Mumbai: Dinesh Karthik launched a ferocious counter-attack after Glenn Maxwell had rescued them from a precarious 40/3 as Royal Challengers Bangalore posted 189/5 in 20 overs against Delhi Capitals in Match 27 of IPL 2022 at the Wankhede Stadium here on Saturday.
Karthik blasted an unbeaten 66 off 34 balls (4×5, 6×5) and raised 97 runs for the unfinished sixth-wicket partnership with Shahbaz Ahmed (32 not out) to take Royal Challengers to a defendable total after they were asked to bat first by Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant.
Maxwell had laid the foundation for the counter-attack by Karthik and Shahbaz with a 34-ball 55 that rescued RCB from a precarious position after they lost Virat Kohli to a brilliant throw by Lalit Yadav.
Karthik blasted Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman for 28 runs in the 18th over as Delhi bowlers especially Rahman (0/48) and Kuldeep Yadav (1/46) were carted around by wicketkeeper-batter and Maxwell, who took 23 runs off the Indian spinner, hitting two fours and two sixes.
Brief scores: Royal Challengers Bangalore 189/5 in 20 overs (Glenn Maxwell 55, Dinesh Karthik 66 not out, Shahbaz Ahmed 32 not out; Shardul Thakur 1/27) against Delhi Capitals.
(IANS)
