23:36 IST RCB win by 21 runs
23:35 IST Tye takes a single off the fifth ball. Thampi on strike, the ball hits his helmet, a dot ball to end the over. RCB register their second win in the tournament.
23:34 IST WICKET! Ishan Kishan c Chahal b Milne 39(16)
23:34 IST Andrew Tye on strike, Milne comes to bowl, he swings his bat but did not get the connection he needed. Next ball, he hits the ball down the ground, takes a couple of runs, Kishan is not happy with himself for taking the single run. Next ball, Tye takes a single towards backward square leg. OUT! Kishan hits that one straight into the air, a spiriinningings comes to an end. Kohli gives him a thumbs up for an unbelievable innings.
23:30 IST Kishan on strike, Aravind comes into bowl. DROPPED! He gets a boundary as Kohli drops the catch on the wide on the boundary. WIDE! Aravind bowls that one full and wide, he is feeling a bit of pressure now. FOUR! Kishan hits that one, almost sliced it for a boundary towards backward point. 38 needed off 10 balls, Kohli is having a chat with Aravind.
He comes round the wicket, Aravind bowls it wide of him, a dot ball there. SIX! Kishan goes for the slog, another maximum, he is providing a few late fireworks, is the game still alive? I think he has the ability to get Gujarat near him. Bouncer! Kishan ducks that one out, he is not happy with himself. SIX! Another one as Kishan gets underneath another one, 22 runs from the over, 26 needed off last over.
23:24 IST Andrew Tye comes into bat, he tries to go for the short ball, a dot ball there for Head. Tye goes for the slog on next ball, could manage just a couple of runs as Kohli drops that one running from long on.
23:22 IST Jadeja takes a single off Travis Head’s first ball, gives Kishan on strike. SIX! He gets on one knee and hits the ball for a maximum, he is playing a few late fireworks, the game is still alive. He tries the same shot again, just a single off that ball. Jadeja hits the ball towards deep midwicket, just a single off that one. OUT! Runout, but it will be interesting to know who gets out, Kishan or Jadeja?
23:19 IST Ishan Kishan on strike, Aravind on strike, he takes a couple of runs from the first two balls. He takes a single off the third ball, the game has slipped out of GL’s hands. Jadeja takes a single after playing a dot ball, the game has gone dull now. SIX! Kishan hits his first maximum, is this the nudge GL batsmen needed, they still need 58 from 18 balls.
23:12 IST Negi comes back into the attack, Kishan takes a single off the first ball. Jadeja takes a single towards long off. Kishan takes another single towards covers. Jadeja goes back into the crease, plays it late and into the gap, takes a couple of runs. Jadeja takes a single towards covers, RCB would not mind those. GL need boundaries now. Kishan takes a single off the last ball, 7 runs from the over.
23:09 IST Ishan Kishan comes into bat, youngster has a tough task ahead, he plays the ball towards covers, a dot ball to start with. He takes a couple of runs off the next ball, good running between the wickets.
23:06 IST WICKET! Brendon McCullum c Milne b Chahal 72(44)
23:06 IST Chahal comes back into the attack, to bowl his last over. Jadeja takes a quick single off the first ball. A mild run out appeal but McCullum is safe. McCullum on strike now, he takes a single towards long on. Jadeja takes another single as he guides the ball towards covers. OUT! McCullum departs, is this the final nail in the coffin.
23:02 IST Shane Watson comes back into the attack, is this a wise move? He starts off with a dot delivery to Jadeja as he could not get bat on that. FOUR! Jadeja rocks back and hits the ball for a boundary, GL need more and more of those. He takes a single off the next ball, gets McCullum on strike. SIX! He hits the ball into deep midwicket stands, what a shot, he is surely bringing GL back in the game. He goes again but this time gets a single, still 81 needed from 37 balls. He takes a quick single off the last ball, 13 runs from the over.
22:57 IST Adam Milne comes back into the attack, McCullum goes for big shot but mistimes it, takes a single towards long on. Jadeja guides the next one towards deep midwicket, takes a single. GL need boundaries now, not singles. McCullum goes for the slog but finds the inside edge of the bat, just a single towards square leg.
FOUR! Jadeja finds the boundary, that will boost his confidence, first boundary for him as he guides the ball wide of third man fielder. Short ball from Milne, Jadeja takes a single towards mid on. SIX! McCullum rocks back into his crease and hits it over long off boundary for a maximum.
22:52 IST Ravindra Jadeja comes into bat but offstrike, McCullum plays the first one dot followed by a single towards deep extra cover. Jadeja on strike, he tries to guide the ball towards third man, a dot ball. Another dot as Jadeja could not find the gap, finds point fielder. Another dot ball as Jadeja hits this one to the left for Negi. Four dot balls from Negi;s over, Jadeja yet to get off strike.
22:47 IST McCullum takes a single off the fifth ball off Aravind’s over. Karthik on strike on the last ball, OUT! Another one goes down, GL in trouble now.
22:46 IST A halt in the play as McCullum is hurt on the pitch, the ball hit his groin.
22:41 IST Dinesh Karthik comes into bat, he plays a dot delivery to start with. Another dot to follow, good over from Negi. Pressure back on GL batsmen. Karthik chips the next ball over extra cover, takes a single as long on fielder cuts it off. Jadhav is standing up on the wicket. McCullum is hurt on this occasion as the ball hits his groin.
22:39 IST WICKET! Aaron Finch st Jadhav b Negi 19(15)
22:38 IST Pawan Negi comes into bowl, McCullum on strike, he defends the first ball on the back foot. WIDE! McCullum tries to make room but Negi follows him, ways too much down the leg side, a wide delivery. SIX! This time he succeeds hits a maximum over square leg boundary, as flat as it could get. FIFTY for McCullum. He takes a single off the next delivery. OUT! Finch departs.
22:36 IST Milne continues, he hits the pads of Finch, a spirited appeal from the bowler but the Umpire shakes his head. McCullum on strike, FOUR! He chipped that one over extra cover fielder, that was an easy picking for the Kiwi master. Next ball, SIX! Milne tried a slower one but McCullum’s bottom hand comes into play, another maximum for him, he is clearly leading this chase now.
He takes a single off the next ball. Finch on strike, a dot ball to him. WIDE! That was going down the leg side, he is feeling the pressure. FOUR! He gets on the back foot and slices the ball behind short third man for a boundary, big over for GL, 17 runs from the over.
22:31 IST Finch on strike, Watson comes into bowl, he pulls the first ball for a single towards backward square leg. Two more singles from the over, the pressure is building up now. SIX! That will release the pressure, McCullum hits another maximum, easy pickings for the New Zealander. He takes a single off the next delivery towards covers. A single from Finch to end the over, 11 runs from it.
22:26 IST Adam Milne has been introduced into the attack, he starts off with back-to-back wides, he is struggling to find the right line and length. He takes a single towards covers. Next ball, that one hit the pads of Finch, takes a couple of runs, leg byes. McCullum hits the next one towards covers, did not time it, takes a single.
FOUR! Finch picks up the slower one, gets a boundary towards deep square leg, first boundary from the over. He could not time the next one, a dot from Milne. Last ball of the over of Milne, Finch on strike, he takes a single towards midwicket
23:17 IST McCullum on strike, he goes on the back foot and takes a single towards long off, Chahal continues. Aaron Finch on strike, he faces a dot ball to start with. SIX! Finch gets into the attack straightaway as he hits a maximum towards deep midwicket, GL are losing wickets but they are keeping the run rate in check. He takes a single towards midwicket. McCullum takes a single towards covers. A dot ball to end the over, 9 runs from it.
22:12 IST Negi comes into bowl again, McCullum on strike, SIX! Another maximum for McCullum, he will be leading the chase today. FOUR! He gets on the back foot and hammers the ball towards deep midwicket boundary for four, he is looking dangerous now. He guides the next one towards short fine leg, a dot ball. He plays the next one towards covers, another dot ball. He makes room for himself and hits him down the ground, another dot ball. McCullum takes a single off the last ball, retains strike.
22:08 IST WICKET! Suresh Raina c Watson b Chahal 23(8)
22:08 IST Chahal continues, McCullum on strike, he starts off with a wide. SIX! McCullum slogs thatone on one knee, hits a maximum over deep midwicket, first maximum for him. He goes for the shot again but the ball takes an inside edge, takes a single towards fine leg.
Raina on strike, FOUR! He goes on one knee and hits the ball towards mid wicket, another boundary, the game is very much alive as long as Raina is there. He takes a single going on the back foot, McCullum on strike. He gets on front foot and pushes the ball towards mid off, takes a single. OUT! Raina makes the mistake, he has to go, the shorter one gets the better of him.
22:03 IST Sreenath Aravind comes into bowl, McCullum on strike, he takes a single off the first ball. Raina on strike, SIX! As effortless as it could get, just flicks the ball towards square leg, he has made up his mind, he will attack the fast bowlers, first boundary of the innings. SIX! Raina comes down the track and times the ball to perfection, that one looked like a loft from Raina, back-to-back sixes from him.
He tries to make room for himself but finds the covers fielder, takes a quick single. McCullum comes down the track, Aravind drops it short, takes a single towards offside. Raina on strike, he flicks the ball towards deep midwicket, gets another boundary, 19 runs from it.
21:58 IST Suresh Raina comes into bat but McCullum on strike. A dot ball to McCullum, he takes a single off the next ball. Raina on strike, he takes a single off the first ball he faces. A single to end the over, McCullum retains strike, just 3 runs and a wicket from it.
21:55 IST WICKET! Dwayne Smith c Mandeep b Chahal 1(4) He slogged it towards deep square leg, gets the first breakthrough.
21:55 IST Yuzvendra Chahal comes into bowl, Smith on strike, he starts off with a dot ball.
21:53 IST Pawan Negi comes into bowl, Dwayne Smith on strike, he tries to slog sweep the first ball, misses it, a dot ball. Next ball, Smith hits it in the air, just a single off that ball as it lands short of the fielder. McCullum on strike, he plays the first one towards midwicket, a dot ball. He hits the next one to covers, no run. Two more dot balls to follow, just a single off the first over from Negi.
21:37 IST Gujarat Lions need 214 runs to win the match!
21:36 IST Travis Head on strike, Jadeja to bowl the last over. Head hits the ball down the ground, good fiedling in the deep, a couple of runs taken on that one. Head digs out yorker length and takes a single towards deep mid on. Jadhav on strike, FOUR! he makes room for himself and hits the ball over covers for a boundary, clever batting from Jadhav.
SIX! Here’s a biggie for Jadhav, this time he hits a maximum over long on, 94 meteres on that shot, Jadhav is on fire. FOUR! He goes on the back foot and hits a boundary over deep cover, he is exploiting the field placements. A dot to end the innings, 17 runs of the last over.
21:31 IST Tye continues, Jadhav on strike. SIX! He goes down the track and hits the ball over long on like a batsman takes on a spinner. Knuckleball does not seem to be working for him. FOUR! He goes inside out this time, finds the gap and the boundary, 10 runs from the over already. He takes a couple of runs off the next ball, a dot ball to follow.
FOUR! He gets down the track, Tye drops it short but Jadhav checks his shot and hits it into the gap, another boundary for him. DROPPED! Tye drops the catch in his follow through, Jadhav manages to take a couple of runs on the last ball, 18 runs from the over.
21:27 IST Thampi bowls his last over, Head on strike. FOUR! He waited for the slower short ball, pulls it towards midwicket boundary for four, he is impressing everyone today. FOUR! This time he takes the aerial route, hits that one into the gap, hits a boundary towards covers, 8 runs from the over already.
A slower one beats Head, another dot ball. He drives the next one towards covers, finds the fielder, another dot ball. He hits the next one wide of long on fielder, takes a couple of runs on that occasion. He mistimes the next one towards long off, takes a couple of runs, 12 runs from the over.
21:22 IST Andrew Tye comes into bowl, Kedar Jadhav comes into bat, FOUR! What a way to get off the mark, guides the ball fine for a boundary off the first ball. He takes a single off the next ball, brings Head on strike. He takes a single towards midwicket, slight mix-up but Jadhav sends him back. Knuckleball from Tye, Jadhav could not pick that one, a dot ball. Tye saw him getting down the track, bowled a bang on yorker under the bat, another dot. Tye bowls a slower one to end the over, a dot ball, just 7 runs from it.
21:14 IST WICKET! Virat Kohli c Smith b Kulkarni 64(50)
21:14 IST Kulkarni comes into bowl, starts off with a yorker to Kohli, a quick single taken. Head on strike now did not time it, another quick single, Kohli had to dive there. He is in pain as the ball hit his shoulder. A slower one from Kulkarni, Kohli pulls it, takes a couple of runs towards deep midwicket. He hits another one into the deep, takes a couple of runs again. OUT! Kohli did not time that one, gets out for 64!
21:10 IST Kaushik comes back into the attack, Kohli hits the ball into deep midwicket, takes a couple of runs. FIFTY for Kohli, 51 from 43 balls. WIDE! That was way done the offside. He takes a single towards sweeper cover. Head on strike, he drives the ball towards sweeper cover, takes a quick single. SIX! Typical Kohli shot over deep midwicket boundary for another maximum. He goes on back foot and takes a single towards covers. Head to face the last ball of the over, SIX! He got underneath that one, first maximum for him in this inning.
21:06 IST Jadeja comes back into the attack, Head takes a single towards long on, going on the back foot. Kohli on strike, he plays a dot ball on back foot. He takes a couple of runs off the next ball towards deep mid-wicket, good running between the two. FOUR! Kohli gets down the track and hits a boundary towards covers. He takes a quick single off the next, Head on strike for the last ball, he chips the ball over covers, takes a single as sweeper cover cuts it off, 10 runs from it.
21:03 IST Travis Head comes into bat, he guides the ball towards deep midwicket, takes a couple of runs. He takes a single off the last ball of the over towards third man, retains strike.
21:00 IST WICKET! Chris Gayle lbw b Basil Thampi 77(38)
21:00 IST Basil Thampi comes back into the attack, Kohli on strike, he bowls a slower bouncer, a single off that one as he could not time it. Gayle is back on strike, he takes a couple of runs off the next ball. Thampi comes round the stumps, he bowls a yorker to Gayle, almost bowled him. Thampi has been impressive so far, beating Gayle in his prime. OUT! Gayle departs, Thampi gets the prized wicket. Is this the breakthrough that will bring GL back in the game.
20:57 IST Dhawal Kulkarni comes into bowl, Kohli takes a single off the first ball towards covers. He does the right thing giving Gayle on strike. Big shout from Kulkarni but the Umpire says no. FOUR! Kulkarni will feel the pressure now, hits another boundary towards the third man. He drives the next one towards covers, finds the fielder, a dot ball.
FOUR! Gayle just guides that one towards point, another boundary for him in the over, he has moved on to 75 now. WIDE! Kulkarni is certainly feeling the pressure, bowls a wide delivery. Swing and a miss, a slower one from Kulkarni, 10 runs from his over.
20:52 IST Dwayne Smith comes into bowl, Gayle takes a single towards midwicket. Kohli takes a single towards backward point, does the right thing by giving Gayle strike. SIX! Gayle in full flow, he is the ‘Universe Boss’ for a reason. WIDE! He bowls a bouncer but way off target, feeling the pressure, Dwayne Smith. SIX! Another one, almost an action replay of the previous ball. He launches that one into the stands. Gayle takes a single off the next ball. Kohli takes a single off the last ball, retains strike, 18 runs from it.
20:46 IST Shivil Kaushik comes back to bowl, Gayle on strike, bad ball to start with but gets away with it. He takes a single towards fine leg. Kohli on strike, he takes a single towards deep square leg. SIX! FIFTY! Gayle reaches a half-century in 23 balls. He plays a dot ball after that one. Kaushik comes round the wicket, Gayle swings his bat but the ball takes an inside edge, another dot ball from Kaushik. Gayle gets on back foot, takes a single towards deep midwicket, 9 runs from the over.
20:42 IST Tye comes into bowl, Kohli on strike, he plays a dot ball to start with. He takes a single off the next one. Gayle on strike, the ball hits his pads, takes a single by leg byes. Kohli on strike, that one hit the middle of the bat, takes a single towards sweeper cover. Gayle takes a single towards fine leg, Kohli on strike. FOUR! He gets on the backfoot and swing the bat towards fine leg on the short ball, a boundary to end the over, 8 runs from it.
20:34 IST Chris Gayle survives, McCullum’s hat brushes up with the boundary. SIX of the last ball as McCullum’s hat touches the boundary rope.
20:33 IST Jadeja continues, Kohli on strike, he takes a single towards long on. Gayle plays a dot ball next. FOUR! He hits that one down the ground, he is in full flow today, will we see more fireworks? Yes, we will. FOUR! He hits another boundary towards covers, second boundary of the over, Gayle is on fire today. SIX! He hammers that one into the orbit, another maximum for him, GL players are tensed now. OUT! Gayle departs, too ambitious from him, what a catch in the deep from McCullum in the deep. Or is it? Umpire signals to Third Umpire.
20:29 IST Shivil Kaushik comes into bowl, Kohli on strike, will he do something different today? Kaushik starts off with a dot ball. Kohli pulls the next one towards deep midwicket, takes a single. What a delivery! that was way off the target, Gayle manages to take a single towards square leg. Kohli flicks the next ball towards midwicket, takes a single. SIX! Gayle lofts taht one over long off for a boundary, what a shot from him. Gayle is already looking dangerous, RED ALERT for GL. A dot ball to end the over, 9 runs from it.
20:24 IST Ravindra Jadeja comes into bowl, well folks! Jadeja has a new hairstyle. Kohli on strike, he takes a single off the first one. Next ball, Gayle on strike, FOUR! He gets on back foot and finds a boundary towards covers, Jadeja under pressure straight away. He hits the ball towards long on, takes a couple of runs, that’s a first, he has been running between the wickets aggressively today. He takes a single off the next ball. Jadeja darts the next one into Kohli’s pads, a dot ball. He takes a single off the last ball, 9 runs from it.
20:21 IST Andrew Tye, the hat-trick man comes into bowl, Kohli on strike, an inswinger to Kohli, he takes a single towards backward square leg. Gayle plays the next one towards point, takes a quick single. Bouncer! Tye bowls a short one to Kohli, a dot ball to him. Kohli tries to come down the track, plays it towards mid-wicket, another dot ball. Another one goes to midwicket, Tye has been creating problems for Kohli. He takes a single off the last ball, retains strike.
20:17 IST Thampi continues, Gayle on strike, he plays the first ball towards point, a dot one to start with. Gayle flashes bat but did not find a single there. He takes a single towards third man, completes 10,000 runs in T20s! What an amazing feat Gayle achieved, he is the first to do so. Kohli drives the ball towards covers, he takes a single off that one as covers-fielder misfields it. SIX! Gayle gets a juicy full toss, he won’t let those go off easily, hits a maximum towards long off. A dot ball to end the over, 8 runs from it.
20:12 IST Kulkarni continues, Kohli tries to make room but he follows him, the ball takes an inside edge, a dot one to start with. Another dot to Kohli, he has been struggling to score so far. FOUR! It seems like he heard me, hits a boundary, comes down the track and flicks the ball for a boundary towards deep midwicket.
FOUR! That one was pitched on the leg stump, Kohli drives that one towards square leg boundary for another four. He is getting into the groove now. FOUR! Here is another one, Kohli drove it towards long on, that is third on the trot. A dot ball to end the over, 12 runs from it.
20:08 IST Basil Thampi comes into bowl the second over of the innings, Kohli on strike, he could not time the first ball, a dot to start with. Next ball, Kohli plays it towards point, Gayle sends Kohli back, another dot from Thampi. He shapes that into Kohli’s body, another dot to Kohli, Thampi is a special talent.
He mistimes the cover drive on the next ball, fourth dot ball of the over. FOUR! That one took a top edge off the bat, he survives, first boundary of the over. Thampi has been bowling well today. A slower one to end the over, Kohli takes a single. 5 runs from Thampi’s over.
20:04 IST Kulkarni comes into bowl, Gayle takes a single on the first ball as the ball was fielded inside the circle. Kohli is on strike now, Kohli stays in the crease and plays the first one defensively. Kohli takes a single towards short mid-wicket, that one just fell short of Ishan Kishan. Kohli survives, Gayle on strike, another quick single inside the circle.
Kohli on strije again, FOUR! Deft touch from Kohli’s bat, gets a boundary towards third man, first boundary of the innings. Next ball, Kohli mistimes it, ball takes a leading edge towards covers, takes a single of that one, 8 runs from the first over.
19:59 IST Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle come out to bat, Dhawal Kulkarni to bowl the first over!
19:51 IST Will Travis Head be able to fill in the shoes of AB de Villiers? Stay tuned to find out!
19:35 IST: Playing XIs:
Royal Challengers Bangalore (Playing XI): Virat Kohli(c), Chris Gayle, Mandeep Singh, Travis Head, Kedar Jadhav(w), Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Pawan Negi, Adam Milne, Sreenath Aravind, Yuzvendra Chahal
Gujarat Lions (Playing XI): Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina(c), Aaron Finch, Ishan Kishan, Dinesh Karthik(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Andrew Tye, Dhawal Kulkarni, Basil Thampi, Shivil Koushik
19:30 IST: It’s toss time! The coin flips and goes in Gujarat Lion’s favour. Suresh Raina wins toss and elected to bowl first. And ‘Guess What’ (in Danny Morrison style) Aaron Finch is back with his kitbag and so is Shivil Koushik in the Gujarat squad.
Welcome to inUth’s live digital coverage of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017’s Match 20 between Gujarat Lions (GL) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot. It is almost a perform or perish situation for both the teams having placed at No. 7 and No. 8 in the IPL 2017 Standings respectively. The excitement will be high in Rajkot as both the teams will be fighting to move up the ladder.
Kohli’s return could not change the fate of RCB like he did in the previous season. Upon his return, RCB has lost two straight games and that too in close encounters. AB de Villiers unavailability for the fixture has raised a new problem. His replacement is supposed to be the “Universe Boss” Chris Gayle. On the other hand, Shane Watson’s poor run in the tournament has been a problem for RCB. They might replace him with Travis Head as former Indian skipper feels Watson should be warming the benches.
It will be right to conclude that GL have been doing well since facing two humiliating defeats in two initial matches. Andrew Tye’s hat-trick helped them dominate Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) and register their first win. Their batting lineup clicked as well as GL registered their first win in the tournament. They lost the previous game by a close margin.
The Australian opener Aaron Finch missed the previous game due to a bizarre reason as his kit bag was left in Rajkot. Finch is expected to play in today’s game but Raina would have to choose between him and English opener Jason Roy who performed well in the previous game. Ravindra Jadeja’s form too has not been that well. GL need their star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo back into the mix who helped them to be the table toppers in IPL 2016.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli(c), Mandeep Singh, AB de Villiers, Kedar Jadhav(w), Shane Watson, Stuart Binny, Pawan Negi, Adam Milne, Samuel Badree, Sreenath Aravind, Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Iqbal Abdulla, Travis Head, Sachin Baby, Avesh Khan, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tymal Mills, Praveen Dubey, Aniket Choudhary, Billy Stanlake, Vishnu Vinod, Chris Gayle
Gujarat Lions: Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina(c), Ishan Kishan, Dinesh Karthik(w), Jason Roy, Ravindra Jadeja, Praveen Kumar, Andrew Tye, Basil Thampi, Munaf Patel, James Faulkner, Dwayne Bravo, Aaron Finch, Dhawal Kulkarni, Pradeep Sangwan, Shivil Koushik, Shadab Bashir Jakati, Jaydev Shah, Manpreet Gony, Nathu Singh, Chirag Suri, Akshdeep Nath, Shubham Agarwal, Tejas Baroka, Pratham Singh, Shelley Shaurya
