AB de Villers produces another masterclass as RCB beat KXIP in high-scoring match to stay alive in playoffs race

[caption id=“attachment_6517141” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] AB de Villiers’ quickfire 82 helped RCB post a target of 203 for KXIP in their clash at Bengaluru. KXIP lost the match by 17 runs and RCB stayed alive in the playoffs race with the victory. Sportzpics[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_6517191” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] Parthiv Patel gave RCB the perfect start once again as he slammed 43 off 24 after Virat Kohli got out cheaply early on in the innings. Sportzpics[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_6517151” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] Marcus Stoinis’s 46 off 34 helped RCB finish strongly as they posted 202/4 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first by KXIP. Sportzpics[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_6517201” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] R Ashwin led from the front last night with the ball as he gave away just 15 in four overs in a high-scoring match and also took the wicket of Moeen Ali. Sportzpics[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_6517181” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] KL Rahul and Chris Gayle gave KXIP a blistering start in the chase but Gayle fell early for 23 while Rahul added 42. Sportzpics[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_6517171” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] KXIP middle-order batsmen got starts but failed to convert it into big scores as Punjab faltered in the chase. Nicholas Pooran smashed 46 off 28 to give KXIP some push in late overs but it was not enough.[/caption] [caption id=“attachment_6517161” align=“alignnone” width=“940”] Navdeep Saini gave away just three runs in the penultimate over of the match and removed David Miller and Pooran to make the final over a formality as RCB secured a 17-run win. Sportzpics[/caption]