RCB's first home game against KXIP turned out to be a tight game at the end as the game went to the last over. The match saw switch sides in phases as it turned out to be a see-saw battle.
This is RCB's second game of the season after their loss in the first game against KKR at Eden Gardens. Virat Kohli-led RCB were clinical with the ball when they took on Kings XI Punjab after wrapping the innings at 155. Former Bangalore batsman KL Rahul who was roped in the side by Kings XI Punjab in this IPL 2018 auctions continued his touch in this match as well and struck a well-constructed 47 off 30 before getting out to Washington Sundar. Sundar had looked off-color in the last match but he came back strongly to give only 22 runs and pick 2 wickets in 4 overs.
Umesh Yadav started it all for RCB picking up 3 wickets in his first over. His wickets included Mayank Agarwal. Aaron Finch and Yuvraj Singh. A responsible innings from skipper Ravi Ashwin (33) and important contributions from Lokesh Rahul (47) and Karun Nair (29) took KXIP to 155.
The RCB chase started with a jolt with Brendon McCullum dismissed off the very first ball. Mujeeb Ur Rahman then struck a big blow to dismiss Kohli (21) who failed to convert a good start. The Kohli dismissal as it often does silenced the Chinnaswamy crowd. AB de Villiers then shouldered the RCB chase as he scored 57 but was dismissed just at the brink of an RCB win. Mandeep Singh also scored an important 22.
Washington Sundar then hit the winning runs to give RCB their first win of the season in their very first home game in the season.
Here is how Twitter reacted to RCB's first win of the campaign.
Till ABD is there, Punjab is going to be on the edge. Nail biting written all over this game now. #PowerYourGame #RCBvKXIP
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 13, 2018
.@ABdeVilliers17 must be like wake me up only when things are not going @RCBTweets way. He has been a bowler slayer. Btw kaam to hogaya “haathi nikal gaya reh gayi pooch” #RCBvKXIP #VIVOIPL
— Prragyan Ojha (@pragyanojha) April 13, 2018
#RCBvKXP If Virat is the best batsman in the world then AB De Villiers is the best timer of the ball..what lovely hands and flawless timing..
— Ramiz Raja (@iramizraja) April 13, 2018
In Mujeeb there is a mystery but don’t forget Abd has a great history...great history of winning matches n doing unthinkable @ipl @StarSportsIndia ( I know he jut got out but had to say that)
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 13, 2018
good game - a 17 year old bowled the ball of the tournament and an 18 year old hit the winning runs #RCBvKXIP
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) April 13, 2018
Hard fought win for @RCBTweets in the and. @ABdeVilliers17 held it together after @y_umesh and Washington has set it up. High point was @virendersehwag humming away. Only he can. #RCBvKXIP
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) April 13, 2018
Tamil boy hits the winning runs for #RCB. That's the beauty of sport. Something that thugs who throw shoes and heckle kids would never understand. #IPL2018
— Dileep Premachandran (@SpiceBoxofEarth) April 13, 2018
Good for RCB to get points on the board. Mujeeb bowled beautifully for 3 overs, the ball to get Kohli was a dream delivery, but ABD turned the game in his 4th over with those two sixes, will be a great learning curve for the 17 year old. #RCBvKXIP
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 13, 2018
A request to Bollywood/Tollywood/Sandalwood...pl don’t release any thrillers for next 45 days. IPL is providing one every night. ???????????? #RCBvKXIP
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 13, 2018