Bangalore crash out of Indian Premier League

The Royal Challengers Bangalore crashed out of the Indian Premier League on the back of a convincing 30-run defeat to the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore crashed out of the Indian Premier League on the back of a convincing 30-run defeat to the Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Thursday.

The result confirmed the Knight Riders' graduation to the play-offs stage of the lucrative Twenty20 tournament alongside the Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings.

The fourth berth will go to the Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians or Sunrisers Hyderabad. The Delhi Daredevils have already been omitted from contention in the wake of seven successive defeats.

Bangalore captain Virat Kohli's choice to bowl first after winning the toss backfired entirely, as quickfire half-centuries from opener Robin Uthappa and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan powered the hosts to a formidable total of 195 for four in front of an appreciative 65,000-strong crowd.

A visiting attack sporting the services of Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc and former Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan was largely outgunned, with Uthappa and Al Hasan sharing all of 15 fours and a quartet of swashbuckling sixes.

The Indian scored 83 not out off just 51 deliveries to the Bangladeshi's 60 off 38. They were outstanding in combination, amassing a fine 121-run alliance inside a dozen overs.

The Royal Challengers' pursuit was a stop-start affair, eventually reduced to a mere whimper. West Indian big-hitter Chris Gayle and South African signing AB de Villiers' failure to fire had a predictable adverse effect. Kohli's middle-order backbone was too little, too late.

Windies spinner Sunil Narine proved characteristically successful, outfoxing the chasing pack with superb deception in flight and additional bounce from an otherwise placid pitch. Bangalore's final 165 for five was insufficient – but ample for an early tourney exit.