Royal Challengers set stiff 206-run target for Kings XI

An upbeat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) late Friday set a stiff 206-run target for a battered Kings XI Punjab.

By (IANS)

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Published: Fri 6 May 2011, 10:41 PM

Last updated: Tue 7 Apr 2015, 7:29 AM

Put to bat after Kings XI skipper Adam Gilchrist won the toss and opted to field, RCB made 205 runs for the loss of six wickets in their 20 overs.

As is his wont, Royal’s fearsome opener Chris Gayle hit 107 with nine mighty sixes and 10 boundaries in 48 balls. Every six from his bat electrified the stadium, making the frenzied fans scream for more.

Though Ryan McLaren got an initial breakthrough when he got other opener Tilakaratne Dilshan caught by Praveen Kumar for a paltry 16 in the fifth over, a ‘Gayle storm’ hit the Kings XI when the tall West Indian ripped apart their bowling attack, hitting sixes and fours at will.

After Gayle was out at 154 in the 15^th over after he was caught by Ryan Harris off spinner Piyush Chawla, Royals lost Kholi at 155. A rearguard action by AB De Villiers with two sixes and two fours (27) and Saurabh Tiwary (13) saw RCB cross the 200-run mark for the first time in the current edition of the tournament.

Harris was the most successful bowler for Kings XI, bagging three wickets for 38 runs.