Gayle hits small cameo but superb de Villiers crafts RCB win

BANGALORE, India, CMC – Chris Gayle entertained with a cameo but it was South Africa’s AB de Villiers who produced the magic to lift Royal Challengers Bangalore to a four-wicket win over Darren Sammy’s Sunrisers Hyderabad here yesterday.

Chasing 156 victory at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB reached their target with a ball to spare, to break their three-game losing slide.

 Chris Gayle
Chris Gayle

Gayle smashed 27 from 19 balls, with three fours and two sixes, to keep RCB in the hunt after they slipped to six for two in the second over of the innings.

The West Indies left-hander took a pair of boundaries off fast bowler Dale Steyn’s second over – the third of the innings – before ripping into seamer Ishant Sharma with a four and two sixes in the fifth over of the innings that cost 16 runs.

His fireworks ended, however, when he picked out Sammy at mid-wicket with leg-spinner Karn Sharma in the seventh over. RCB quickly lost their way to slip to 95 for five in the 15th over but de Villiers stroked an unbeaten 89 to revive the innings and see his side to an unlikely victory. He took apart Sammy in the seamer’s second over – the 16th over the innings – that cost 19 runs but reserved his assault for fellow South African Steyn whom he belted for 24 runs in the game’s penultimate over, to leave RCB needing just four to win off the final six balls.

De Villiers hammered six fours and eight sixes in his 41-ball innings.

Sammy’s two overs, meanwhile, cost 25 runs. Earlier, Australia’s David Warner top scored with 61 from 49 balls as Sunrisers finished on 155 for six after they were sent in.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan chipped in with 37 while Sammy scored just eight.