AB, Kohli decimate Gujarat

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) smothered Gujarat Lions (GL) to a 144-run defeat in a lopsided Indian Premier League (IPL) contest at the M. Chinnaswammy Stadium here on Saturday.

Requiring 249 runs in 20 overs with an asking rate of 12.45 runs per over, Gujarat Lions could only manage 104 runs by the 19th over, losing all 10 wickets.

Royal Challengers added two more points to their tally and now have a total of 10 points. They are at the unchanged sixth position in the points table while Gujarat Lions hold on to the second position with 14 points.

South African superstar AB de Villiers was adjudged the man of the match for his scintillating century for RCB.

De Villiers plundered an unbeaten 129 off 52-balls while Virat Kohli pummelled 109 off 55, powering the team to 248 for 3 in 20 overs.

Their 229-run partnership set a new record, eclipsing the previous record, also set by the duo, against the Mumbai Indians in 2014.

De Villiers smashed 12 sixes and 10 fours while Kohli blasted eight sixes and six fours.

Altogether, RCB cracked 17 fours and 20 sixes. Of the total 248 runs scored, 188 emerged from boundaries alone. Other than the two centurions, only Chris Gayle hit a four.

De Villiers and Kohli built a partnership of 229 runs in 97 balls. At one time in the last stages of the innings, the duo plundered 47 runs off 14 balls.

SCORES IN BRIEF
BANGALORE: 248 for 5 in 20 overs (Kohli 109, de Villiers 129 not out; Kumar 2-45)
GUJARAT: 104 all out in 18.4 overs (Jadeja 21, Finch 37; Jordan 4-11, Sachin 2-4)
Result: Bangalore won by 144 runs.
Player-of-the-match: AB de Villiers.