Abu Dhabi: Devdutt Padikkal and AB de Villiers played knocks of 50 and 35 respectively as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) posted a total of 152/7 in the allotted twenty overs against Delhi Capitals here at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Sent into bat first, RCB got off to a steady start as openers Devdutt Padikkal and Joshua Philippe put on 25 runs for the first wicket. However, this partnership was broken by Kagiso Rabada in the fifth over as he dismissed Philippe (12).
Virat Kohli then joined Padikkal in the middle and the duo kept the scoreboard moving for RCB. Kohli was given a big reprieve in the 10th over as his catch was dropped by Anrich Nortje off the bowling of Axar Patel.
Both Kohli and Padikkal eventually put together 57 runs for the second wicket. Delhi Capitals came back strongly in the match as Ravichandran sent Kohli (29) back to the pavilion in the 13th over, reducing RCB to 82/2.
In trying to get some quick runs, Padikkal also perished soon after completing his half-century. The left-handed batsman played a knock of 50 runs. In the same over Anrich Nortje also dismissed Chris Morris (0), reducing RCB to 112/4 in the 16th over.
In the final three overs, Delhi Capitals managed to keep a check on RCB and Kohli’s side did not fly away with the score. In the last over, de Villiers (35) was run-out and in the end, RCB was restricted to under the 160-run mark.
Brief Scores:
Royal Challengers Bangalore 152/7 (Devdutt Padikkal 50, AB de Villiers 35, Anrich Nortje 3-33)