When Punjab Kings defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 22 Runs in a 10 Over Game

Due to rain, the game was shortened to just 10 overs per side. Despite the reduced overs, the match was full of action and excitement. Both teams gave their best, but it was Punjab Kings who came out on top with a solid 22-run win. The fans witnessed some powerful hitting and intense moments. Want to know how the game unfolded? Let’s dive into the full story of this thrilling contest.

Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 13th May 2015

With the start of Kings XI Punjab’s batting in a rain-shortened 10-over match on May 13, 2015, in Mohali, captain George Bailey decided to bat first, hoping to set a tough score against Royal Challengers Bangalore. KXIP, stuck in a seven-game losing streak, needed a spark. They sent Wriddhiman Saha to open with Manan Vohra, a smart move to attack early. Saha delivered big time, blasting 31 runs off 12 balls with five fours and a six. Facing Mitchell Starc, Saha pounced on a low full-toss, flicking it to fine leg for four, and smashed a length ball over square leg for another boundary.

Starc’s first over went for 14 runs, including two runs from Saha and a wide. S Aravind’s second over was even worse, giving away 20 runs as Saha cracked four boundaries, one sneaking past his stumps, and launched a six over long-on. KXIP raced to 34 without loss after two overs, going at 17 runs per over.

David Wiese got RCB back in the game in the third over, getting Saha caught at mid-on by Mandeep Singh. Glenn Maxwell came in but couldn’t get going, scoring 10 runs off 10 balls before Harshal Patel got him caught by AB de Villiers at deep midwicket in the fifth over. Patel also dismissed Vohra, who made 11 off 6 balls with a six, caught at long-off. KXIP were 56 for 3 after five overs as David Miller gave a quick boost, smashing 14 off 4 balls with two sixes off Yuzvendra Chahal, one flying into the pavilion’s top tier, but he was stumped off a wide by Dinesh Karthik.

George Bailey, with 13 off 9 balls including a four, and Axar Patel, unbeaten on 20 off 15 balls with a four and a six, kept things steady. Bailey lofted a four over extra cover, and Axar smashed a six off Chahal. Starc bowled a tight final over, giving just six runs, including a single to Axar and a run to Rishi Dhawan. KXIP finished at 106 for 6.

RCB’s bowlers fought back after Saha’s early fireworks. Patel took two wickets for 12 runs, and Chahal grabbed two for 25, both using slower balls to slow things down on a tricky pitch. Wiese, with one for 17, and Starc, one for 20, helped too. Saha’s quick 31 and Axar’s steady 20 got KXIP to a solid score, setting up their bowlers to defend it in a high-stakes, short game.

For the chase in just 10 overs, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru team relied mainly on their big hitters like Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, and AB de Villiers who had a clear job, and it was to score fast. They needed 10.7 runs per over, but KXIP’s bowlers had other plans. Gayle kicked off with a bang, hammering a six off Sandeep Sharma’s third ball, sending a fullish delivery soaring over long-off. Sandeep’s first over gave up 10 runs, including Gayle’s six and a four flicked to square leg, putting RCB at 10 without loss.

Beuran Hendricks kept things tight in the second over, giving just six runs as Kohli missed two balls before nudging a single. Anureet Singh’s third oversaw Kohli, scoring 19 off 9 balls with two fours and a six, fire up with a four over mid-on, a six over long-on, and another four, but he chopped a wide ball onto his stumps, leaving RCB at 33 for 1. Rishi Dhawan bowled a tidy fourth over, allowing only six singles. Gayle, with 17 off 14 balls including a four and a six, fell in the fifth over to Sandeep, caught by Wriddhiman Saha off a sharp bouncer, making it 49 for 2.

AB de Villiers, scoring 10 off 9 balls with a four, couldn’t break free and was caught by Hendricks off Axar Patel’s bowling in the seventh over after top-edging a sweep. Mandeep Singh fought back, making 20 off 14 balls with two fours, one a reverse-sweep off Axar, but Axar got him too, caught at long-on by David Miller, leaving RCB at 79 for 5 after nine overs. Hendricks dismissed Dinesh Karthik, who scored 2 off 4 balls, caught at long-on by Miller. Anureet got Sarfaraz Khan, scoring 4 off 6 balls, caught at third man by Hendricks in the final over.

RCB ended at 84 for 6, with David Wiese unbeaten on 4 off 5 balls, 22 runs short as KXIP’s bowlers shone, with Axar Patel taking two wickets for 11 runs and Hendricks grabbing one for 9, both using slower balls to choke RCB’s big hitters. Sandeep, with one for 20, and Anureet, with two for 21, backed them up, making the most of a slow pitch. RCB’s top order started strong but fizzled out, and their middle order couldn’t step up, letting KXIP’s smart bowling seal a big win.

For the Punjab team, Axar Patel was awarded as the Best Player of the Match who made a notable contribution in the match by scoring 20 runs off just 15 balls and also picking up 2 wickets in his spell by giving away just 11 runs in the match. Considering the 2015 IPL, this was Punjab’s third win in the tournament as they were placed at the last position in the points table while the RCB team suffered their 5th loss in the tournament and were placed at the 3rd position in the points table.