Praveen Kumar’s hat-trick came in the 17^th over of the innings. The swing bowler’s first victim was Damien Martyn (bowled), debutant Sumit Narwal (caught in the deep) and Paras Dogra (bowled) with his second, third and fourth deliveries of his third over. This was the seventh hat-trick of the three-year-old IPL tournament.

Earlier, put into bat, Rajasthan batsmen struggled as Dale Steyn, Praveen Kumar, Vinay Kumar and Kallis contained the openers Naman Ojha and Lumb, scoring just 27 runs in five overs.  Rajasthan Royals had the slowest start of the tournament so far, scoring 45/3 in 10 overs.  The big-hitting Yusuf Pathan broke free by clubbing Vinay Kumar for two sixes in the 12^th over. But he was back in the pavilion, run out for a 24-ball 26 as Kohli broke the stumps with a brilliant throw from covers. Martyn (19 off 24 balls), who was a pale shadow of his playing days, got his first boundary after 22 deliveries but was yorked the next ball by Praveen Kumar who then completed his hat-trick.

Orange Cap  holder and man-of-the-match Jacques Kallis (44 not out, 34 balls, 7×4), the tournament’s highest run-getter with198 runs, and Manish Pandey (42 not out, 30 balls, 7×4, 1×6) completed the formalities with 56 balls to spare.  Bangalore Royal Challengers have chalked up their second successive win while Shane Warne-led Rajasthan Royals tumbled to their third defeat on the trot.

Match report courtesy Adfactors PR.