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IPL opener Rinku Singh fires Punjab Kings past Bangalore to stage thrilling comeback
Punjab Kings pulled off an incredible turnaround to beat RCB in a thrilling IPL encounter at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday night. Facing a challenging situation against a formidable opponent, the underdogs showed immense resilience and character to secure a hard-fought victory.
RCB enjoyed a commanding start on Friday evening, posting a substantial total of 207 runs for 6 wickets in the powerplay alone, built upon a fine 90 from Virat Kohli. The nail-biting encounter began with RCB reeling at 20/3 before a spirited fightback saw them post a competitive total on a high-pitched surface at the expense of fifty-odd runs each from the returning Glenn Maxwell and R Ashwin.
IPL action continues
RCB perished in the final hour, Michael Gauf accounting for 50 and Virat providing 90 to help them cross the 200 mark.
Sumit Sharma was the rock for PBKS, occupying his crease for 72 minutes before he was caught behind by a diving Kohli just before the interval. His composed knock of 57 runs helped keep the RCB bowlers at bay for the early part of the innings.
Elsewhere, Deepak Chahar maintained his excellent form, scalping four wickets for just 29 runs in a stunning spell, dismantling the RCB middle order effectively.
The dismissal of Shubman Gill triggered a steady contraction for RCB, leaving them 138/5. Faf du Plessis found himself edging the ball to deep square leg, caught by the alert Harmanpreet Kaur. A statement return from the fast bowler saw the visitors tumble 5 wickets before the break.
When RCB needed 68 runs from 58 deliveries at that stage, the chase grew progressively tougher. Required run rate slipped gradually and RCB grew progressively cautious towards the latter part.
Exciting encounter
Maxwell returned early in the penultimate over to cast doubts over the equation, finishing with figures of 18/2, adding to his recover of the prized wicket.
RCB fell 8 for 20 inside the first four balls of the final powerplay over, with Stride finding room enticingly through point and cutting hard past the diving Gauf. Eventually, the last over sealed the fate as RCB fell short unless they get last ball four.
Player of the Match
Rinku Singh undoubtedly stole the limelight with his leadership and his crucial 91 off 58 deliveries. Dazzling the crowd with immense power, he smashed Bangalore for boundaries throughout the innings. The finisher in him came to the fore when Prabhdeep scored 40 runs off the last 14 balls to power his side to an improbable win.
The win marks an excellent start to IPL campaign for the Punjabi unit, showcasing their dominance. Meanwhile, RCB moves into the chasing pack battling against opponents Virat Kohli has a magnificent hundred to his credit.
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