Royal Challengers Bangalore blew away Rajasthan Royals for 59, the third lowest total in Indian Premier League history, to wrap up a comprehensive 112-run victory. Left-arm fast bowler Wayne Parnell (3-10) struck three times in the powerplay while spinners Michael Bracewell (2-16) and Karn Sharma (2-19) choked Rajasthan further. Australian Glenn Maxwell also chipped in with the wicket of top-scorer Shimron Hetmyer as Rajasthan were bowled out in just 10.3 overs. Earlier, Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis (55) continued his run of superb form this season by smashing his seventh half century and Maxwell made an exuberant 54 off 33 balls. Du Plessis read the slow pitch perfectly and elected to bat after winning the toss and Bangalore's 5-171 was their reward. Anuj Rawat provided a perfect finish by hitting an unbeaten 29 off 11 balls, smashing fast bowler KM Asif for two sixes and a boundary off the final three balls. "It was really good, we needed it (the win), in terms of the NRR (net run rate)," Du Plessis said. The victory moved Bangalore to fifth in the table and also gave their NRR a massive boost. Rajasthan's batting was abject. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler were both caught for ducks off the second ball they faced. Joe Root (10), in his first IPL innings this season, was trapped leg before wicket by Parnell but made his side's second highest score. Hetmyer top-scored with 35, including three successive sixes off Sharma, before he holed out in the deep off Maxwell. The Rajasthan innings then folded as they lost their last three wickets without scoring a run. Bangalore had lost three wickets in the space of five deliveries but Rawat and Maxwell revived the innings in spectacular style. Maxwell, who hit three sixes and five fours, was eventually bowled while going for a reverse shot against Sandeep Sharma's full-pitched delivery, but Rawat maintained momentum. In the day's second game, half-centuries from captain Nitish Rana and Rinku Singh powered Kolkata Knight Riders to a six-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings. Rana, dropped on 18, went on to score an unbeaten 57 off 44 balls and Singh (54) smashed his third half-century of the season before being run out as Kolkata breezed to 4-147 with nine balls to spare. Chennai were restricted to 6-144 on a slow surface, with spinners Sunil Narine (2-15) and Varun Chakravarthy (2-36) doing most of the damage. Devon Conway scored 30 off 28 for Chennai, before top-edging a pull against Shardul Thakur, and Shivam Dube scored 48 not out, but their total looked well under-par. Chennai are still in a strong position to make the playoffs, however. The top four advance and they held on to second place. Australian Associated Press
