RCB restrict Royals to 130/9

An overall strict bowling performance from the Royals Challengers Bangalore (RCB) helped them restrict IPL table-toppers Rajasthan Royals to only 130/9 from 20 overs at the Sardar Patel Stadium here on Friday.

Royal Challengers skipper Virat Kohli opted to field and utilised his bowlers to the optimum. The bowlers, spinners and pacers alike, backed their captain with most of them picking up wickets at regular intervals that never let any partnership going for the host team.

Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc, who was named Player of the Tournament in the recently concluded 50-over World Cup, was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, giving away only 22 runs from his four overs.

Australian Starc was backed by medio Harshal Patel (2/23) and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (2/25), who picked up two wickets each, while slow left-arm orthodox bowler Iqbal Abdulla took 1/28.

No Royals batsman got going which resulted in the paltry total. Steven Smith (31), captain Shane Watson (26) and all-rounder Stuart Binny (20) got starts but none were able to propel the run rate.

Opener Ajinkya Rahane and Karun Nair contributed with 18 and 16, respectively, before walking back to the pavilion.