Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and elected to field first at the Chinnaswamy stadium. The match was the second of the double header. Rising Pune Supergiant got off to a blistering start, scoring 41 after 4 overs. Rahul Tripathi was more of the aggressor in the partnership. They brought up their 50 in the 5th over. Finally the Rahul Tripathi departed in the 8th over, looking to go inside out but found Virat Kohli at cover, who took a blinder, out for 31. Negi got rid off him. Earlier, Samuel Badree picked up the first wicket of Ajinkya Rahane for 30. After the two openers were out after laying a platform, it was turn for the two most renowned and experienced cricketers to take centrestage, Steven Smith and Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
MSD looked scratchy earlier on but once he got going RPS looked a good unit. With Steven Smith, he looked in the zone from ball one. They were 117 for 2 after 15 overs and they were looking strong to breach 160 mark at that stage.
Samuel Badree who picked up a hat-trick in the last match picked up a solitary wicket for 32 in 4 overs. Pawan Negi bowled well and was economical, going at 4 per over from his 3 overs. The event that will stay in our memories is the way Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit a six off Pawan Negi, the ball nearly cleared the stadium. But looking to up the ante MSD played one on to his stumps, he was bowled for 24. Steven Smith departed of the very next ball and Sreenath Aravind was on a hat-trick. Dan Christian did not allow the hat-trick and then soon Milne was also on a hat-trick but did not happen, he got Dan and Shardul Thakur in consecutive balls.
Late blitz by Manoj Tiwary helped RPS to respectability.
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