IPL: Punjab’s power hitting stuns RCB

It was a solid batting display by both the teams with Punjab Kings (PBKS) eventually beating Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by five wickets in their first match of the season.

Chasing 206, the team kicked-off on a good note with Mayank Agarwal and Shikhar Dhawan adding 71 runs in just 7.1 overs.

Wanindu Hasaranga then broke the stand, dismissing Mayank on 32(24) balls in his first ball of the season.

Dhawan and Bhanuka on fire

Dhawan and Bhanuka Rajapaksa continued Punjab’s fight and added 47 runs for the second wicket before Harshal Patel provided RCB with their second breakthrough, removing the Indian on 43(29).

Rajapaksa also scored the same number of runs in 22 balls before getting out to Mohammed Siraj, who then went to dismiss India’s U-19 star Raj Angad Bawa in the following delivery.

Liam Livingstone was the final batter to depart as a late cameo by Odean Smith helped PBKS close the match with an over to spare.

Smith took all the pressure off with some awesome hitting in the 18th over to kill the contest.

He took 25 off Siraj even as the bowler kept looking to hide the ball away from his arc wide of off stump.

Smith, though, displayed his versatility by hitting sixes over cover and long-off.

Finally, Shahrukh and Smith stitched an unbeaten partnership of 52 that took Punjab home.

Faf delivers for RCB

After being put on to bat first, Du Plessis and Anuj Rawat gave RCB a solid start, adding 50 runs for the first wicket.

Faf du Plessis scored 88 off 57 as Royal Challengers finish on 205/2 after being invited to bat first.

Faf du Plessis managed to turn things around after having scored just 17 off his first 30 balls.

Virat Kohli supported him with 41 off 29.

The RCB skipper found great support from Virat Kohli as the pair added 118 runs for the second wicket.

Dinesh Karthik provided the finishing cameo of 32 off 14, but it was no match to the sustained hitting throughout the PBKS innings.

For Punjab Kings, Rahul Chahar and Arshdeep Singh took a wicket apiece.

Punjab Kings 208 for 5 (Rajapaksa 43, Dhawan 43, Agarwal 32, Siraj 2-59) beat Royal Challengers Bangalore 205 for 2 (du Plessis 88, Kohli 41*, Karthik 32*) by five wickets