Cape Town, April 19 (Inditop) Stripped of captaincy, Rahul Dravid batted with vengeance to set up a 75-run win for Bangalore Royal Challengers against defending champions Rajasthan Royals in the second match on the opening day of the Indian Premier League (IPL) at the Newlands here Saturday.
After deciding to bat first, Royal Challengers recovered from a poor start with Man of the Match Dravid’s 66 to put up a modest 133 for eight in 20 overs.
In reply, another Bangalore veteran Anil Kumble picked up five wickets for just five runs to stun the defending champions, whose innings folded up for just 58 runs in 15.1 overs. It was also the lowest score in the IPL.
Dimitry Mascarenhas (3-20) raised hopes for Rajasthan Royals early in the innings when he picked up openers Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor in the first two deliveries to put Royal Challengers on the back-foot. Maverick Rajasthan Royals skipper Shane Warne (2-18) then unfurled his tricks to do further damage by picking up wickets lower down the order.
Newly appointed skipper Kevin Pietersen (32) tried to show some resistance but didn’t last long. But it was the 48-ball innings from the experienced Dravid that set up the innings for the Bangalore team.
Dravid went about his job in his cool and calm way and kept on collecting runs in singles. He mixed his innings with both orthodox and inventive shots to give his bowlers a total to defend. Dravid’s 48-ball innings was studded with eight boundaries and one six.
In reply, Praveen Kumar (2-7) started the proceeding well for Royal Challengers by moving the ball both ways. He picked up opener Swapnil Asnodkar in the fifth ball off the innings to a rash stroke and caught by Virat Kohli. Graeme Smith (2) was his next victim in the next over as Rajasthan Royals were reduced to two for seven.
Next it was the turn of old warhorse Kumble, who even after his retirement from international cricket, showed that he is still a force to reckon with with his five-wicket haul.
Tyron Henderson, Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja were the only Rajasthan Royals who could get to double figures – 11 each.
rounak