IPL 2020, Match 28: AB de Villiers, bowlers shine as RCB maul KKR to go third
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Image Source : IPLT20.comA record century partnership between captain Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers on Monday catapulted Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to be the joint number No.1 team on the IPL points table for the first time in 13th edition after they hammered Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by 82 runs.
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Although RCB have 10 points, the same as Mumbai Indians (+1.327) and Delhi Capitals (+1.038), Kohli's team is now third on net run rate (-0.116). Now, all eight teams have played seven matches each -- the halfway stage of the league phase of the tournament.
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RCB, on winning the toss, posted 194 for two wickets in 20 overs, thanks to a scintillating unbeaten 73 off 33 balls from de Villiers, Aaron Finch's 47 off 37 balls, and Kohli 33 not out off 28 balls.
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RCB then restricted KKR for 112 for nine wickets in 20 overs to complete a one-sided win at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
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Only three of KKR batsmen entered double figures, with the highest scorer being Shubman Gill with 34 (25 balls, 3x4s, 1x6), before he was run out. Andre Russell and Rahul Tripathi were the others who reached double-digit scores.
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Pacer Chris Morris of South Africa and off-spinner Washington Sundar bagged two wickets each while the four other bowlers also captured one wicket each.
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Opting to bat, Devdutt Padikkal (32) and Aaron Finch (47) handed RCB a flying start by adding 47 runs in the initial six overs. Andre Russell got the first breakthrough when he packed back Padikkal in the eighth over, ending the 67-run stand.
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Finch and Kohli were then involved in a brief 27-run partnership before Prasidh Krishna dismissed the former in the 13th over, at a time when RCB were six runs away from the three-digit mark.
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After losing the openers, de Villiers filled the void as he shared an unbeaten 100-run partnership with skipper Kohli (33 not out). de Villiers and Kohli became the first pair in the IPL to share 10 century partnerships.