IPL 10, Match 8, Kings XI Punjab v Royal Challengers Bangalore - 5 Tracking Points

The Royal Challengers Bangalore managed to register their first game this season when they beat the Delhi Daredevils at home recently. Now, they were back to touring duty. They were up against the revamped Kings XI Punjab who had won their first match of the season against the Rising Pune Supergiant. The stage was set for a close game at Indore but it turned out to be a low scoring one.

Having won the toss, the RCB skipper Shane Watson opted to bat first. He announced one big change in the team and that was AB de Villiers playing in place of Chris Gayle. The Kings XI Punjab brought in pacer Varun Aaron in their line up. RCB had a poor start to their innings as openers Vishnu Vinod and Shane Watson were dismissed for single digit scores. The wickets kept tumbling and the scorecard seemed crashing.

It was the comeback man AB de Villiers, who singlehandedly marshalled along to score an unbeaten 89 off just 46 balls to see the team post 148/4 in their 20 overs. In the run chase, Kings were ably led by openers Hashim Amla and Manan Vohra.

Here are the 5 Tracking Points from the KXIP v RCB encounter:

1. RCB batting woes continue

The opening woes for the Royal Challengers continued in this match as well. They tried their third opening combination in the three matches they have played in the season. On the day, it was young Kerala wicket keeper batsman Vishnu Vinod who was given the opportunity to open with Shane Watson.

However, the move backfired as both the openers struggled to get a go on the day. RCB skipper Shane Watson perished in the very first over as Axar Patel got him out on 1. Vinod was dismissed for 7 soon after. In the middle order, Mandeep Singh (28 off 34 balls) and Stuart Binny (18* off 20 balls) played sluggish knocks to see the innings dwindle with every passing over.

2. AB de Villiers lights up the occasion

Hard hitting South African batsman AB de Villiers played his first match of the season and the Kings XI Punjab were at the receiving end of his brutality. AB came in to bat at number 3 at the dismissal of Watson in the first over. He started off on a decent note trying to settle down at the crease. Soon, he got into his attacking mode and took charge against the Kings bowlers.

He finished with an unbeaten 89 off just 46 balls. En route his whirlwind knock, he hit 3 fours and 9 sixes. On the last two deliveries of the match, he clubbed two maximums off the bowling of Mohit  Sharma to see RCB post a decent total on the board. He batted like a lone warrior on the day. Had there not been a certain ABD in the RCB lineup on the day, they would have crashed for a paltry score.

3. Kings XI Punjab bowlers shine – Axar, Aaron the pick of bowlers

The KXIP bowlers put up a very clinical display of bowling on the day. Axar Patel was handed the new ball on the day and he responded in fine fashion by removing the opposition skipper Shane Watson in the very first over. Glenn Maxwell showed faith in him and gave him more overs on the go. He bowled exceptionally to return with figures of 1/12 in his quota of 4 overs as he choked up the run rate of RCB batting.

Another bowler who was impressive on the day was Varun Aaron. He was playing his first match for the Kings XI Punjab and made a very good start for them. Aaron got rid of dangerman Kedar Jadhav cheaply on 1 and had him trapped right in front of the stumps. He later dismissed the set batsman Mandeep Singh on 28. He returned with figures of 2/21 in his quota of 4 overs.

4. Kings get off to a flying start

The target of 148 was not a very daunting one. However, the fact that the opposition batsmen had struggled so much made the fans skeptical about the nature of the track. But the way Kings XI batters came out all guns blazing with a positive intent, they looked ominous on the day. Manan Vohra and Hashim Amla walked in to open the innings in the run chase. Both batsmen did not let the bowlers settle in on the day.

They added 62 runs in the powerplay and that is a testimony of how well they batted. Their 62 run stand that came off 36 balls came to an end on the last ball of the powerplay as Manan Vohra was dismissed on 34 that came off 21 balls with 4 fours and a six. Meanwhile, Amla continued to parade along and eventually saw the Kings home by 8 wickets. He remained unbeaten on 58 off just 38 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes.

5. Maxwell does it again

The Kings Xi Punjab registered their second win on a trot. Yet again, skipper Glenn Maxwell was at the crease when the winning runs were scored. After the dismissal of Vohra, Axar was promoted up the order. He could not do much and perished soon. It was Maxwell who then joined Amla at the crease.  Both batsmen added an unbeaten 72 run stand off just 38 balls to steer the Kings to an emphatic 8 wicket win.

While Amla raced past his fifty, it was Maxwell’s form that would be the pleasing factor for them. Maxwell scored an unbeaten 43 off just 22 balls with 3 fours and 4 maximums on the night. He looked in sublime form as he struck some big sixes on the night. Given the kind of form he is in, the Kings might well be in line for an impressive season this year.