Jaipur. Apr 14: Phil Salt’s explosive 33-ball 65 laid the foundation and Virat Kohli’s 100th T20 fifty provided the finishing touch as Royal Challengers Bengaluru cruised to a dominant nine-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in the IPL here on Sunday.RCB’s decision to bowl first paid off on a surface that stayed low and offered variable bounce, even as rising India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fluent 75 off 47 balls stood out in Rajasthan Royals total of 173/4.
On a slow, tacky Sawai Mansingh Stadium pitch where stroke-making was far from easy, Salt’s counterattack stunned the hosts.
He smashed six sixes and five fours in his fiery innings, putting RR’s bowlers under pressure from the start.
His assault, followed by Kohli’s ice-cool unbeaten 62 not out off 45 balls (4×4, 2×6), helped RCB chase down 174 with ease, finishing the job in just 17.3 overs.
This was RCB’s fourth win of the season — all coming in away matches.
Salt signalled his intent from the outset, top-edging Jofra Archer for a six in the opening over and also survived a close lbw shout.
He constantly shuffled across the stumps to access the leg-side and raced to his second fifty of the season in just 28 balls, bringing the required target under 100 in the eighth over.
He had moments of fortune along the way. On 23, a powerful flick ricocheted off Sandeep Sharma’s outstretched hand in a tough return catch attempt.
Later, on 40, Jaiswal dropped a sharp low chance at cover, which also offered a run-out opportunity, but the stumps weren’t hit. Salt made the Royals pay dearly for those lapses.
