Jacques Kallis (89; 55 balls, 8×4, 5×6) fired Bangalore Royal Challengers to a thumping eight-wicket victory over Kings XI Punjab in match 7 of the IPL 2010 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Chasing a stiff 204 runs for victory, the Royal Challengers romped home in 18.5 overs. 
Openers Manvinder Bisla and Ravi Bopara put on a 129-run opening stand for the Kings XI Punjab in 14.1 overs, which helped the post an imposing 203/3 in 20 overs. Bisla batted aggressively for his 51-ball 75 (7×4, 1×6), before he was finally in the deep off Kallis. Bopara too batted confidently to record his second successive 50 in the tournament. He played some audacious shots in his 50-ball 77 (9×4, 2×6) and was dismissed only in the last over. Left-hander Yuvraj Singh was sent back cheaply for 9 while Mahela Jayawardene was brilliant in the end, scoring a 13-ball 26.
Man-of-the-match Kallis and Manish Pandey (38 off 26 balls) gave the Royal Challengers Bangalore a solid start, sharing a 74 run opening partnership in 8.1 overs. The dominant Robin Uthappa was later severe on medium-pacer Sreesanth taking 25 runs with three sixes and one four racing to his 50. Uthappa though fell soon after with debutant left-arm spinner Bipul Sharma taking his prized wicket. Kallis and Uthappa had by then added 69 runs for the second wicket. But thereafter Kallis went on a rampage in Sharma’s third over. He struck three sixes and one four as the inexperienced bowler went for 23 runs in the crucial 18th over.
Uthappa missed the distinction of hitting the fastest half-century by two balls which is still in the name of Adam Gilchrist of Deccan Chargers (50 off 17 balls). Incidentally this was Bangalore Royal Challengers’ first win, while the Kings XI Punjab are now staring down the barrel after their second successive loss in two matches.
Match report courtesy Adfactors PR.
