AB de Villers, Ali help RCB post 171/7 vs Mumbai

AB de Villiers' scintillating knock (75 off 51) with Moeen Ali's 50 off 32 propelled Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to 171/7 against Mumbai Indians in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Monday.

Despite some early blows, de Villiers and Ali anchored Bangalore's innings with a valiant 105-run partnership for the third wicket before Lasith Malinga (4/31) rattled the middle-order.

The visitors lost their skipper Virat Kohli (8) with just 12 runs on board. Kohli was trying to force a Jason Behrendorff delivery through the off-side, got cramped, and ended up giving an inside edge to Quinton de Kock behind the wickets.

Parthiv Patel (28) showed some resistance, taking his side near the 50-run mark. He was sent back by Hardik Pandya in the seventh over. de Villiers was then joined by Ali and the duo denied the hosts any further wicket, anchored the innings and took the team past the 100-run mark.

Enroute, they also notched up their respective half-centuries with the team looking comfortable at 144/2 in 17 overs.

Malinga finally shattered the partnership by packing Ali back in the 18th over. The Sri Lankan pacer went on to rock the lower middle-order and sent Marcus Stoinis (0), Akshdeep Nath (2) and Pawan Negi (0) to the hut in quick succession.

de Villers had to finally depart trying to convert a single as he fell short of the crease. The South African superstar's knock was laced with six boundaries and four maximums.

Behrendorff and Pandya also picked a wicket each.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 171-7 in 20 overs (AB de Villiers 75, Moeen Ali 50; Lasith Maling 4/31) vs Mumbai Indians

--IANS

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