Thaindian News

Bangalore, March 16 (IANS) Jacques Kallis and Robin Uthappa struck punishing half-centuries as Bangalore Royal Challengers overpowered Kings XI Punjab by eight wickets in an Indian Premier Leage match here Tuesday.
Set a stiff target of 204 runs in 20 overs, Royal Challengers rode on Kallis’ unbeaten 89 off 55 balls and Uthappa’s 55 off 21 to log their first points in the torunament.

Royal Challengers cruised to the target with seven balls to spare and eight wickets in hand.

The openers of both teams did the bulk of the scoring to set-up the high-scoring encounter.

For Kings XI Punjab, Ravi Bopara (77 off 50 balls) and Manvinder Bisla (75 off 51 balls) forged a 129-run stand to lay the foundation of the big total after skipper Kumar Sangakkara decided to bat.

Bopara hit nine fours and two sixes while Bisla struck seven fours and four sixes.

Mahela Jayawardene made 26 to take the total past 200.

Bangalore began the chase on a promising note with Manish Pandey (38) and Kallis hitting 74 runs in 8.1 overs.

After Piyush Chawla got the wicket of Pandey, Robin Uthappa, who was promoted up the batting order, joined the party.

Uthappa brought the match in Bangalore’s grip as he dealt in fours and sixes. S.Sreesanth was at the receiving end of Uthappa’s fire and was struck for 25 runs, including three sixes, in one over.

Uthappa scored the second fastest half-century of IPL with four fours and four sixes.

Uthappa and Kallis shared a 69-run stand before the former was caught by Mohammad Kaif off left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma.

Royal Challengers needed 61 off 36 balls at that stage, but with wickets in hand, Kallis stepped on the accelerator against inexperienced Sharma to take the game away from the visitors.

Kallis hit Sharma for 23 runs in the 18th over with the help of three sixes and eased past the total in the next over.