Kohli, Gayle lead RCB to 181/5 against Pune

Bangalore, Apr 29 (PTI) Royal Challengers Bangalore rode
on Virat Kohli's whirlwind half century and Chris Gayle's
blitzkrieg at the start to notch up a formidable 181 for five
in their Indian Premeir League (IPL) match against Pune
Warriors here on Friday.
Put into bat, Kohli smashed 67 off 42 balls after
Gayle laid the foundation with 49 off a mere 26 delievries, to
lead the home team's challenge at the Chinnaswamy stadium.
Kohli hit four boundaries and as many sixes during his
stay at the crease while Gayle found the ropes three times and
cleared it the same number of times.
After a quiet first over, Tillakaratne Dilshan scored the
first boundary of the Bangalore innings, when he drove Jerome
Taylore's short of length delivery through the covers.
Thereafter, till the last ball of the ninth over, the
show completely belonged to Gayle, who unleashed an array of
hefty blows, leaving the opposition bowlers hapless, and the
crowd delighted.
On the receiving end of Gayle's furious onslaught was
Kamran Khan who conceded 47 runs in his three overs.
The big-hitting West Indies opener picked the left-arm
seamer for 20 runs, including two massive sixes and two
boundaries, in the innings' third over.
After being welcomed with a four over extra cover, Kamran
was sent over long-off for the maximum. He then bowled a short
one, which was smashed over long-on by the marauding
left-hander.
More misery was in store for Kamran as he conceded two
more sixes and a boundary in the sixth over and his second.
The over-pitched one was sent soaring over the backward
point, the short of length delivery was thumped over long-on
while length balls were whacked through the midwicket region.
Leg-spinner Rahul Sharma removed Dilshan and Gayle in
quick succession but Kohli had other ideas.
The stylish right-hander from Delhi pumelled Kamran's
length ball over long-on for and six, and moments later, did
the same to Sharma.
Kohli then picked Taylor for two more sixes, the first
one over square leg and the next over third man.
Kohli was literally toying with the Pune bowlers till he
holed out to Harpreet Singh off Alfonso Thomas in the
penultimate over.