Royal Challengers Bangalore kick-started their IPL V campaign with a convincing 20-run win over Delhi Daredevils.
A B de Villiers and Muttiah Muralitharan starred with the bat and ball respectively as Royal Challengers Bangalore posted a 20-run victory over Delhi Daredevils to start their campaign in the fifth edition of Indian Premier League on a winning note in Bangalore on Saturday.
Chasing 158 for victory, the Daredevils were restricted to 137 for seven by last year's runners-up who were served well by Muralitharan's three for 25, after De Villiers set it up with a blazing 64 off 42 balls.u00a0
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De Villiers hit six fours and two sixes in an innings that gave Bangalore the platform.
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The start of Daredevils' innings was nothing less than eventful at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
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The wily Muttiah Muralitharan was at his best taking three wickets for 25 against Delhi. Pic/AFP
Delhi were off to a flyer with Aaron Finch (25 off 24) hitting Zaheer Khan u00a0for three boundaries through the off-side in the very first over before skipper Virender Sehwag u00a0offered a simple catch to Cheteshwar Pujara u00a0at covers off an innocuous Zaheer delivery.
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Naman Ojha u00a0(33 off 26) lofted R Vinay Kumar for a huge six over deep square-leg that went 79 metres, to accumulate 10 runs from the second over.
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There was a lull after that as Zaheer and Vinay pulled things back with some tight bowling, which saw Bangalore concede no more than eight runs.
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Ojha broke the shackles by flaying Zaheer past point for a much-needed boundary and then clobbered the pacer over the mid-on fielder for another four.
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The run-rate slipped again after the introduction of spinners, with skipper Daniel Vettori u00a0and Muralitharan bowling well in tandem.
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It didn't take Muralitharan long to provide the hosts a breakthrough as Ojha was caught at slip by Virat Kohli .
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Two overs later, the Sri Lankan legend struck again, having Finch trapped in front of the wicket.
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Brief scores:
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Royal Challengers Bangalore: 157 for eight in 20 overs (A B de Villiers 64 not out, Andrew McDonald 30; Doug Bracewell 3/32, Morne Morkel 2/30).
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Delhi Daredevils: 137 for 7 in 20 overs (Naman Ojha 33, Aaron Finch 25; Muttiah Muralitharan 3/25, Andrew McDonald 1/11).
