IPL 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore defeats Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets, register their 3rd win

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated Rajasthan Royals by 8 wickets at Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Stadium. With their 3rd win from 4 matches, RCB are now sitting at the top of the points table.

In more good news for RCB, their captain Virat Kohli (72* off 53) came back to form and hit his first IPL 2020 fifty to play a key role in his team's 155-run chase against the Royals.

RCB opener Aaron Finch (8) and Devdutt Padikkal (63) got 20 runs in the first 2 overs but Shreyas Gopal trapped the former in the 3rd over to give his team the important breakthrough. Virat Kohli joined the young opener in the middle as RCB never looked back from there.

Runs kept on coming comfortably for RCB as Padikkal impressed everyone again with his masterful strokeplays. He brought his 3rd fifty of the IPL 2020 off 34 balls. On the other hand, Virat Kohli started off by being watchful and took his time before coming back to doing what he does best -- scoring runs on his own whims and fancies. Ryan Parag had to face the wrath of Kohli in the 13th over as he was hammered for a 4 and 6 on consecutive deliveries. Virat Kohli completed his half-century off 41 balls in the 15th over.

Kohli-Padikkal partnership was standing at 99 when a 145 kmph Jofra Archer delivery rattled the young opener's stumps. Before departing, Paddikal added a significant 45-ball 63 in RCB's chase of 155.

AB de Villiers (12*) joined Kohli next but he played a silent role as Kohli completely took control of the affairs in the middle to finish the match with 5 balls remaining.

Selecting to bat first after winning the toss, Rajasthan Royals (RR) were off to a good start after Jos Buttler and Steve Smith scored a boundary each in the first over. Buttler continued to charge on Isuru Udana in his 2nd over as well and welcomed him with a six



and four on the starting two deliveries. Udana got chance to redeem himself on the 4th delivery as RR captain Steve Smith (5) while play to execute a cut shot, edged the ball on to the stumps.

Navdeep Saini came to bowl the 4th over and sent Jos Buttler (22) packing on his very first delivery of the match. There was no stopping to the carnage by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bowlers as Yuzvendra Chahal joined the party, getting Samson (4) on his first delivery of the day. Robin Uthappa and Mahipal Lomror tried to stabilise the RR innings as they stitched together a 39-run partnership off 36 balls for the 4th wicket.

Virat Kohli re-introduced Chahal in the 11th over and responded with Uthappa's (17) wicket, again on the first ball of the over. Youngster Ryan Parag (16) joined Lomror for a 35 run partnership off 34 balls but the former, trying to accelerate RR and his innings, got out in the 16th over while trying to play a powerless pull shot which was caught easily by Aaron Finch.

Lomror was next to try the acceleration and smashed a six off Chahal, who was bowling his final over of the match. The leg-spinner replied back in style and foxed the 20-year-old to dismiss him on an impressive 47 off 39 balls.

At the end of 17th over Rajasthan Royals' scorecard read 116 for 6. The firework finally kicked off in the 18th over after Rahul Tewatia sent a Navdeep Saini delivery in the stands. Jofra Archer chipped in, first with a boundary on the last ball of the same Saini over and then a six off Udana in the following one.

The stage was set for Rahul Tewatia in the final over and he did not disappoint, smashing 2 back to back sixes off Saini after being hit on his chest by a beamer. Tewatia (24 off 12) and Archer (16 off 10) partnered for 40 runs off 21 to take RR's total to a decent 155 for 6 at the end of 20 overs.