Starc, Mandeep guide Challengers home

Mandeep Singh’s unbeaten 18-ball 45 and miserly bowling from Mitchell Starc helped the Royal Challengers Bangalore claim a rain-affected seven-wicket win over Kolkata Knight Riders.

Wet weather saw the game at Bengaluru shortened to a ten overs apiece and not surprisingly, the Kolkata batsmen were off in a hurry with only Starc able to slow the visitors’ scoring rate.

The Australian left-armer held his nerve in the slugfest and ended with figures of 1-15 when everyone else around him went for 10 or more an over.

He started off with the first of the Kolkata innings, conceding eight runs, before allowing just seven off the last.

What transpired between his two overs kept Kolkata in the game and most of that carnage came off the bat of Kolkata’s man in form, Andrew Russell.

When Russell came to the crease in the fourth over with Kolkata 1-33, and immediately went on the attack.

He was on the verge of scoring the quickest half-century of the 2015 season when Dinesh Karthik’s direct hit saw him just short as he looked to attempt quick bye, with his 45 coming off just 17 balls.

His innings saw the Knight Riders finish 4-111 from their 10 overs.

Bangalore had an excellent start to their excellent chase but looked shaky after Brad Hogg sent Chris Gayle (21 off 9) back to the dugout and AB de Villiers (2 off 4) quickly followed.

However the new-found confidence of Mandeep Singh (45 not out off 18) and a handy knock from the skipper Virat Kohli (34 off 20) was enough for the hosts, who reached their target with two balls to spare.

The win took Bangalore to third spot in the table with nine points from eight games while Kolkata remain on nine from nine.