Local lad Vyshak, Kohli script comeback win for RCB

Press Trust Of India

Bengaluru: Bengaluru lad Vijaykumar Vyshak claimed three wickets on debut to complement Virat Kohli’s imperious fifty as Royal Challengers Bangalore returned to winning ways with a dominant 23-run victory over Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League here on Saturday.  

Kohli (50 off 34 balls) slammed his third fifty in four innings -- with the help of six boundaries and a six -- before left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (4-1-23- 2) led Delhi Capitals’ charge in the middle overs to restrict RCB to 174/6 after David Warner opted to bowl. The bottom-placed Delhi side, who came into the match after four losses on the trot, then made a mockery of the 175-run chase as they were restricted to 151/9 in the stipulated 20 overs.  

Delhi lost four wickets in the powerplay, including that of skipper Warner (19 off 13 balls), and they were 2 runs for 3 wickets at one stage. Yet to open their account after five matches, time is running out for the Ricky Pontingcoached side. They now have the difficult task of winning eight out of their remaining nine matches to secure a play-off berth.

RCB, on the other hand, got their campaign back on track after back-toback losses as they have four points from as many matches.  Vyshak, who was handed his debut in place of Karn Sharma, got his maiden wicket in the form of Warner with a slower delivery, en route to his memorable haul of 3/20.

The 26-year-old varied his pace and mixed his length well to trouble the batters as he went on to take two more wickets -- that of Axar Patel and Lalit Yadav -- as DC were reduced to 110/8 inside 16 overs. After Warner (19 off 13 balls) got out cheaply, Manish Pandey waged a lone battle with a 37-ball 50, his 22nd fifty of the tournament.

But the wily Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva trapped Pandey, following a smart review, and it was all but over for DC. Continuing his horror run, Shaw (0) got out for his fifth single-digit score from eight IPL innings when he became victim of a terrific runout by Impact Player sub Anuj Rawat.

Prithvi was always slow with his running, and he showed a clear lack of intent opening with Warner.  Shaw started off the blocks tentatively and Rawat was just pin-point with his throw from extra-cover. Shaw now has 34 runs, including two ducks, from five innings in this IPL. Earlier, DC bowlers did well to restrict RCB to 174 for 6.

RCB were 110 for 2 in 12 overs but they managed to add just 64 runs for the loss of four wicets in the last eight overs. RCB were going all guns blazing with Kohli and Glenn Maxwell (24 off 14 balls) who was in a six-hitting spree. But the DC spin trio of Kuldeep, Axar Patel (3-0-25-1) and Lalit Yadav (4-0-29-1) seized the momentum.

Mitchell Marsh (2/18 from two overs), who rejoined the team after his wedding, also made a significant contribution with wickets of RCB captain Faf Du Plessis and Mahipal Lomror. The famed Kohli - du Plessis duo got going without any fuss, scoring 33 runs in four overs. Medium pacer Vijaykumar Vyshak claimed three wickets on debut

Brief Scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore: 174 for 6 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 50; Mitchell Marsh 2/18, Kuldeep Yadav 2/23).  Delhi Capitals: 151 for 9 in 20 overs (Manish Pandey 50; Vijaykumar Vyshak 3/20)