IPL 2017: Home is not where the art is for RCB as Pune post easy win

Royal Challengers Bangalore seem to have this knack of picking up wickets by the handful, but then don't back up that effort by finishing things off. They had allowed Mumbai Indians to get away the other evening; last night it was the turn of Rising Pune Supergiant to recover from 130-7 to a healthy 161-8

Shardul Thakur, Shane Watson

Bangalore: Royal Challengers Bangalore seem to have this knack of picking up wickets by the handful, but then don't back up that effort by finishing things off. They had allowed Mumbai Indians to get away the other evening; last night it was the turn of Rising Pune Supergiant to recover from 130-7 to a healthy 161-8. As it proved in the end, that total was more than adequate as the RCB chase never got going. Skipper Virat Kohli (28 off 19 balls) and AB de Villiers (29 off 30 balls) couldn't convert their starts, the RPS bowlers hunting in a pack to set up a 27-run win after RCB finished at 134 for nine.

Rising Pune Supergiants Shardul Thakur celebrate the wicket of Stuart Binny. Pics/PTI

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Earlier, Kohli put Pune into bat and having conceded a 63-run opening stand to Ajinkya Rahane (30) and Rahul Tripathi (31), both batsmen showing good touch, the RCB bowlers pulled things back. The third wicket duo of Steven Smith and MS Dhoni raised 58, but consumed 46 balls, setting the tone for the Pune parade.

A little after Dhoni (28 off 25 balls) had sent a Yuzvendra Chahal delivery over the Chinnaswamy Stadium roof, Shane Watson, returning for Chris Gayle, got him, bowled off the inside edge.

Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Shane Watson is bowled out for 18 runs during the 2017 Indian Premier League

That started the rot as 127 for three soon, in a matter of nine balls, became 130 for 7. Five wickets, which included the likes of Dhoni, Smith (27, 24b) and Ben Stokes (2) had gone down for 3 runs but from 130/7 in the 18th over, RPS were allowed to get to 161, a more than modest total given the two-paced nature of the pitch.

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