Highlights, IPL 2018, RCB vs SRH at Chinnaswamy: Royal Challengers Bangalore win by 14 runs

So this is how the standings are after RCB’s win. They move to 5th place in the table and making the race for playoffs tighter. 

De Villiers: It is an amazing feeling. Crazy game of cricket. We pulled it through.  Rashid Khan is a really good bowler. I look to put pressure on the bowlers. I am human after all.If I get one or two away, I have momentum going my way. With the catch, I made it look tougher than it was. It  was curving away late and luckily it stuck. The minute I took the jump and felt my body was outside. It will be great to make the knockouts. Most important thing is to win the last game.

AB de Villiers is the Man of the Match

Virat Kohli, RCB captain: We want the teams to to fear playing us and we want to take advantage of the fear and pounce on it. We have been brilliant as always. This (AB de Villiers catch) is the kind of stuff that the super humans do. We just want to get on with the confidence of winning the last three matches and take it forward to whatever matches we have left in the tournament.

Yet another classy innings in a losing cause in this IPL. But Williamson can be really proud of this, perhaps his best T20 knock, showing that he has a gear that we haven’t seen yet. Pandey’s runs are as heartening, just as his lack of finishing skills was worrying. Credit to RCB, the team that everyone had written off just a week or so ago, have earned themselves a chance.

Kane Williamson, SRH captain: To be honest with ourselves we missed a trick a little with the ball in hand.RCB have a fantastic batting line-up and put us under pressure. In chase we need to make key decisions, and we didn’t. It had to go perfectly for us to win. Lot to take from this game. Lot to learn as we move forward. Today was a very good wicket. We have played on some tough surfaces, nice to have good wicket, but it was important for us not get carried away. Tried to get a good start. As we know it in this ground the ball flies around. You just try to play the role the best you can and then the situation dicates how you go about it. Close, but not close enough. Credit to RCB, they deserve to win.

Royal Challengers keep their hopes alive with a 14-run win over Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Ball 6: Only a single off the final ball and that will do it for them. The red flags are out and Siraj jumps in the air to soak in the celebrations. RCB are in the race. They climb to the fifth position on the table and still have a very healthy and positive run rate. Things getting interesting on the table. In the end RCB’s gigantic total was a little to much for the Sunrisers.

Ball 5:  Slices it up and over the infield on the offside over the point, lands in no man’s land they run two. 16 off 1

Ball 4: 1 run. Deepak Hooda chances his arm and hits the ball high for his first ball and is dropped by Kohli at long off. VK was running in from the deep, got there, settled underneath it and dropped a sitter. How often do you see him putting down chances!? Hooda takesa single. Target now beyond mathematical possibilities. 18 off 2

Ball 3: One leg bye! Pandey missed out on a fulltoss on the hips. The ball rolls across and they amble for a single. RCB fans roar. They know they got it. 19 off 3

Ball 2: Dot! Pandey tried to play it from the back of the bat once again is that the match? 20 off 4

Ball 1: OUT! Siraj to bowl the final over. Williamson moves across his stumps to play it fine gets the toe end of the bat. De Grandhomme holds on to a pressure catch at the fine leg fence. Top innings of 81 off 42 balls comes to a sad end as KW walks back to the dug out.

After 19 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 199/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 81 , Manish Pandey 59)

Fifteen runs come off the penultimate over. Tell you what it is still lesser than what the required rate was at the start off the over, which was 17.5. Leaves 20 runs for the final over. Pandey missed out on couple of occasions and that might be the difference in the end. South completes with 45 against his name.

Most consecutive 50-plus scores by captains in IPL:

5 – Virender Sehwag, 2012
4 – Virat Kohli, 2016
4 – KANE WILLIAMSON, 2018*

FOUR! Pummeled it fiercely just wide off the long off fielder. Pandey cracked at that one.

FOUR! Hammered by Pandey. Length and Pandey gets it long off boundary no fielder in the deep.

FIFTY! Was wide outside off stump and Pandey was waiting for it. Pumps it down the ground but couldn’t get the power behind it. Should have been one or perhaps a couple but CdG makes an absolute meal off it. Kohli isn’t happy and he runs in to replace the big kiwi at long on. Nevertheless fine fifty for Manish Pandey.

After 18 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 184/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 80 , Manish Pandey 46)

Pandey improvised couple of times and did it well, but got a little too fancy in the end when he attempted to hit it from the back of the bat, trying to lift it through the slips. Missed out. Siraj gives only four runs after boundaries off the first two balls. Great comeback with some wide yorkers. 35 needed off 12.

Irrespective of the result, this batting performance will give SRH some confidence. They were labelled as a team that couldn’t chase more than 160 early in the tournament, but they are turning that around. This game is still open, but more importantly, this team is in evolution, leading in to the playoffs.

The Hitman approves!

T20 cricket isn’t just about power, it’s also about being smart and playing to your strengths and Williamson is doing exactly that

— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) May 17, 2018

FOUR! Pandey waited on it, was the slower ball to ramp it over the short third man this time to collect four runs. Very intellingent cricket from him. Innovation at its best.

SIX! Breathtaking stroke from Manish Pandey. Exposes all his stumps and Siraj did the right thing by targetting the stumps. Pandey, on the move, is able to flick it over fine leg boundary for a six.

After 17 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 170/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 80 , Manish Pandey 34)

Southee starts off with a wide off the offstump and Williamson squeezes it to wide third man for a single. Southee continues to keep it wide outside off and smart field placing with a short third in the ring and a wide third man patrolling the boundary. AB at mid off makes up for almost two fielders, running to covers and keeping down to one. More fielders on point and cover boundary. hard for batsmen to score off such deliveries. Great over. Only 6 runs off it. 49 off last 18 balls.

Least innings to score 1,000 runs in IPL:

21 – Shaun Marsh
23 – Lendl Simmons
25 – Matthew Hayden
27 – Chris Gayle
28 – KANE WILLIAMSON*.

After 16 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 164/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 78 , Manish Pandey 30)

Unreal batting by these two. They have brought the century-stand in quicktime. With Pandey getting runs, it realises lot of pressure of Williamson, who is batting brilliantly. All sorts of problems for RCB. They need a wicket soon, very soon. 55 off 24 needed. Tight finish beckons.

FOUR! Chahal drags it halfway down the wicket and Pandey is able to swivel and put the ball away behind square.

RCB are being severely tested by this partnership between Williamson and Manish. The pair is running brilliantly and executing terrific strokes. RCB need a breakthrough very soon

Manish Pandey finally getting involved. Critically, the ball is now being changed. A dry ball means that it is hard, and therefore will give RCB, especially Chahal, some grip. Dew is a big reason why the Chinnaswamy is a difficult ground to defend; a wet ball is hard to grip, hard to control. It can be the difference between a yorker and a low full toss. A new ball negates that a bit.

Captains to score 600-plus runs in an IPL season:

Virat Kohli, 2016
David Warner, 2016 and 2017
Virat Kohli, 2013
Sachin Tendulkar, 2010
KANE WILLIAMSON, 2018*

After 15 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 152/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 76 , Manish Pandey 21)

Good to see Manish Pandey finally arriving. Just what SRH needed. Runs from both ends. 22 come of CdG’s over. 67 now off 30 balls

SIX! Massive! Went a long way up in the sky. Pandey joins the party with a six over long-on.

SIX! Low full toss again and Williamson is too good to miss out on that Struck it over deep square for a maximum.

FOUR! Low full toss,  and the batsman whips it away past deep square leg for a four. Pandey getting a move on

FOUR! Virat Kohli did all he could. nobody summed the effort better than Harsha on air, ‘he climbed the Everest, but fell a foot short’  aced across the turf, dived to stop the ball, flicked it while picking it up. Manish Pandey required the slice of luck this shall get him going.

Most 50s by a captain in an IPL season:

9 – David Warner in 2016
8 – KANE WILLIAMSON in 2018*
7 – Virat Kohli in 2016
7 – David Warner in 2015

Kane Williamson has taken his batting to another level in this IPL. RCB bowlers hit hard by the range of his shots and deft placing. RCB need to lift the level of their game now.

After 14 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 130/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 69 , Manish Pandey 6)

Umesh conceded 18 off his first 3 overs. 13 off his last. He has been bowled out, Kohli would have wanted a wicket at this stage but doesn’t get it. 89 needed off 36

SIX! Short ball to finish and Willamson was ready to cash in. Goes back in the crease and pulls it over mid wicket to end Umesh’ spell.

FOUR! Cut away! Fabulous stroke there! Williamson is in the zone as he has been throughout this Indian summer. Hd struck it hard to beat the backward point fielder with the ball racing across the turf.

There is anchoring the innings by being solid and then there is anchoring the innings by being a dead-weight. Manish Pandey is being the latter. On the other side, Williamson, the IPL’s marathoner, has sprinted to his fifty. But in this kind of chase you need runs gushing from both ends.

After 13 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 117/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 58 , Manish Pandey 4)

KW brings his half-century in the over. Pandey really needs to get a move on. Can’t take his timewhen you are chasing 219. Not fair on Williamson as the pressure continues to mount on Williamson. 12 off it.

SIX! Again Williamson targets the midwicket boundary and pulls it over the boundary to end De Grandhomme’s over.

FIFTY! This has been a glorious innings from Kane Willaimson. Brings up his 8th IPL half-century this season. 11th overall. Tremendous knock. Needs to carry on and play the big innings.

After 12 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 105/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 48 , Manish Pandey 2)

Williamson has flew to 48 without breaking a sweat. Some breathtaking strokes from the leader. He knows he is carrying a lot on his shoulders chasing a mammoth 219. 114 runs needed off 48 balls.

FOUR! Now over the backward point region. Williamson showing his range. Guides it over point.

SIX! Tad short from Siraj and Williamson slugs it over mid wicket boundary, out of ABD’s reach in the deep, so one can say was a well calculated shot as well.

After 11 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 94/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 37 , Manish Pandey 2)

Chahal comes back into the attack, and gets one to straighten straightaway. Beats Williamson, who comes down the track and hits him over covers next ball for a couple. Good running there. Chahal was looking to lower the pace and give the ball some air on first three balls. Flattens trajectory and goes leg-side next ball as Williamson turns him to square-leg for a single. Two slow leg-spinners yield no runs as Chahal closes another fine over. He has bowled really well tonight.

After 10 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 91/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 34 , Manish Pandey 2)

Some sublime shots played by Kane Williamson in this over. He continues to fight at Chinnaswamy. Man! What form this player is in. 4, 4 and 6 off the first three balls followed buy three singles.

SIX! This is incredible batting this from the SRH captain. He is leading from the front here. Clubbed away for a biggie!

FOUR! High quality shot that! Played it with the spin. Was tossed up and Williamson is an artist. Brings those wrists into play to whip it to mid wicket fence.

FOUR! Williamson gets low and with a horizontal bat swats it to backward square leg boundary.

After 9 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 74/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 18 , Manish Pandey 1)

Couple of boundaries help SRH take 10 runs off Southee’s over. Williamson will need support from the other end. Manish Pandey needs to contribute here.

FOUR! Consecutive boundaries off his countryman. Advances down the wicket and slaps it with a flat bat over extra covers, couple of bounces and over the fence.

FOUR! Sarfraz misfields and lets it through for four. Poor in the deep from Sarfraz. Williamson takes four runs.

After 8 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 64/2 ( Kane Williamson (C) 9 , Manish Pandey 0)

Couple of singles to start with and Hales was lining up for a big shot as he goes back in his crease, decides against it and taps it down awkwardly, almost ends up plays it on. Heaves wildly the next ball but doesn’t time it, can only procure a single. Comes down the pitch and hacks it on the onside, the ball was sailing for six but for ABD’s unreal act in the deep to claim a one-handed catch.

Third time’s a charm, they say, but this time it was a miracle. Oh, what a surreal catch. Peter Parker who?

What a sensational catch by that mercurial ABD. He plucked the catch that was sailing for a six with a brilliantly timed leap, maintained balance to dismiss Alex Hales. Catch of IPL.

Manish Pandey v RCB in IPL:

Innings – 10
Runs – 142
Average – 15.77
50s – 1

OUT! BLINDER! That is an absolute screamer from who else but Abraham Benjamin de Villiers! Hales had been riding his luck so far in the innings, he ran out of it against ABD’s brilliance in the deep. Ran close to the boundary and leapt across and extended his arm out and pull moff a stunner. Any goalkeeper in the world. De Gea, Buffon, Neuer would have been proud of that.

Hales c de Villiers b Moeen Ali 37(24)

Kohli wringing in constant changes to keep check on SRH scoring. RCB need to win by big margin to get a better Net run rate which might come in handy for qualifying.

Kane Williamson is the only player to score seven fifty-plus scores in this year’s IPL.

Moeen Ali comes into the attack. Can he be the hero with the ball as welll.

After 7 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 60/1 ( Alex Hales 35 , Kane Williamson (C) 7)

Umesh Yadav runs into his third over. Starts off with a couple of dots and then Williamson and Hales knock it around in the vacant spaces after the fielding restrictions have been lifted. Four singles off the over.

After 6 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 56/1 ( Alex Hales 33 , Kane Williamson (C) 5)

In form captain Kane Williamson walks in at number three after Dhawan was dismissed caught and bowled. He gets off the mark with a good looking stroke through mid wicket. SRH past the 50-run mark in the powerplay.

Desptie Dhawan’s dismissal, SRH will be pretty happy with this powerplay (especially with their luck). The spinners are the biggest threat in this game; both SRH spinners were the most economical in the first innings. It’s to SRH’s credit that they have already accounted for two of Chahal’s overs, and lost just the one wicket while putting on more than 9 RPO in the first six.

FOUR! Chahal drops it short and all Hales had to do was help the ball on its way. Lap sweeps it over short fine leg for a boundary to end the powerplay.

FOUR! Beautiful shot all along the ground from Williamson. We have seen the ball fly across various parts of the ground, but this shot is for the purists, tragic, casual watchers anybody who admire beauty would be delighted in seeing that on the loop. What a way to get off the mark. Just timed it through mid wicket beating the diving mid on fielder.

OUT! Chahal strikes and it is the massive wicket of Shikhar Dhawan. The southpaw looked to come down the pitch and seeing that Yuzi gave the ball a little more air. Dhawan was beaten in flight as he could only return it back to the bowler for a simple catch. Soft dismissal.

Dhawan c and b Chahal 18(15)

Big breakthrough for RCB. Consistent Dhawan caught and bowled while attempting to take the fight to Leggie Chahal in powerplay overs. SRH still going at 10 runs an over.

After 5 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 47/0 ( Shikhar Dhawan 18 , Alex Hales 29)

Siraj’s first over doesn’t go according to the plan, with his first and the last ball dispatched for six and dropped catch in between. 15 runs off the over.

SIX! Again Hales has chose to target the midwicket region. In the slot and put away over the fence for another six.

DROPPED! Ahh that would have been another wonderful catch had the RCB skipper managed to hang on it. Hales struck it hard down the ground, Kohli was off in a flash from mid on, put in the dive but just seems he did a little more there. The ball hits him on the wrists.

If RCB restrict SRH at 173 or less today then their NRR will go above MI’s.

SIX! First ball from Siraj has been dispatched out of the ground. Touch short and Dhawan pulls it over mid wicket boundary. So got to see the flourish there from the Indian opener.

After 4 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 32/0 ( Shikhar Dhawan 10 , Alex Hales 22)

Flat and wicket-to-wicket from Chahal. Simplicity is his formula in the powerplay. Hales tried to hack it away a couple of times on the onside but with the ball being very full and straight, he was unable to get underneath it. Only four singles off the over.

Time for spin. Yuzvendra Chahal into the attack.

After 3 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 28/0 ( Shikhar Dhawan 8 , Alex Hales 20)
 

After a boundary and six off the first two balls. Yadav gives just a single off the remaining four deliveries. Lack of evidence helps Hales to continue his innings.

NOT OUT! Tremendous work from Southee in the deep. ~Hales is on his way.~ He shakes his head in disbelief. Hales was looking to flick it away once again. The soft signal from the onfield umpire is out, those slow motion replays have come to Hales’ rescue. He is stopped in his tracks and he will continue to play. No conclusive evidence for the TV umpire to overturn the soft signal. Virat Kohli has a word with the onfield umpire after the TV umpire’s decision flashed on the big screen.

Moeen Ali has dismissed Alex Hales two out of three T20 innings in which he played against him. Should RCB bring in Moeen Ali?

SIX! Wowza! Stunning stroke from Alex Hales! Umesh aims to go full and straight. Hales let the blade come down and brings those wrists into play to flick it over midwicket fence.

After 2 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 17/0 ( Shikhar Dhawan 8 , Alex Hales 9)

After the six off the first ball. Southee holds the ball back of a length and bowls couple dots before Dhawan is able to rotate the strike to the square leg. Alex Hales too thwacks a six off the first ball he faced from Southee. Single to finish. 14 runs off the over.

SIX! Hales’ chance to get into the act. Southee overpitches it again. Looking for some swing, well there is none. Hales doesn’t get strike it from the sweet spot of the bat but carries over long on boundary.

Umesh Yadav has taken 13 wickets in the powerplay overs this IPL – the most by any player.

Shikhar Dhawan v RCB at Bangalore in IPL: 16*, 73*, 37, 50*, 8, 28

SIX! Delightful swing of the bat from Shikhar Dhawan. Southee starts off with a length delivery and Dhawan simply stands and swings the bat through the line. The ball flies over long on.

Tim Southee is into the attack.

After 1 overs,Sunrisers Hyderabad 3/0 ( Shikhar Dhawan 1 , Alex Hales 2)

Umesh starts with a slip in place and begins to crank up the pace straightaway. Dhawan flat-bats it hard down the ground, but a swift ABD, dives at mid off and keeps it down to one, after three dots to start.Hales gets off the mark with a brace to long leg.

In pursuit of a mammoth chase, Alex Hales and Shikhar Dhawan come out to the middle. In form Umesh Yadav will begin for RCB.

RCB have posted a mammoth score here at the Chinnaswamy with AB de Villiers firing once again. He wasn’t the only one though, with Moeen Ali joining the party and then Colin De Grandhomme and Sarfarz Khan playing their parts with handy cameos down the order.The Orange Army will have addition support today from Mumbai and Kolkata. Needless to say RCB require the win, but if they can get a big win here, say 40-50 runs, it will be provide a massive filip to their campaign and their chances in the top four.

Join us for the chase!

RCB today:

1-6 overs: 44/2 (RR – 7.33)
7-15 overs: 105/2 (RR – 11.67)
16-20 overs: 69/2 (RR – 13.80)

A team whose fielding has been so good it was never been talked about the entire tournament is letting things slip. Wickets don’t cost much at this stage of the game but they do affect a teams confidence. Rashid’s stunner will give SRH something to smile about, but it’s been a tough day. Thampi has conceded more runs than he might in two usual matches. SRH have already scored their highest total in a chase this season, but this might be beyond them.

The highest target successfully chased in IPL is 215, chased by RR against DC at Hyderabad in 2008. Can SRH create history today?

Massive score this from RCB. 134 they scored in the last 10 overs and the towers in this Manhattan suggest the same. 

RCB finish with 218 for 6 in their 20 overs.

Sarfaraz is able to pull it long leg fence to end the innings off the final ball. Siddarth Kaul’s final over produced 10 runs with the boundary coming off the last ball. Couple of really tough chances put down. Sarfaraz’s innovative strokeplay forces Williamson to field a long stop, where he was put down once. SRH have a mighty task ahead of them.

Basil Thampi becomes the first bowler to concede 70 runs in a T20 match played in India. The previous highest was 69 by S Arvind which he conceded against South Australia at Bangalore in 2011.

Most runs conceded in an innings in IPL:

70/0 – Basil Thampi for SRH v RCB, Bangalore, 2018*
66/0 – Ishant Sharma for SRH v CSK, Hyderabad, 201

OUT! JEEZ! What a stupendous catch that! Williamson put down a high skier off the previous ball and CdG nailed the pull backed by brute force. Rashid in the deep comes couple of paces in and sticks his hand out with the ball soaring over his head. The momentum of the ball takes him back and he tumbles but more importantly, he clings on. One of the catches off the season.

C de Grandhomme c Rashid Khan b S Kaul 40(17)

After 19 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 208/5 ( Colin de Grandhomme 38 , Sarfaraz Khan 16)

RCB jet past 19 runs off the penutimate over. Thampi now has the worst record as a bowler in the IPL. 70 runs off his 4 overs, the previous worst was 66 from Ishant Sharma. The youngster will learn from this.

SIX! Ridiculous shot from Sarfaraz Khan! Simply places the bat straight pointing towards the bowler to recieve it on the full and lifts it over third man boundary.

Colin de Grandhomme’s SR of 167.24 in T20 cricket is the highest for any player with a cut-off of 500 runs in T20s. He is proving his worth with the bat today.

FOUR! Good shot, full on off, Sarfaraz opens the bat face gets it into the gap with the square-drive wide of the fielder in the deep

SIX! CdG picks the slower ball and slaps it high and powerfully over extra-cover.

After 18 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 189/5 ( Colin de Grandhomme 30 , Sarfaraz Khan 5)

A six and a four off the over as RCB take 13 runs off it and inch closer to 200-run mark.

FOUR! As if Basil Thampi wasn’t having the worse days with the ball, he misfields at short third and the ball races to the boundary. Sarfarz gets his first runs off the match.

SRH, the best bowling attack in the tournament, facing their third 180+ total in recent times. Using just five bowlers has been a strength,  but it also means that they don’t have a back up plan. The Chinnaswamy is a tough ground to defend, but this total is threatening to spiral out of control.

SIX! Probably Rashid misjudged it in the deep.  Was the knuckleball. CDG didn’t time it but had enough power to go the distance of course only after Rashid tipped it over. The Afghan came in first and start back paddling once he realised the ball was going over. Unable to keep it in.

OUT! Gone! Mandeep Singh departs as he holes out to long off. Shikhar takes another catch and pats his thigh in celebration. RCB five down. Siddarth Kaul picks his first wicket.

After 17 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 176/4 ( Colin de Grandhomme 23 , Mandeep Singh 4)

Shakib might not have a wicket to his name but he came back strongly after De Villiers and Moeen Ali attacked him in his earlier overs. 7 off the first five balls, but finishes giving away 13 runs off his final over and 35 off his 4 overs.

SIX! Ahh cruel game, is what Shakib must be thinking. Moved a good over but was struck for a biggie off the last ball. Amazing hit from CDG. Plays it with the spin and lofts it over extra cover boundary.

After 16 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 163/4 ( Colin de Grandhomme 14 , Mandeep Singh 0)

De Grandhomme has made his intentions clear right from the word ‘go’. Already has 14 off his first six. Runs continue to bleed for SRH.

SIX! Clean strike. De Grandhomme goes long and straight. Williamson isn’t happy with how Thampi has bowled here. Was in the arc for CDG to smash it down the ground.

FOUR! Colin de Grandhomme throws his hands at the wide one and the ball and gets it over the short third man for a boundary.

After 15 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 149/4 ( Colin de Grandhomme 0 , Mandeep Singh 0)

Double break for SRH via their ace bowler Rashid Khan. Completes his spell picking the three big wickets off the opposition. Two new batsmen at the crease for RCB. How important will this over be in the context of the match.

Double strike from Rashid. He was into his last over, and after that SRH would have gone into their last over without an over from Rashid to rely on, and that doesn’t happen too often. What a star. Equal praise for Dhawan. He’s never talked about as a fit cricketer, but that landing showed great lower body stability, which comes thanks to a lot of time in the gym.

Players to hit 30 or more sixes in two or more different seasons of IPL:

Chris Gayle (2011, 2012, 2013 and 2015)
AB de Villiers (2016 and 2018)*

Trust Rashid khan to provide the breakthrough. ABD’s huge slog sweep was caught short of the line by Dhawan. A couple of deliveries later he snared Moen Ali to put the brakes on RCB’s surge. Terrific 107 run stand in just 57 balls between ABD and Moen. Solid base for others to capitalize on.

OUT! Another one from RK! Such an impact player this 19-year old from Afghanistan.  Moeen was attempting the reverse sweep, but just managed to glove it and Sreevats Goswami does well to pouch it on the second attempt after the ball bobbed up off the wicket-keeper gloves’ webbing.

FOUR! Flat hit from Moeen Ali and he has gone down the ground beats both the long-off and long-on fielders.

OUT! Shikhar Dhawan this time takes a terrific catch in the deep, right at the edge off the backwardf square leg boundary. Rashid gets the big fish! Was the wrong’un. AB moves across his stumps bends on his knee and tries to hit it over the boudnary. Held in the deep.

After 14 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 144/2 ( AB de Villiers 69 , Moeen Ali 60)

Sandeep Sharma completes his quota. He finishes with 40 runs against his name. Beared the brunt off some big storkes off AB and Ali’s blade. 14 off it. RCB eyeing a huge total here. 200 is well on the cards. They might get 20 runs extra as well.

SIX! Just over the ropes. Sandeep Sharma rolled his fingers over this one and bowled it wide off offstump and Moeen eyes the straight boundary. Wasn’t from the meat but goes as far as 74m which gives him six more runs.

Most sixes in IPL:

292 – Chris Gayle 
187 – AB de Villiers*
185 – MS Dhoni

FOUR! ABD decides to chase the wide ball and he connects, was the slower delivery outside off, and he gets it over backward point.

An onslaught that SRH don’t seem to have an answer to here. AB targeting the roof once again. His footwork pours pressure on the young Thampi and that means the yorker can go slightly wrong. now SRH might think about using a sixth bowler, considering pace off the ball is the best policy. They have used just five bowlers in seven games this season, so will be an interesting decision.

After 13 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 130/2 ( AB de Villiers 64 , Moeen Ali 52)

Another 18-run over for RCB. They are cruising here. Not often have we seen SRH bowlers struggle against the batsmen, today it is different. The partnership is worth 90 now.

SIX! Monstrous hit! That ball has been hit out of the stadium. Fans are simply loving this. Unreal shot from ABD. Moves across his stumps once again, takes the low full toss and clobbers it over backward square leg. 105m.

FOUR! ABD adjusted so well here. Premeditated shot. Moved across the stumps and was in the position to scoop it over short fine leg. Waited for the slower ball to arrive and then got it over short fine leg.

Most 50-plus scores by overseas players in IPL:

39 – David Warner 
30 – AB DE VILLIERS*
30 – Chris Gayle 
21 – Shaun Marsh

Moeen has smashed the bowling like a battering ram. His 50 has come off just 25 balls as he has upped the ante spectacularly. 5 sixes and a boundary embellish his knock.

FIFTY! Moeen Ali brings up his half-century with top shot through covers. Low full toss from Thampi drilled to cover boundary.

After 12 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 112/2 ( AB de Villiers 53 , Moeen Ali 46)

Another expensive over from Siddarth Kaul. 18 runs off it as RCB race past 100-run mark. Moeen Ali has been tremendous tonight giving RCB the third batsman that they were looking for. Kaul has been struggling with form since the last couple of games, his misery continues.

SIX! Was the bumper from Kaul and was climbing over Moeen’s head, but he has somehow got it from the sweet spot as he pulls it way into the stands over mid wicket boundary.

ABD and Moeen have done an excellent job for RCB. Their batting has been aggressive and has pushed back SRH in style. ABD’s 32 ball 50 has been top drawer stuff.

FIFTY! Back of a length from Kaul and AB has gone deep in his crease to slam it through mid wicket for a boundary. Brings his 27th half-century off the IPL in 32 balls.

FOUR! Gee, that was hit with some power! The fielder in the deep could only move a couple paces to his left but isn’t able to cut it off.

After 11 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 94/2 ( AB de Villiers 42 , Moeen Ali 39)

The six off the first ball, put the pressure on the bowler.  ABD might be still struggling to find a way to score runs against Rashid Khan, but left-handed Moeen looks fine. 10 runs off the over.

SIX! Ali jumps down the pitch and goes over long off. It was a mishit off Rashid’s bowling but had got enough off the bat for the ball to sail over the fielder in the deep.

RCB lost Parthiv, Kohli early but have managed to not kneel down. Moeen Ali and de Villiers have been going good, looking to play their shots and not succumbing to the pressure. 

After 10 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 84/2 ( AB de Villiers 41 , Moeen Ali 30)

At the halfway stage, RCB are in a decent position, but they would still want 200 by the end off their innings. Ali is providing the much-needed big hits every now and then.

SIX! Very good catch in the deep by Shikhar Dhawan, but the momentum off the ball pushed the fielder back as he came in contact with the long on boundary ropes. Change up from Sandeep and Ali thwacked it flat bat to long on. Dhawan affords a smile.

Thampi has succeeded so far, used primarily as a death bowler . Brought in here in the first 10, he is struggling . It doesn’t help that he is up against ABD, one of the revolutionaries of the game. AB attacks in the 7-10 over phase, one where most other batters consolidate. He’s used the pace on the ball so well, and the contrast when the spinner bowls is stark.

Moeen Ali comes with the reputation of being a big hitter. He hasn’t had too many opportunities this year. This could be his moment. The two huge sixes off Basil Thampi could be a sign of things to come.

After 9 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 73/2 ( AB de Villiers 40 , Moeen Ali 20)

Shakib is brought back into the attack. He has adapted well to the slowness off the surface. AB de Villiers kept moving across in his crease, trying to create the room and play it inside out or perhaps line up for some extravagant stroke. However, the Bangladeshi all-rounder held his tight lines not allowing AB to breakfree. Only three singles off the over.

After 8 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 70/2 ( AB de Villiers 39 , Moeen Ali 18)

Severe beating for Thampi in his first over. Moeen belted him for a couple off sixes before De Villiers whacked him through mid wicket. Three other singles in the over. RCB have swiftly increased the run rate, almost going at nine runs an over.

FOUR! AB’s chance to a piece off it. Shortish from Thampi and the master batsman slaps it across mid wicket for four runs.

Moeen Ali’s SR in T20 cricket:

Career – 128.55
Since 2016 – 114.61

SIX! And another one. Dozen runs off Thampi’s first two balls. This time Ali stood in crease and simply swatted it across with a lot nonchalance in the stroke. Ball sails into the stands.

SIX! Just a warm-up delivery from Thampi. In the slot from round the wicket and Moeen doesn’t require another invitation. Launches it over long off for a maximum.

Basil Thampi comes into the attack.

After 7 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 51/2 ( AB de Villiers 34 , Moeen Ali 4)

RCB go past the 50-run mark in the 7th over. Hits and misses from Moeen Ali against Rashid Khan, ABD didn’t look at ease either, Rashid ensuring that the batsmen are on their toes against him.

FOUR! ABD is able to get play the reverse sweeo. He will not let the bowler settle and that is how it should be. Rashid bowls the quicker one on the middle stump and De Villiers didn’t look in complete control but nevertheless he has got the boundary.

After 6 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 44/2 ( AB de Villiers 29 , Moeen Ali 2)

Sunrisers Hyderabad will happy with how things have gone in the powerplay. Despite ABD seems to have dominated the passage off play, having got the wickets off the opener and have conceded just over 7 is a brilliant powerplay.

FOUR! AB de Villiers just picks it off length and whips it to wide long-on. Looks like it has hit directly on the cushion. The TV umpire takes a long time to make the final call. It is a boundary.

ABD in flow is a joy to watch. However he is yet to face Rashid Khan. That battle will take place pretty soon.

Siddarth Kaul is now into the attack. Will bowl the final over off the powerplay.

Virat Kohli has been dismissed by a spinner seven times this IPL – the joint most times a batsman has been dismissed by a spinner this IPL along with KL Rahul and Ben Stokes.

The place not to be in at this time is Bangalore. Tens of thousands of supporters of victorious politicians have descended from the constituencies and choked central Bangalore to the point that there is hardly any elbow room in the Cbd area. Unfortunately Chinnaswamy Stadium is also in the CBD area and 1000s of gawkers have made movement impossible.

This is the fourth time that Kohli has been dismissed by a leg-spinner out of nine innings in this IPL. He scored 79 runs against leg-spinners this IPL.

Once again spin works against Kohli. SRH forced to use spin from one end because they don’t trust Thampi with the new ball, and it’s paid dividends. Rashid said before that he’s happy to bowl at any point in he innings, and he’s shown he’s just as dangerous even with only two fielders on the boundary.

After 5 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 39/2 ( AB de Villiers 25 , Moeen Ali 1)

The numero uno bowler in T20s bowling to the one of the best batsmen of limited overs format, if not the best, and the bowler has the bragging rights. Got him after being hit for four. SRH must be delighted. No amount of words can sum up how good Williamson has been this season as a captain.

OUT! Rashid Khan has castled the King! After outdoing AB de Villiers with a googly in their previous fixture. Rashid has the prized wicket of Virat Kohli and once again with the wrong’un. Kohli didn’t read it as when went for a wild slog sweep, missed it completely. Off goes the Afghan in celebration. Strikes in his first over. What a move by Kane!

Kohli b Rashid Khan 12(11)

FOUR! On the shorter side and Kohli goes on the backfoot to pull it through mid wicket. Not the best ball bowled by the leggie.

Rashid Khan introduced into the attack.

After 4 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 34/1 ( Virat Kohli (C) 8 , AB de Villiers 25)

ABD is positive from the outset and is here to entertain the RCB fans. SRH continue with Shakib, who gives away eight runs off his second over.

FOUR! Struck across the line this time. Tossed up from Shakib and ABD moves towards the offstump and flicked it to mid wicket fence.

After 3 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 26/1 ( Virat Kohli (C) 6 , AB de Villiers 19)

Sandeep Sharma came back well after ABD hit him for couple of boundaries first up. Only one single off the following five deliveries.

FOUR! Similar to the one he played against Shakib. Another pair of boundaries for De Villiers. We might see some records being broken today.

FOUR! Super shot! One-handed back foot square drive. Sandeep could do very little there. Though he has only played 6 deliveries, he is looking in the zone.

After 2 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 17/1 ( Virat Kohli (C) 6 , AB de Villiers 10)

AB de Villiers has made his intentions clear. He isn’t giving the bowler a sniff. On top of him straightaway. There is little doubt that this pitch is very slow. ABD did get an thick outside edge that was in the air before the backward point fielder took it on bounce.

FOUR! Beautiful inside out lofted cover drive. Positive cricket from AB. Seems to be batting since hours,  but he is facing just his second ball. In complete control.

FOUR! No sighters for ABD! Wants to get on top of the left-arm spinner. Sees some width and punches it through the cover point region.

Shakib Al Hasan into the attack

Immediate success for Sandeep, he is very much at home on this slow surface. The power play will be the period where the batters look to score, when the hard ball comes on to the bat and the surface is fresh. That also means there will be the most opportunities for a bowler who moves the ball.

After 1 overs,Royal Challengers Bangalore 6/1 ( Virat Kohli (C) 5 , AB de Villiers 0)

Early loss for RCB. Hooda’s drop off the first ball doesn’t hurt them a lot. Sandeep Sharma like so often provides the first breakthrough for Sunrisers.

SRH’s economy rate in IPL – 11:

Powerplay overs – 7.53 
Middle overs – 7.28
Death overs – 8.29 

The best among all sides in each of the three phases.

AB de Villiers v SRH at Bangalore in IPL: 15, 89*, 46, 82, 5

OUT! The ball is clearly stopping on the surface. The slowness off the surface didn’t warrant a pull from Parthiv. Gets the top edge and the ball goes high in the air. Siddarth Kaul in the deep does well to take the skier. Sandeep provides an early breakthrough.

Parthiv Patel c S Kaul b Sandeep Sharma 1(4)

Virat Kohli v SRH at Bangalore in IPL : 93*, 0, 41, 75, 54

Sandeep Sharma has dismissed Virat Kohli five times from 33 balls in IPL.

Virat Kohli has amassed 473 runs from 10 innings at an average of 59.13 and a strike rate of 145.09 against SRH in IPL – the most by any player.

FOUR! How good a shot was that! My word! Virat Kohli just walks forward and across, lets the bat swing come down and meets the ball right under his eyes to play the perfect straight drive. Sandeep did try to intervene by putting his hand out, but it was timed really well for the ball to be halted before it went past the boundary ropes.

DROPPED! Parthiv plays the cover drive uppishly off the first ball and a short cover fielder was placed particularly for that reason. Deepak Hooda did dive to get his hands to the low catch but isn’t able to hold on.

We have an exciting contest at our hands as RCB aim for survival with lot all the other teams too having a close eye on how the things progress in this game. Remember we are now into the intricacies fractions and decimals of the net run rate and not just the two points that are up for the grabs.

After put into bat by visiting captain Kane Williamson, RCB openers – Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel – walk out to rapturous applause.

As always Sandeep Sharma will take the new ball for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. A win for them will secure the pole position on the table.

Here we go!

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Shikhar Dhawan, Alex Hales, Kane Williamson(c), Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Shakib Al Hasan, Shreevats Goswami(w), Rashid Khan, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma, Basil Thampi

A slightly dry surface, which is good news for SRH. They have prospered on these kinds of surfaces, and expect a lot of knuckle balls tonight. Thampi provides the variety to the attack, and he is a good addition, even though SRH will miss Bhuvi. Thampi has been good at the back end, but will need to prove he can bowl the new ball as well as SRH bowl first.

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli(c), Parthiv Patel(w), Moeen Ali, AB de Villiers, Mandeep Singh, Sarfaraz Khan, Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Southee, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Basil Thampi comes in for Bhuvneshwar Kumar for SRH, RCB maintain the same combination that have helped them win the previous two games.

Toss update: Kane Williamson wins the battle off the coin toss and he has decided to field first at the Chinnaswamy.

Toss coming up in 5 minutes. Stay tuned.

RCB v SRH in IPL:

Matches played – 11
RCB won – 4
SRH won – 7

Some concerns around the SRH bowling, who have conceded more than 180 against DD and CSK. But those were on flat batting tracks, so the real question is, can SRH figure out the bowling formula on flat wickets. 

One of the keys in this match will be the SRH spinners against Kohli, who has had a few dismissals against spin this season. 

SRH are assured of a top two finish, and a shot at direct qualification. That given them some leeway to make changes today. Thampi for Sandeep?

Pitch report: Michael Clarke says  – Looks to be very similar surface to what we are accustomed to at Chinnaswamy. Generally, a good batting surface. This is a 180-odd batting surface. Small boundaries. Every team which have won the toss and have elected to bowl first so should be the case today.

Okay, so RCB needs to win tonight to stay in race but even if they lose, they will not be out mathematically. However, they will have to win big against Rajasthan Royals and hope that Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab lose their remaining games with a certain margin as the NRR will decide the fate of the teams in such a scenario. Virat Kohli and Co would not like to hang their fate on such loose threads. 

RCB’s big four players will once again be Kohli, ABD, Umesh Yadav and Tim Southee. But it will be the role played by the others, Parthiv,  Chahal, Siraj, Grandhomme, Mandeep and Moeen Ali/McCullum that would real set up the match. RCB fielded brilliantly in their last game. They need to be just as emphatic in this match, particularly as the M Chinnaswamy Stadium outfield is smaller and hence less forgiving of lapses.

We are still sometime away from the toss with Sunrisers having secured qualification, it will be interesting to see what changes do they make, while RCB’s hope of qualification are slim so for them this game is extremely important. Have a quick read through the preview .

RCB’s batting is primed for success, though Rashid Khan the Afghanistan leg spinner has mesmerised the likes of AB de Villiers. His googlies have bamboozled the best of batsmen and ABD is no exception. SRH will unleash him early against ABD, for sure. Even otherwise SRH has the best bowling attack in this edition’s IPL and RCB’s famed batting line-up will be up against it.

Yet another sudden death game for RCB. They need to beat SRH in a do-or-die encounter at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The last time the teams met Yusuf Pathan plucked a catch out of thin air to dismiss Virat Kohli. That wicket triggered a collapse and RCB lost by a hair’s breadth in a low scoring encounter. Since then SRH have moved from strength to strength and are  vying with CSK for the top spot while RCB are fighting to stay relevant in this year’s IPL. On the positive side RCB are on a winning spree and look for the momentum to carry them through..

Hello and welcome to Firstpost’s blog of the 51st game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) taking on the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Here we provide you LIVE scores, updates, opinions, graphs and over-by-over commentary.

Another vital match not just for the two teams that are battling out today but the result is likely to affect almost all teams, besides Delhi Daredevils, in the tournament.