On this day in 2009 - RCB edge out KXIP

Having begun the 2009 season with a huge win against the Rajasthan Royals, RCB had slumped to four defeats in as many subsequent matches. The tide was finally stemmed with a win over the Kolkata Knight Riders. The game was RCB captain Kevin Pietersen’s last for the season with him leaving on national duty. Anil Kumble took over the reins from the Englishman, as RCB faced off against Kings XI Punjab with the aim of registering consecutive wins and building some momentum in the tournament.

RCB could not have fathomed a worse start, with the top 3 of Jesse Ryder, Shreevats Goswami, and Rajesh Bishnoi contributing very little and the innings tottering at 38/3 after 6.1 overs. The responsibility now fell on the experienced pair of Jacques Kallis and Robin Uthappa to give the innings a base and the total some respectability. The duo put on a partnership of 42 runs, even though the going was slow. 

Just when it looked like Bangalore had harnessed a semblance of control, the game took an unexpected turn. Yuvraj Singh, who had made the Kingsmead in Durban his second home racking up incredible performances in the World T20 a little less than two years ago at the venue, this time did it with the ball. First, Robin Uthappa perished trying to up the ante and top-edged a slog sweep. Jacques Kallis could not read an arm ball which disturbed the stumps and RCB were 5 down for 80, the wickets coming off the final two balls of the 12th over. Mark Boucher, who was RCB’s final hope of putting up a fighting total, fell victim to another arm ball from off the first ball of the 14th over and Yuvraj Singh had taken a hattrick. The RCB innings was down in the dumps at 84/6.

It took the unorthodoxy of Roelof van der Merwe to give the innings the jerk it needed. Yusuf Abdulla was taken for three 16 runs off the first three balls of the 18th over. Alongside Virat Kohli, Van Der Merwe had put on 44 runs for the 7th wicket. However, Abdulla had the last laugh in the battle between the two Proteas, and with Virat Kohli soon dismissed, RCB did not manage to get the final thrust they would have been hoping for. The last two overs consisted of only one boundary and the innings ended on 145/9.

RCB captain Anil Kumble dismissed the rampaging Yuvraj Singh which started the turnaround

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High on confidence from a hattrick, KXIP captain Yuvraj Singh promoted himself to the opening spot. The move seemed to have paid rich dividends, as Yuvraj who had struggled for runs throughout the tournament had regained his touch. He quickly put away the struggles off the first few balls and took on a different persona once the first change bowlers were introduced. Jesse Ryder and Roelof van der Merwe faced the brunt of Yuvraj’s brutality. The southpaw brought up his half-century in 33 balls with a trademark slog-sweep over mid-wicket off Anil Kumble. But the wily, old fox was not to be taken so easily. Attempting a similar shot, Yuvraj attempted a similar shot off the next ball to a slower googly, which swerved away slightly, meaning he could only top-edge it to Kallis. RCB had got their first breakthrough in the 10th over, but Yuvraj’s innings had put Punjab well ahead in the game.

Karan Goel, who had struggled to get going fell trying to accelerate as he found Kohli at long-on off Merwe. Simon Katich was soon run out, but with 62 needed off 7 overs, and the experienced Lankan duo of Sangakkara and Jayawardene to guide the innings, there was no reason for Punjab to hit the panic button yet. The two batsmen looked to take the run chase deep and accumulated runs slowly. Praveen Kumar’s 17th over went for 14 runs and the required rate was back down to 10 an over off the last 3 overs.

And then the game flipped again. Jayawardene lost his cool and tried to reverse sweep Van Der Merwe, only to play it into the hands of Kallis. But, Irfan Pathan took two boundaries off the next two balls, the over went for 13, and the see-saw battle now saw Punjab back on top with 17 needed off the last two overs. Captain Kumble took on the responsibility of the all-important 19th over. Sangakkara looked to cut but missed the googly off the second ball and the ball had crashed into the stumps. Was there to be another twist? Irfan Pathan and Piyush Chawla found it hard to get Kumble away. The 19th over went for only 4 runs.

RCB had 13 runs to defend off the final over. Praveen Kumar had a chance to redeem himself for the poor 17th over which kickstarted the KXIP resurgence. When the second ball of the final over raced past point for a boundary, RCB must have feared the worst. But, Praveen Kumar kept his cool. Irfan Pathan missed a slower delivery and he lofted the next ball to Kohli at long-on. Punjab needed at least one six off the final two balls with still 9 required. Piyush Chawla chased a wide yorker, but only managed to play it on to his stumps and the game was in RCB’s hands, except for any grave errors. The last ball was a dot and RCB had won the game by 8 runs, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.