MUMBAI, India – Odean Smith wasted little time announcing himself to the Indian Premier League, producing a stunning late Man-of-the-Match cameo to propel Punjab Kings to a five-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore here Sunday.
In pursuit of a stiff 206 at the DY Patil Sports Academy, Punjab Kings got home with an over to spare, thanks to Smith, who blasted an eight-ball unbeaten 25.
Big-hitting Odean Smith during his Man-of-the-Match cameo.
With the game in the balance with Punjab Kings requiring 36 runs from 18 balls, Smith went on an all-out assault, nearly single-handedly belting 25 from the 18th over sent down by seamer Mohammed Siraj.
The first delivery disappeared over the ropes at a deep point while the second ball was clipped to the fine leg boundary.
Smith then cleared the ropes at extra cover with the third delivery before lashing the final ball of the over for a straight six.
The West Indies all-rounder’s fireworks left Punjab Kings with 11 to win from the last two overs, and M Shahrukh Khan (24 not out) completed the formality in the 19th over.
All told, Smith counted four and three sixes, adding 52 in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand with Shahrukh Khan.
Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Shikhar Dhawan struck 43 in a 47-run, second-wicket stand, while captain Mayank Agarwal stroked 32 in a 71-run opening partnership with Dhawan.
Electing to bat first earlier, RCB were carried by captain Faf du Plessis, who lashed 88 off 57 balls with three fours and seven sixes.
Du Plessis posted 50 for the first wicket with Anuj Rawat (21) before thinking he had put the game out of reach in an excellent 116-run second-wicket stand with India batting maestro Virat Kohli (41).
Guyana and West Indies batsman Sherfane Rutherford was in RCB’s lineup but never got a chance to bat.
At Brabourne Stadium next door, Rovman Powell suffered the indignity of a second-ball ‘duck, but Delhi Capitals still knocked over Kieron Pollard’s Mumbai Indians by four wickets.
Pollard made only three in Mumbai’s 177 for five off their 20 overs and then watched as Lalit Yadav guided the run chase with 48 out of 38 balls in a 75-run unbroken sixth-wicket partnership with Axar Patel (38 not out).
and then 