Mumbai: Bhanuka Rajapaksa (43 off 22) and Odean Smith (25* off 8) played sensational knocks in chase of 206 as Punjab Kings thrashed Royal Challengers Bangalore by 5 wickets to register their first win of the season.
It was heartbreak for Royal Challengers Bangalore, who despite posting a mammoth 205 for two versus Punjab Kings on Sunday, ended up on the losing side. Faf Du Plessis, who led RCB for the first time, said dropping a player of Odean Smith’s calibre can hurt. Odean Smith was on 10 when he was given a lifeline. And after that, he did not take long to finish the game. Smith hit a eight-ball 25* to take Punjab over the line. His short stay featured three sixes and a couple of boundaries.
Smith smashed three sixes and a four off Mohammed Siraj in the 18th over to accumulate 25 runs and bring down the equation to 11 from the final two overs.
Odean Smith bagged the man of the match for his finish.
Royal Challengers Bangalore, on Sunday, became the first team in the history of the tournament to fail to defend a 200-plus target for the fourth time. They also conceded the maximum number of wides in an IPL match as Punjab Kings gunned down 206 with an over to spare.
