BENGALURU: Talented Punjab batsman Mandeep Singh kept his cool under pressure as his breathtaking 18-ball-45 enabled Royal Challengers Bangalore pip Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets in a nerve-wracking Indian Premier League encounter, here today.
In a raon-hit tie reduced to 10-overs-per side, KKR scored 111 for 4 courtesy Andre Russell’s 17-ball-45 but it was Mandeep’s exhilarating effort that saw ViratKohli’s boys romp home with two balls to spare.
Mandeep’s knock had four boundaries and three sixes with the last two maximums coming off successive deliveries from Andre Russell’s last over where RCB required 13 runs.
With 9 required off last four balls, Mandeep first made room to slash Russell for a six over point and then pulled over deep fine leg to finish off the match in style.
At the end of the 8th over, RCB required 26 from two with their Chris Gayle 21 off 9 balls (3×6), Virat Kohli 34 off 20 balls (2×4, 3×6) along with AB de Villiers (2) back in the dug-out.
It was the fifth and sixth deliveries off the penultimate over bowled by Umesh Yadav that turned the match head on.
Mandeep played a delicate lap shot over short fine leg off the fifth delivery of 9th over while the next went for boundary through vacant third man region.
The win took RCB to nine points and fourth spot removing Delhi Daredevils. It also kept them in the hunt for play-offs.
Kolkata Knight Riders Innings
Robin Uthappa c Dinesh Karthik b Yuzvendra Chahal 23
Gautam Gambhir c Mandeep Singh b David Wiese 12
Andre Russell run out (Dinesh Karthik) 45
Ryan ten Doeschate c AB de Villiers b Mitchell Starc 12
Yusuf Pathan not out 11
Suryakumar Yadav not out 0
Extras 8
Total 111/4
Royal Challengers Bangalore Innings
Chris Gayle c Andre Russell b Brad Hogg 21
Virat Kohli c Suryakumar Yadav b Andre Russell 34
AB de Villiers b Piyush Chawla 2
Mandeep Singh not out 45
David Wiese not out 9
Extras 4
Total 115/3
