Kohli, Salt help RCB dominate Royals

JAIPUR, India (AP):

VIRAT KOHLI and Phil Salt struck attacking half-centuries to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru register a dominant nine-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League yesterday.

Salt hit six sixes and five fours in scoring 65 off 33 balls, while Kohli finished 62 not out off 45 balls. Riding on a 92-run opening stand from the duo, Bengaluru reached 175-1 in 17.3 overs.

Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 75 off 47 balls proved to be in vain as Rajasthan Royals finished with a below-par 173-4 in 20 overs.

With the win, Bengaluru climbed to third in the table with four wins in six games. Rajasthan are eighth after their fourth defeat in six games.

Put into bat, Rajasthan lost skipper Sanju Samson for 15. He was stumped off Krunal Pandya (1-29) in the seventh over, after putting on 49 off 41 balls with Jaiswal.

Jaiswal made a quick start and raced to 50 off 35 balls, his second half-century of the season.

He added 56 off 39 balls with Riyan Parag (30 off 22) and then another 21 off 16 with Dhruv Jurel. But Bengaluru kept a tight leash on proceedings with no Rajasthan batter able to generate any real momentum.

Jaiswal was out lbw to Josh Hazlewood (1-26) in the 16th over, and it was Jurel’s 35 not out off 23 balls, including two sixes, that allowed Rajasthan to score 47 in the last four overs.

Hurting from a home loss against Delhi Capitals, Bengaluru rebounded in spectacular fashion.

Salt made a blistering start and raced to 50 off 28 balls, hitting four sixes. He put on 50 off 30 balls with Kohli and then further pushed the opening stand to 92 off 52 balls, which did half the job for his team.

After Salt was dismissed in the ninth over, Kohli took charge of the chase and never gave Rajasthan a sniff.

Impact player Devdutt Padikkal helped out with 40 not out off 28 balls as Kohli eased to yet another IPL half-century, this one off 39 balls.

Kohli and Padikkal added 83 off 54 balls as Bengaluru won with 15 balls to spare.

In yesterday’s second game, Mumbai Indians ended Delhi Capitals’ unbeaten run with a 12-run victory.

Mumbai were propped up by Tilak Varma’s 59 off 33 balls, finishing on 205-5. Their spinners choked the home side, with impact player Karn Sharma taking 3-36 in four overs.

Mitchell Santner claimed 2-43, plus a sensational fielding effort, as Delhi lost their last three wickets to consecutive run-outs. Delhi were dismissed for 193 in 19 overs.