PUNE, India, CMC – Chris Gayle sparkled but only briefly but half-centuries from South African AB de Villiers and Mandeep Singh helped to fire Royal Challengers one step closer to the final of the Indian Premier League with a commanding 71-run victory over Rajasthan Royals here yesterday.
Opting to bat first in the second playoff game, RCB rallied to 180 for four off their 20 overs, with de Villiers at his brilliant best with 66 off 38 balls and Mandeep Singh stroking 54 not out from 37 deliveries.
The left-handed Gayle blasted 27 while seamer Dhawal Kulkarni finished with two for 28.
In response, Ajinkya Rahane hit 42 at the top of the innings but no other batsman passed 15, as Royals collapsed to 109 all out off 19 overs.
Pacer Harshal Patel, with two for 15, and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, two for 20, were two of four bowlers ending with two wickets each.
With the victory, RCB have qualified for Friday’s final qualifer where they will face Chennai Super Kings, featuring the West Indies duo of Dwayne Bravo and Dwayne Smith.
Mumbai Indians, with Kieron Pollard and Lendl Simmons, await the winner of this contest in Sunday’s final. Playing at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Gayle and captain Virat Kohli (12) gave RCB a measured start of 41 from 36 balls.
Gayle looked in the mood to play a big innings, striking four fours and a six off 27 balls. He crashed Kulkarni past mid-off for four in the third over of the innings before following up by depositing the fifth ball of the over over the ropes at long on.
He collected another two boundaries in the fourth over sent down by South African seamer Chris Morris but perished in the next over bowled by Kulkarni, bowled after rushing down the wicket and missing a swing.
Kohli fell with just five runs added in the eighth over but any hopes of a collapse faded as de Villiers and Mandeep then posted 113 for the third wicket.
The right-handed de Villiers struck four fours and four sixes while Mandeep, a 23-year-old right-hander, hammered seven fours and two sixes.
