Amla scored his second IPL fifty
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
The Kings XI Punjab waltzed their way to an eight-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bangalore even though AB de Villiers hammered an unbeaten 89.
With their victory, the Kings XI saw their record go to 2-0 after they beat the Rising Pune Supergiants by six wickets in their opening game.
Opting to bat first, the Royal Challengers found themselves in all sorts of trouble early on as stand-in captain Shane Watson, wicketkeeper Vishnu Vinod and Kedar Jadhav were dismissed in quick succession.
With the Royal Challengers reeling at 22/3, they began to rebuild their innings. However, they were only able to add 46 runs to their score before Mandeep Singh was caught behind off the bowling of Varun Aaron for 28.
Despite this, De Villiers, who was playing in his first Indian Premier League (IPL) match of the season after recovering from a back injury, and Stuart Binny ensured the Royal Challengers finished their innings on a high as the duo put together an unbeaten 80-run partnership.
De Villiers finished on 89 off 46 balls, which included three boundaries and nine sixes, while Binny remained undefeated on 18 off 20 deliveries, which included one boundary and a six.
De Villiers’ 22nd IPL fifty went in vain
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Aaron was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Axar Patel and Sandeep Sharma chipped in with one wicket apiece as the Royal Challengers scored 148/4 off their 20 overs.
Chasing 149 to win, the Kings XI got off to a great start as Hashim Amla and Manan Vohra amassed a 62-run partnership before Vohra was trapped lbw off the bowling of Tymal Mills for 34.
Patel fell shortly after for nine runs, but Amla and captain Glenn Maxwell finished things off with an unbeaten 72-run stand, during which Amla surpassed his half-century.
Amla ended up scoring 58 off 38 balls, which included four boundaries and three sixes, while Maxwell made 43 off 22 deliveries, which included three boundaries and four sixes.
Mills and Yuzvendra Chahal claimed one wicket each.
Patel was named Man of the Match.