Bengaluru, Apr 29:
Sarafaraz Khan’s audacious strokeplay after AB de Villiers’ stylish half-century went in vain as Royal Challengers Bangalore were forced to share points with Rajasthan Royals in their IPL cricket encounter after heavy downpour led to match being called off.
Batting first, RCB piled up a healthy 200 for seven but just before the Rajasthan Royals were about to begin their chase, it started drizzling and then turned it a steady downpour as the match was eventually called off at 11:35 pm.
Courtesy De Villiers’ 45-ball-57 that consolidated the innings and IPL’s youngest player Sarafaraz’s smashing unbeaten 45 off 21 balls, RCB went onto put up a more than a decent total. This was despite losing their premier players Chris Gayle (10) and Virat Kohli (1) departed with less than 20 runs on board.
While De Villiers contributed 57 off 45 balls with nine fours and a six, the man who stole the show was stockily built 17-year-old Mumbai lad Sarafaraz. He played some amazing strokes including the upper cut off Shane Watson, the lofted six off Praveen Tambe, a Dilscoop off Dhawal Kulkarni as he hit as many as six fours and a six.
There first over bowled by Tim Southee had a lot of drama in it as he got the dangerous Gayle, who had hit him for a boundary and a straight six. It was an outswinger (inswinger for Gayle) from Southee which he flicked straight at Deepak Hooda’s throat at square leg.
Skipper Kohli fished at an away going delivery to be caught by Sanju Samson as RCB were in trouble at 19 for two.
But then world’s best batsman AB de VIlliers joined forces with young Mandeep Singh as they launched a counter-attack that yielded 74 runs in 8.5 overs.
In the fifth over, the flow of runs began as De Villiers hit James Faulkner for three successive boundaries. The first was an on drive followed by one past fine leg and then an off-drive. When Praveen Tambe came in, De Villiers was quick to sweep him and then punch him through covers for good measure.(PTI)
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