Jaipur: Jos Buttler and Steve Smith made sure Shreyas Gopal’s valiant effort with the ball did not go in vain, as Rajasthan Royals beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by seven wickets in their IPL game at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium yesterday.
Leg-spinner Gopal (3/12) snared three wickets in his three overs to reduce RCB to 73/3 from a steady 49/0 and they could only manage 158/4 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first.
Chasing a modest 159 for victory, Buttler (59) made the most of a reprieve when he was dropped on 7 by RCB skipper Virat Kohli in the second over to bring up his seventh fifty in the last ten IPL games while Smith scored a 31-ball 38.
Yuzvendra Chahal (2/17) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB as he got the wickets of Royals’ captain Ajinkya Rahane (22) and Buttler but it was too little too late as Rahul Tripathi (34 not out) hit a six off the penultimate ball of the innings to take his team home.
Royals needed five in the final over and as Tripathi pulled Umesh for a maximum to complete the formalities with one run needed in two balls.
RCB, thus, succumbed to their fourth straight loss to stay rock-bottom in the points table while Royals registered their first win.
Brief Scores
Royal Challengers Bangalore 158/4 (Parthv Patel 67; Shreyas Gopal 3/12)
Rajasthan Royals 164/3 in 19.5 overs (Jos Buttler 59, Steve Smith 38)
