56th Bharat last-ball 6 help RCB beat DC in thriller

Dubai, Oct 8 (Agency) A last-ball six from Srikar Bharat (78 not out off 52 balls) helped Royal Challengers Bangalore clinch a thrilling seven-wicket win over table-toppers Delhi Capitals in Match 56 of IPL 2021 here on Friday. Despite the victory, Virat Kohli and side remain third in the table at 18 points behind DC (20) and second-placed CSK (18) with the latter ahead by the virtue of better net run rate. Opting to bowl first, RCB bowlers made a comeback in the match to halt Delhi at 164/5 after conceding 88 runs in the first 10 overs while picking no wickets. Mohammed Siraj (2/25) and Dan Christian (1/19) spearheaded the fightback in the death overs after openers Prithvi Shaw (48 off 31) and Shikhar Dhawan (43 off 35) gave DC a solid foundation.

Chasing the target, RCB top-order came a cropper as well with in-form opener Devdutt Padikkal (0 off 2) and Virat Kohli (4 off 8) firing blanks. Bharat then had a steady stand of 49 runs for the third wicket with AB de Villiers to bring up RCB fifty runs in the 10th over. The partnership was then broken up by Axar Patel, who dismissed De Villiers at 26 (26). Call it luck or sloppy effort by Risabh Pant and side as they gave away the match despite being the favourite at one stage with 7 runs to defend off 1 ball. Pacer Avesh Khan floundered under pressure as he bowled a wide and then a full toss off the extra delivery; allowing Bharat to clear the long-on boundary for a glory six.