IPL6: Punjab stun Bangalore by 7 wickets

Adam Gilchrist made a timely return to form and a maiden IPL half century by Azhar Mahmood helped Kings XI Punjab upset the calculations of Royal Challengers Bangalore in Match 63 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Bangalore are stuck on 16 points in the middle of the table with one game remaining against Chennai Super Kings who have qualified for the play-off along with Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians.

Punjab's win have raised the qualifying hopes of Sunrisers Hyderabad who have two matches against Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajashthan.

Chasing a formidable target of 175, Gilchrist stroked an unbeaten 85 off 54 with 10 fours and three sixes to steer Punjab home with 11 balls to spare.

Mahmood made a solid 61 off 41 balls with eight boundaries and a six during a 118-run second wicket stand with Gilchrist.

Muralitharan was the most expensive claiming Miller's wicket at a cost of 44 runs.

Royal Challengers Bangalore powered by half centuries from Gayle (77) and Kohli (57) posted a formidable 174-5 against Kings XI Punjab. Having been put into bat, Bangalore were off to a slow start despite Pujara batting with some fluency stroking three boundaries in his 19.

Gayle was circumspect as they reached 52-1 at the halfway stage.

Gayle finally got going in the 15th over launching a clinical assault by blasting three consecutive sixes off Gony to race to his half century.

Kohli and Gayle figured in a 137-run stand for the second wicket as Bangalore finished with a flurry of boundaries with their last six overs yielding 86 runs.

Gayle made a 77 off 53 balls hammering six sixes and four boundaries while Kohli stroked six boundaries and two sixes in his 43-ball 57.

Awana had the best return of three for 39 while Mahmood claimed two for 24.

KINGS XI PUNJAB INNINGS

Sathish smashes a boundary off Henriques as Punjab make 172-3 in 18.1 overs to win in a canter.

Sathish smashes a six off Vinay as Punjab race to victory. KXIP 172-2 in 18 overs.

Muralitharan completes an expensive spell returning figures of 4-0-44- 1.    

Muralitharan strikes castling Miller after Gilchrist smashed two consecutive sixes on either side of the wicket. KXIP 162-3 in 17 needing 13 off 18 balls.

D Miller b Muralitharan 2 (4b 0x4 0x6)

Gilchrist edges a boundary off Unadkat. KXIP 148-2 in 16 overs needing 27 off 24 balls.

Bangalore get a breakthrough as Mahmood is caught behind by AB de Villiers but it may have come a little late. KXIP are 142-2 and need 33 from 28 balls .

A Mahmood c de Villiers b Unadkat 61 (41b 8x4 1x6)

Muralitharan goes for 17 in his third over with Mahmood hammering a six and a boundary. KXIP 140-1 in 15 overs.

Mahmood clobbers Muralitharan over his for a six to reach his maiden IPL half century.

Gilchrist hammers a boundar as Zaheer goes for 12. KXIP 123-1 in 14 overs.

Gilchrist hits his first half century this season in style by smashing Zaheer back over his head for a six.

Vinay goes for 12 with Gilchrist and Mahmood getting a boundary apiece. KXIP 111-1 in 13 overs.

Mahmood gets a boundary off Unadkat. KXIP 99-1 in 12 overs.

Gilchrist and Mahmood crack a boundary each off Muralitharan's second over. KXIP 90-1 in 11 overs.

Vinay Kumar concedes just three runs as Punjab reach 79-1 at the halfway stage.

Mahmood lofts Unadkat over extra cover for a boundary to bring up the 50 partnership in 38 balls.

Unadkat goes for 15 in his second over with Gilchrist cracking consecutive boundaries. KXIP 76-1 in 9 overs.

After a miserly over from Muralitharan, Punjab gets some runs off Vinay Kumar with Gilchrist slamming a boundary. KXIP 61-1 in 8 overs.

Mahmood hammers three consecutive boundaries off Henriques as Punjab reach 46-1 at the end of the Powerplay overs.

Unadkat bowls a tight first over conceding just three runs. KXIP 27-1 in 3 overs.

Zaheer strikes in his second over uprooting the off stump of Marsh. KXIP 24-1 in 3 overs.

S Marsh b Khan 8 (4b 2x4 0x6)

Henriques goes for 12 in his first over with Gilchrist and Marsh getting a boundary apiece. KXIP 19-0 in 2 overs.

Gilchrist hits the first boundary of the innings punching Zaheer through extra coveer. KXIP 7-0 in 1 over.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE INNINGS

Rahul hammers two consecutive boundaries before falling in the last ball as Bangalore reach 174-5.

K Rahul c Mandeep Singh b Azhar Mahmood 8 (4b 2x4 0x6)

Kohli is trapped leg before by Mahmood after attempting a reverse sweep. RCB 166-4.

V Kohli lbw b Azhar Mahmood 58 (43b 6x4 2x6)

AB de Villiers goes after hammering a six off the first ball. RCB 164-4.

AB de Villiers b Awana 6 (2b 0x4 1x6)

The second wicket stand between Gayle and Kohli yielded 137 runs.

Gayle's barstorming knock comes to an end as Awana bowls him breaking the off stump. RCB 158-2.

C Gayle b Awana 77 (53b 4x4 6x6)

Sandeep goes for 20 in his final over with Gayle hammering a boundary and a six while Kohli swings a full toss to the flence to bring up his half century. RCB 150-1 in 18 overs.

Mahmood bowls another tight over giving away just five runs. RCB 131-1 in 17 overs.

Kohli blasts a six and boundary off Awana in consecutive deliveries to bring up the 100 partnership in just 68 balls with the second fifty coming off just 19 balls. RCB 126-1 in 16 overs.

Gayle races to his half century with three consecutive sixes off Gony as he turns it on for Bangalore. RCB 111-1 in 15 overs.

Kohli and Gayle get a boundary apiece off Chawla. RCB 89-1 in 14 overs.

Gayle slams Gony for his first six over long-on. RCB 79-1 in 13 overs.

Kohli hits the first six of the match as he dances down the track and loft Chawla over long off. RCB 69-1 in 12 overs.

Kohli edges Gony to third man for another boundary as Bangalore reach 58-1 after 11 overs.

Gayle finally gets going glancing Gony to fine leg. RCB 49-1 in 9 overs.

Chawla concedes just three runs in his first over as Bangalore struggle to get going. RCB 40-1 in 8 overs.

Gayle gets his first boundary cracking Awana through point. RCB 37-1 in 7 overs.

Gayle survives a huge appeal for leg before off Awana which seemed to pitch on line and looked like hitting the stumps.

Kohli strokes his second boundary flicking Sandeep to midwicket. RCB 31-1 in 6 overs.

Kohli opens his account with a scorching cover drive. RCB 26-1 in 5 overs.

Awana strikes with his first delivery as Miller takes a brilliant catch at point as Pujara attempts to drive him to the fence. RCB 22-1.

C Pujara c Miller b Awana 19 (20b 3x4 0x6)

Pujara gets another boundary off Sandeep flicking him to the long leg fence. RCB 22-0 in 4 overs.

Slow start by Bangalore with Mahmood conceding just three runs in his second over. RCB 15-0 in 3 overs.

Sandeep's first ball is despatched to the midwicket fence with disdain by Pujara. RCB 12-0 in 2 overs.

Pujara hits the first ball of the match cutting Mahmood to point. RCB 7-0 in 1 over.

Kings XI Punjab have won the toss and put Royal Challengers Bangalore into bat in Match 63 of IPL6 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Tuesday.

Muttiah Muralitharan and Zaheer Khan are playing for RCB.

PLAYING XI

RCB: C Pujara, C Gayle, V Kohli, AB de Villiers, M Henriques, L Rahul, A Karthik, V Kumar, Z Khan, M Muralitharan, J Unadkat

KXIP: A Gilchrist, M Singh, S Marsh, M Vohra, D Miller, R Sathish, A Mahmood, P Chawla, M Gony, P Awana, S Sharma

It is a crucial match for playoff contenders RCB who have won all their six matches so far on home turf.

KXIP are vitually out of contention for the playoffs and will play for pride.

However, RCB were blown away by David Miller’s 38-ball century when the two teams met in Mohali.

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