The first qualifier between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Gujarat Lions turned out to be the AB de Villiers show. The South African guided RCB to their third IPL final and the side from Bangalore would stay in Bangalore to contest the final of IPL 9 on 29 May. RCB, one of the powerhouses of the IPL, boasts of a batting line up which is probably the best in the IPL. With the likes of Gayle, Kohli, Watson and de Villiers in the RCB side, they have managed to post 200+ totals as many as three times. While Kohli has run away with the limelight with his batting performances, de Villiers has been an able lieutenant to his captain. The South African is third in the race for the Orange Cap with 682 runs in 15 games.
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers, captain of the South African Test and ODI teams played a number sports has a teenager but the cricket fraternity would be pleased that the talented right-handed batsman chose to make a career out of cricket. The hard-hitting batsman has been entertaining cricket fans since 2004 and holds the record of scoring the fastest century in the One Day Internationals from just 31 balls.
IPL 9 has been another successful season for de Villiers, let’s check out some of his noteworthy innings this season.
Match 1: 82 (42) SR: 195.23
The first game of the season for RCB and de Villiers set the stage alight with his outstanding batting display. Playing the Sunrisers Hyderabad, de Villiers scored 82 from 42 balls, hitting 7 boundaries and half a dozen sixes. He and Kohli helped the Royal Challengers to score 227 in their 20 overs. Sunrisers fell well short of the target and Bangalore notched up full points from their first game.
Match 2: 55 (33) SR: 166.66
In the second game for RCB, it was yet another Kohli and de Villiers show. This time against the Delhi Daredevils at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. While Kohli stole the show, de Villiers provided able support scoring 55 runs from just33 balls, hitting 9 boundaries on course to his half century and a single six. A brilliant Quinton de Kock century made sure Bangalore suffered their first defeat of the campaign and Delhi chased down 192 with ease.
Match 3: 83 (46) SR: 180.43
RCB travelled to Pune to face the Rising Pune Supergiants with just a single victory from their opening 3 encounters and going with the trend, de Villiers and Kohli were at it again. The South African overshadowed his captain with a brilliant 83, hitting 6 fours and 4 sixes. The RCB duo helped the team to 185 and Pune, batting second weren’t able to surpass the score and handed RCB a much-needed victory after their dismal start to the IPL.
Match 4: 64 (35) SR:182.85
RCB had lost 3 games on the trot before they got back to winning ways against the Rising Pune Supergiants at their beloved Chinnaswamy stadium. They travelled to Mohali, with hopes of keeping their winning habits intact. Put into bat first and with Kohli failing at the top, the responsibility of guiding the Royal Challengers to a big score was on de Villiers and he didn’t let down. Scoring 64 from 35 balls, he helped RCB to 175. Kings XI just fell 1 run short of the target, and de Villiers runs with the bat proved to be deciding factor.
Match 5: 129 (52) SR: 248.07
Kohli and de Villiers were at it again. This time against the Gujarat Lions. Kohli and de Villiers both scored centuries and once again the South African’s brilliant innings of 129 off just 52 balls towered above Kohli’s century. AB hit 10 fours and a dozen sixes and powered the Royal Challengers to 248. The Lions just managed to score 104 and it was an emphatic victory for Bangalore.
Match 6: 59 (31) SR: 190.32
Eden Gardens also witnessed a Kohli and de Villiers show. Chasing 184 put on the board by the home side, de Villiers and Kohli both scored 50s to help RCB to a 9 wicket victory over KKR. AB scored 59 from 31 balls while his captain took centre stage and he hit 5 fours and 3 sixes on course for the RCB chase and galvanised their hopes of making it to the playoffs.
Match 7: 79(47) SR: 168.08
The first qualifier of IPL 9 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore. The winner gets the ticket to the final whereas the team that loses gets a second bite at the cherry as they take on the winners of the Eliminator in the second qualifier. RCB backed by their home support put the Lions into bat and restricted them at 158, a score that could have been easily chased down in batting friendly Chinnaswamy pitch. But, the Royal Challengers made a mess of the chase and were struggling at 29-5, Kohli went without disturbing the scorers. The pressure was on de Villiers to take RCB home and he did. AB stayed not out and scored 79 of just 47 balls hitting 5 boundaries and 5 sixes. He and Abdullah shared a 91 run partnership, with de Villiers scoring most of the runs and chased down the total with 10 balls to spare and confirmed RCB’s participation in the IPL 9 final.
RCB will be back at the Chinnaswamy and the responsibility will be on Kohli and de Villiers to guide the team to their maiden IPL title. With both the batsmen in superb form, the Bangalore crowd will set their hopes on AB de Villiers after his batting exhibition in the first qualifier to do the job for RCB if a certain Virat Kohli fails to fire.
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