Photo: BCCI
Indore: Kings XI Punjab squandered the early advantage as South African maverick AB de Villiers unleashed himself in the death overs to help Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) post 148/4 in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Holkar Stadium here on Monday.
Playing his first match of this year's IPL, de Villiers proved his importance for RCB's scheme of things in the tournament, with an unbeaten 89 off 46 balls, laced with three hits to the fence and nine over it.
Coming out to bat in only the second over of the innings, the Proteas right-hander used all his experience to handle the situation, curbing his natural aggression, to take the side to safety before changing the momentum of the innings in the death overs.
Along with all-rounder Stuart Binny (18 not out), de Villiers started the onslaught after the 15th over, when he dealt mostly in sixes, clearing the fence on as many as eight occasions to raise an undefeated 80-run fifth wicket stand.
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