Proteas power Royal Challengers triumph

It was a lucky day for Proteas pair Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers this Friday the 13th as they helped script a 4 wicket win for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The Royal Challengers had won the toss and put the Kings XI in to bat bowling them out for 155 before chasing down the target with three balls to spare.
Lokesh Rahul (47) held up the top order despite Umesh Yadav barreling through Mayank Agarwal (15), Aaron Finch (0) and Yuvraj Singh (4) in the fourth over of the match.
Karun Nair (29) helped the opener rebuild the innings moving to 94 before Rahul fell to Washington Sundar to begin another collapse.
Ravichandran Ashwin blasted his way to 33 to help lift the team to something that looked defendable but the Kings XI failed to bat out their 20 overs with four balls going unused.
In reply it would be De Kock (45) and De Villiers who shared the match winning partnership adding 54 for the third wicket at good pace.
De Villiers went on to hit 57 off 40 balls getting RCB into a winning position in another critical partnership with Mandeep Singh (22).
His departure would spark something of a panic with Mandeep being run out in the penultimate over as well but Washington Sundar showed great composure to end the match on a positive note for the Bangalore franchise.
De Villiers said after the win: “I was so keen to be not out and win it. I am sorry for it. I love getting not outs and guiding a team to a win. I was getting frustrated but got some hits in the end.
“The wicket was a little bit on the slower side. From our side, Washington and Chahal bowled well. Yadav’s strikes was a pivotal moment. No place like this. Special to play the Chinnaswamy. We did not have a good season last year and we are going to make up for it this year.”
Latest
-
News
Jos Buttler understands ‘complicated’ decision for players to skip Bangladesh
Alex Hales, Sam Billings and Liam Dawson are among those missing the white-ball tour to play in the Pakistan Super League.
-
News
Kyle Jamieson returns to New Zealand fold for England Tests but Trent Boult out
Fast bowler Jamison has played for New Zealand since last summer.
-
News
Jos Buttler focusing on positives despite England’s series loss in South Africa
There were some standout performances in the series as Jason Roy, Dawid Malan and Buttler all made hundreds.
-
News
England hand Rehan Ahmed first white-ball call-up for tour of Bangladesh
Ahmed became England’s youngest men’s Test cricketer when he lined up against Pakistan in Karachi.
-
News
How are England’s prospects looking ahead of World Cup defence?
Twin defeats in Bloemfontein meant victory in Kimberley was a mere consolation for double world champions England.
-
England
Jonny Bairstow heading in the right direction in his recovery from injury
The 33-year-old Yorkshireman underwent successful surgery on a broken leg and dislocated ankle in September after a freak golf incident.
-
England
Jofra Archer enjoys new role as he bowls England to victory in South Africa
Archer did not open the bowling but produced career-best ODI figures.
-
England
Sir Andrew Strauss lauds ‘extraordinary leaders’ Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes
England’s men’s team have won nine of their 10 Test matches under the new regime.
-
England
Jofra Archer returns career-best ODI figures as England claim consolation win
England won the third and final match against South Africa but had already lost the series.
-
England
Dawid Malan and Jos Buttler hit hundreds as England fight back in South Africa
Buttler’s men are bidding to avoid a series clean sweep and a sixth successive loss in the ODI format.