IPL 2021: Srikar Bharat, Glenn Maxwell fifties guide RCB to 7 wickets victory in last-ball thriller

A last-ball six from KS Bharat against Avesh Khan has pulled off a beauty against table-toppers Delhi Capitals. He smashed unbeaten 78 runs off just 52 balls that comprised 3 fours and 4 sixes. Glenn Maxwell also chipped with crucial 51 runs off just 33 balls which included 8 boundaries. The duo shared an unbeaten 111 partnerships to guide RCB to victory and equal 18 points with MS Dhoni’s CSK. Avesh Khan was the pick of the bowlers with a couple of wickets. He delivered just 4 runs off the penultimate over but RCB batters kept their nerves to pull off a victory.

Chasing 165, RCB got off to the worst start possible as Devdutt Padikkal (0) was sent back to the pavilion in the very first over by Anrich Nortje. The Proteas pacer did not stop there as in his next over, he got the big fish Virat Kohli (4) and RCB was reduced to 6/2.

AB de Villiers and Srikar Bharat then got together at the crease and the duo retrieved the innings for RCB. Both batters put on 49 runs for the third wicket, but as soon as the innings started coming on track, Kohli’s side lost the wicket of de Villiers (26), still needing 110 runs to win from 63 balls.

Earlier, Delhi Capitals posted 164 runs in their allotted 20 overs in their final group stage match of IPL 2021. RCB bounced back after openers Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw went all guns blazing after the bowlers. Wickets fell in a bunch but Shimron Hetmyer guided DC to a decent finish. Mohd Siraj was the pick of the bowlers with a couple of wickets.

Earlier, Virat Kohli has won the toss and opted to bat first against Rishabh Pant’s DC. While table-toppers Delhi Capitals are eyeing another win in the league round and consolidate top spot finish. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore are looking to bounce back from their previous defeat and end the league stage on a high.

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