhi. Umesh Yadav‘s second over, changed the game on its head, as he picked up Mayank Agarwal and Aaron Finch off successive deliveries.
After being hit for a trademark Yuvraj boundary, Umesh Yadav came back and cleaned up Yuvi’s off stump with a peach.
Yadav also ended up with fantastic figures of 3-23 at an impressive economy of 5.7, following his remarkable spell at the Eden Gardens.
The De-factor at RCB
Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers stood out, as they added their South African flavour in RCB’s batting unit. The best wicket-keeper batsman in the world, Quinton played his trademark knock for his 34-ball 45, glazed with seven boundaries and a six.
In a high-pressure situation, modern great AB de Villiers carried the hopes for RCB with his knock of 57 off 40 balls.
Captain Ashwin bringing KXIP in the game
The batting unit failed collectively for KXIP after the start provided by KL Rahul.
Finch, Yuvraj and Stoinis could not quite stitch a partnership in the middle, as the visitors lost wickets in clumps.
However, captain Ravichandran Ashwin saved the day for KXIP, as he chipped in with a vital contribution in order which gave the bowlers a competitive score.
Ashwin scored a priceless 33 off just 21 balls which took the KXIP score to 155.
Just when the Punjab side needed wickets to apply pressure on RCB, with early wickets of Baz and VK, Ashwin then delivered the goods with the ball by removing Sarfraz and dangerous looking Quinton de Kock.
It’s AB, Baby!
Under pressure, in front of his favourite Bengaluru crowd, AB de Villiers displayed his class and finished the game for his side. There were murmurs about RCB’s record in the last ten matches with AB in the team.
That said, the South African maestro, laid to rest all his criticism with a sparkling knock of 57, laced with four sixes and two boundaries.
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