Sizzling Starc stars for brutal Bangalore

Mitchell Starc’s three-wicket haul has paved the way for the Royal Challengers Bangalore's in a crushing nine-wicket win over the Rajasthan Royals in Ahmedabad. 

The Australian World Cup star bagged the man-of-the-match award for sending back the well-set Steven Smith and Stuart Binny in the 18th over and in turn restricting Rajasthan to a well below-par 9-130 on what turned out to be a reasonable pitch to bat.

Rajasthan's struggles were underlined by the fact that Smith's 31 was their top score while captain Shane Watson chipped in with 26 to be the only other batsman who scored more than 20.

Bangalore captain Virat Kohli and South African superstar AB de Villiers then made light work of the modest run chase, recording the victory with 23 balls to spare.

Chris Gayle returned to the Bangalore playing XI, having missed the previous match following his decision to opt out of the previous game against Chennai, replacing Proteas power-hitter Rilee Rossouw.

The average score batting first in Ahmedabad was 166, but Rajasthan’s fast start had Watson’s men eying a total close to their 191 they scored against Kings XI Punjab four days ago.

What probably didn't help Rajasthan's cause was the start they got, ironically, a good one.

Watson started off with three boundaries off Mitchell Starc's first two overs and when Ajinkya Rahane smashed spinner Iqbal Abdulla for a six and a four, the Royals looked to be on a roll early.

The dismissal of the orange cap-holder Rahane, lbw to a slower ball from Harshal Patel, seemed an anomaly, one Watson looked on his way to correcting it. He welcomed leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal with a hoick over the mid-on fielder for a six and followed it up through the same region for a four. 

A ball later, however, a third such attempt to a shortish ball from Chahal saw Watson pull it squarer than he would have liked and Starc settled nicely to catch his national teammate. 

Still, when the Royals ended the power play overs at 2-48 not too many would have anticipated what was to come.

The middle order slowly and steadily caved in to the pressure applied by the Bangalore bowlers.

Karun Nair made 16 but a late decision to go for a second run saw him fall short of his crease at the non-striker's end. 

Later in the innings, Smith's 31 was ended by Starc as he tried an across-the-line hoick to a delivery that was wide and going wider of the off-stump. 

And without a frontline batsman behind him, Stuart Binny (20) attempted a slash off Starc and it went straight to hand at deep cover. 

Credit, however, must be given to the Bangalore’s bowlers, who seemed to have learnt from their mistakes in previous games.

Abdulla, for instance, who bowled two of his overs during the power play, conceded just 28 from four overs.

Chahal took some pounding from Watson early in his spell but not only did he get the Royals captain out, he also came back to send back Sanju Samson for four.

And then there was Starc, playing just his second game of the tournament. His first spell of two overs cost him 16 but it was his second spell that spelled doom for the Royals.

Off the first ball of his third over, the left-armer deceived Smith, then gave the dangerous Binny no chance to free his arms, forcing a false shot before returning in the last over to send Dhawal Kulkarni's off-stump cartwheeling. 

For Bangalore, Gayle was quicker off the blocks this time, hitting three fours and a six in his 20, but Watson got the better of him.

It was a strange dismissal, as Gayle got tangled up with what looked to be a slower bouncer and his top edge looped up for an easy catch to the keeper. 

The rest of Bangalore's chase was almost flawless. 

What Gayle's fast start had done was provide Bangalore with the early momentum, preventing the Rajasthan bowlers from picking up early wickets, the only way the men in blue would have been able to make a comeback into the game. 

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Two of the best in the world // BCCI

Kohli had opened the innings for Bangalore in the first two matches but slid down the order to provide more solidity in the next couple of games. Today, Kohli was back at the top of the order and found his world-conquering groove from the get go.

As did de Villiers, who walked out at No.3 and built an unassailable partnership with his captain. The pair came out with aggression written all over their batting and it wasn't just with their shot-making. Their running between the wickets was exemplary.

While Gayle was at the crease, 12 of the first 27 balls were dots. In the rest of the chase, which lasted a further 11.4 overs, Kohli and de Villiers allowed just 14 more.

De Villiers began with a couple of boundaries off James Faulkner and Kohli took on one of Rajasthan’s most economical bowlers in the tournament, Pravin Tambe, and hit him over mid-wicket for six.

Kohli brought up his 50 in Watson’s third over, banishing the blond allrounder over his head for a six, before de Villiers iced the game with four through mid-wicket to keep RCB right in the hunt for a play-offs spot.

"Tonight was a team performance (and) it was a performance any captain would have been proud of," Kohli said.

"It was a pleasure to bat with AB, he is one of the best in the world at the moment."

Watson says his side needs to adapt better to the conditions and get their campaign back on track after two straight defeats.

"We had a really good crack out there but we didn't have enough runs," Watson said.

"We were outplayed today, it was just one of those days.

"We didn't sum up conditions quick enough, 150-160 may well have been enough tonight ...

we need to turn this momentum around now."