On this Day (16th March,2010):RCB chase down 203 against Kings XI Punjab
It had been almost two years since the Chinnaswamy crowd got to witness their heroes performing in their home ground. The Kings XI Punjab, having won the toss and chosen to bat first, put up a mammoth 203 on the board. When Jacques Kallis and Manish Pandey strode out to the centre for the run-chase, none would have expected the carnage that followed.
The run chase began with a brisk knock by Manish Pandey, whose quick start to the innings allowed the veteran Jacques Kallis to pace his innings. Pandey shared a 74-run opening partnership with Kallis in the first 8 overs, which gave the team a solid foundation to launch from. After the dismissal of Pandey, it was another local lad who took over the quick-scoring mantle.
Walking in with the required rate almost at 11 per over, Robin Uthappa’s blazing knock of 51 off 21 balls gave the innings impetus at the right time and brought the required rate down to a manageable level. His innings included a 25-run drubbing of Sreesanth in the 13th over in which the 4 balls were sent over the boundary ropes. By the time Robin Uthappa was dismissed, the game had tilted in favour of the hosts. However, with 62 runs required off the final 6 overs, it wasn’t quite over yet.
Kallis and Uthappa’s heroics lead Bangalore to a record run-chase
The genius of Jacques Kallis emerged in the last 5 overs. Batting on 45 off 38 balls at the time of Uhtappa's dismissal, Kallis sprung into action. Now well-set, the South African all-rounder scored 44 runs off his next 17 balls, smashing the ball all over the park. Virat Kohli, played the anchor role to perfection, holding up the other end. The Jacques Kallis blitzkrieg ensured that Royal Challengers Bangalore registered the first win of the 2009/10 season, with a thumping win over Kings XI Punjab. The total was chased down in 18.5 overs.
The run-chase was a real morale booster for a team that had lost its first game of the season in a disappointing manner to Kolkata Knight Riders. The first home game and a clinical run-chase set the tone for the rest of the season. Royal Challengers Bangalore made it to the top 4 but lost to the Mumbai Indians in the semi-finals. The win, however, was a significant one, as the team had established itself as a batting powerhouse and a formidable force to be reckoned with at the Chinnaswamy. The 204 run chase still stands as the record for the highest run-chase by RCB in the 12-year-long IPL history.
NEXT
