Royal Challengers Bangalore were by far the best side in the 2016 Indian Premier League season but fell short in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on 29 May, Sunday. Kohli, dismissed for 54 – made from 35 balls and decorated with five boundaries and two sixes, became the highest run-getter in the IPL during the course of his innings. Gayle’s score was studded with 4 fours and 8 huge sixes, while Kohli, though not as destructive, hit 5 fours and 2 sixes.
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While the likes of James Faulkner and Glenn Maxwell didn’t exactly cover themselves in glory with their performances in IPL 2016, Moises Henriques, Marcus Stoinis and Ben Cutting towards the latter stages of the tournament showed that while the stars may not have performed, Australia still have plenty of strength in depth.
At first, Kohli was content watching from the other end, rotating the strike at every opportunity. Before long, he started to play shots too and it was absolute mayhem as the Royal Challengers crossed the 100-mark with 21 coming in the ninth over. Royal Challengers, 200/7 (Gayle 76, Aravind 2-30) by eight runs. Bangalore’s lack of batting depth proved costly, particularly after Australian Shane Watson and South African AB de Villiers failed to contribute runs of significance. The scoreboard read 160/4 before the end of 16th over. Their run-rate at the midway point was 9.70.
They sensed trouble as the visitors gave the home team a big score to chase.
RCB had a chance of winning the match and things went as per the plan.
Later Baby hit a six keeping the hopes alive for RCB.
Sunrisers Hyderabad held their nerve to complete a eight-run victory in the final.
Jordan was run out in the third ball by Ojha. Three balls later though, he dragged the ball back onto his stumps.
It will be the best batting side against the best bowling side in the tournament. While B.B. Sran, Mustafizur Rahman and Bipul Sharma took one wicket each. A barrage of accurate yorkers stifled Royal Challengers Bangalore, who were restricted to 200 for seven.
Earlier in the day, a solid knock of 69 runs from David Warner and cameos from Yuvraj Singh and Ben Cutting took Sunrisers Hyderabad to 208 for seven in 20 overs.
Opening the innings with Shikar Dhawan, Warner started off slowly but then began scoring quick runs in a 38-ball-69, which included eight fours and three sixes.
Having won the toss, Dave Warner, whose 93* had got Sunrisers into the final, backed himself and elected to bat first.
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In the last over off Watson, Cutting plundered 24 runs, hitting three sixes and a four.
