Kolkata, Apr 8 (UNI) AB de Villliers 23-ball 44 runs and his 64-run third wicket partnership
with captain Virat Kohli in 35-ball powered Royal Challengers Bangalore to score 176/7
against Kolkata Knight Riders in VIVO IPL match at Eden Gardens here tonight.
Stage set up by former KKR batter Brendon McCullum 27-ball 43 and Virat Kohli's 31
runs from 33 deliveries took the visitors to a respectable score on the unpredictable Eden
pitch, specially when the host preferred to bat second in dewy wicket.
Things were going well for RCB while AB de Villers and Virat Kohli were batting but two
quick wickets from same over from young Nitish Rana brought sudden halt to the scoring
graph for the visitors.
Tail ender Mandeep Singh scored 37 from 18-ball with four boundaries and two sixes.
Debutant for KKR Nitish Rana finished with two wickets conceding 11 runs in 1 over.
Vinay Kumar 2/30, Sunil Narain 1/30 and Piyush Chalwal 1/31 RCB began well with
opening batsman Brendon McCullum scoring 16 runs in the first over off Vinay Kumar
with opening ball at short leg boundary and two long sixes.
But the visitors lost their first wicket in the second over after Quinton de Kock lifted
an easy catch to Vinay Kumar at short leg missed time a reverse shot from Piysh
Chawla's delivery at 4.
Joining Virat Kohli in the second wicket brought some relief to RCB as former KKR
batter Brendon continued on hammering mood while his captain was not getting well
with the KKR's two spinners Sunil Narain and Chawla. But the New Zealander Brendon
in a blistering mood misjudged a googly off West Indian slow bowler Sunil Narain and
was bowled on 43 from 27-ball. Brendon hit six boundaries and two long sixes.
Brendon McCullum targeted the mid-wicket boundary, but lost his sticks.AB de Villiers
with his usual style of power pack batting carried on the scoring graph for RCB with four
sixes, much to the embarrassment of the local fans, who otherwise appreciated the South
African batting.
De Villiers, who also survived an umpire decision for caught behind the wicket off
Mitchell Johnson at 23 following a DRS, partnered with Virat Kohli scored 64 runs in
35 balls.
AB De Villers 23-ball- 44 runs came from five sixes and one boundary before Nitish
Rana got him out. Young spinner Rana also bowled Virat Kohli on 31 to bring breather
for the host team at Eden. AB de Villiers' catch was taken by M Johnson.
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