IPL: Bangalore trounce Punjab by 10 wickets

Indore, May 14 (Cricketnmore) Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) kept their slim hopes of making to the play-offs alive after hammering Kings XI Punjab by 10 wickets in an Indian Premier League (IPL) tie at the Holkar stadium here on Monday.

Pacer Umesh Yadav (3/23) starred with the ball and was well complemented by the fielders effecting three run-outs as only three of the Punjab batsmen could manage to reach double figures on a flat track.

Put in to bat, the hosts squandered a decent 36-run opening start from Lokesh Rahul (21 off 15 balls; 6x3) and Chris Gayle (18 off 14, 4x4) before losing both the openers in the fifth over of the innings.

Umesh could have got RCB a dream start had stumper Parthiv held on to Gayle's nick in the very first over, but the bowler had the last laugh when he dismissed both the openers in the fifth over off similar deliveries.

While Rahul was caught by Colin de Grandhomme at deep square leg, Gayle went out off a top edge caught by Mohammed Siraj at the same position two balls later.

Siraj immediately joined the party with the wicket of No.3 Karun Nair (1) brilliantly caught by skipper Kohli at slip before Australians Aaron Finch (26) and Marcus Stonis (2) joined forces.