IPL 2020: Twitter erupts as AB de Villiers' sizzling fifty helps RCB stun RR at Dubai

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and the Rajasthan Royals (RR) faced off in Match 33 of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) in Dubai.

RR won the toss, elected to bat and sent in Robin Uthappa at his preferred opening role. The former Kolkata Knight Riders man punished the RCB bowlers in the powerplay, racing to 41 off 22 balls although his opening partner Ben Stokes couldn't quite get going.

Uthappa holed out in the deep off Yuzvendra Chahal, with Sanju Samson playing a nightmare shot off the very next ball to put RR in trouble. RR captain Steve Smith, who was in a poor run of form, walked in to join Jos Buttler in the middle, and both overseas batsmen stitched together an excellent 58-run partnership.

The Englishman didn't have a great time at the crease, but Smith and Rahul Tewatia struck some lusty blows at the end to take RR to 177/6. Chris Morris, who bowled a brilliant final over, was the pick of the RCB bowlers with figures of 4/26.

In response, apart from a couple of beautiful strokes, Aaron Finch and Devdutt Padikkal struggled to find their timing and placement. The former walked back in the 3rd over, leaving Padikkal to run hard alongside captain Virat Kohli.

The 20-year-old was dismissed off the last ball of Rahul Tewatia's spell, and the leg-spinner took a sensational catch on the boundary to send back the RCB captain off the very next ball.

After Kohli's wicket, most of RCB's hopes hinged on AB de Villiers, and he didn't disappoint. The former Proteas captain scored 55 off 22 balls, hitting 1 four and 6 sixes to take his team over the line in the final over. Steve Smith made the horrible decision of giving the penultimate over to Jaydev Unadkat ahead of Jofra Archer, with the left-armer going for 25 runs to tilt the game in RCB's favour.

Check for the highest runs in IPL list here.

Twitter had a lot to say, and here are the best reactions from the RR vs RCB IPL 2020 game.

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Twitter reacts to IPL 2020, RR vs RCB

'F' in finch stands for fraud

— Ish ✨ (@ishita15xx) October 17, 2020

Is it only me who thinks Parthiv Patel is a better option than Finch as an opener?#RRvRCB

— Sameer Allana (@HitmanCricket) October 17, 2020

Strike rates this IPLFinch vs pace: 96.40 (3 dismissals)Padikkal vs pace: 137.84 (7 dis)Finch vs spin: 147.37 (5 dis)Padikkal vs spin: 101.79 (1 dis)#RRvRCB #RR

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) October 17, 2020

Tough day for Padikkal, he was drained out after 25+ balls and a good time for AB to come into the middle.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 17, 2020

Royals shouldn't mind that Padikkal top edge going to ground. Don't want AB coming in with 11 overs left.

— Shashank Kishore (@captainshanky) October 17, 2020

Tewatia has had two match winning knocks with the bat. This could be a match winning catch! pic.twitter.com/lmoiZDKs6s

— Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) October 17, 2020

Now that’s a game changing catch ! By @rahultewatia02 Great shot but unlucky @imVkohli on another day will go for a six ! Is there some thing this guy cannot do ! Tewatia ji 🙏 now it’s all up to mr 360 @ABdeVilliers17 #RCBvRR #ipl2020

— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) October 17, 2020

Rahul Tewatia needs an entry on red carpet from next match. Always keeps the limelight on him. #IPL

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) October 17, 2020

4 - 19 - 34 - 17 - 2 4 - 22 - 04 - 26 - 49 Wickets in 4 Games with Er of 5Top Class Spells in All the The Matches he played, Chris Morris 🙏🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZbgODOQ5J5

— Pranjal (@Pranjal_one8) October 17, 2020

AB De Villiers is absolutely ridiculous, this man can bring you back in game from nowhere.

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) October 17, 2020

AB De Villiers - once a genius, always a genius. What a wonderful chase. IPL logo shot by him, no wonder the logo is like his pose. #RCBvRR pic.twitter.com/OdE4Gw9ZtG

— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) October 17, 2020

Genius. Just say it every day. @ABdeVilliers17

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 17, 2020

When AB De Villiers gets going, he makes Dubai look like Sharjah. #RRvRCB

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) October 17, 2020

Obvious result when you have two run machines at the death - AB de Villiers and Jaydev Unadkat. #RCBvRR

— Manya (@CSKian716) October 17, 2020