The article speaks about the aggressive innings of Yuvra Singh and AB De Villiers of Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Smith and Faulkner of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2014 played on 11th May, 2014.

On 11th May, 2014, the viewers in Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru saw two great storms. If the first was related to Yuvraj Singh and De Villiers, the second was related to Faulkner and Smith.

 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru made a disastrous start. The openers went out cheaply. Virat Kohli opened the innings and scored only 4 runs. Gayle got out for 19 runs and Zol got out for 16 runs.

 

After that a lot of time was wasted in the restoration act by Yuvraj Singh and De Villiers. But in the last 5 overs they launched their attack on the Rajasthan Royals’ bowlers.

Yuvraj Singh played the best innings of IPL 2014 scoring 83 runs of 38 balls with 7 fours and 7 sixes. AB De Villiers scored 58 runs of 32 balls with 1 four and 5 sixes. Royal Challengers Bengaluru scored 190 runs in 20 overs. At the innings break it looked like the runs were adequate for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and they can defeat Rajasthan Royals.

 

Everything went in the other direction when Rajasthan Royals started batting. Firstly KK Nair devastated the opening bowlers Albie Morkel and Starc. He scored 56 runs of 39 balls with 8 fours. After that it was Smith and Faulkner magic.

 

Royal Challengers Bengaluru looked for every part of the Chinnaswamy stadium to hide their bowler Aaron. If any bowler took the responsibility of destroying the hopes of Royal Challengers Bengaluru it was Aaron. Not only that he gave 41 runs of 2.5 overs, he was pounded and hammered by Smith and Faulkner to such an extent that it looked like a score of 220 runs would also have been chaseable.

 

Smith remained unbeaten on 48 runs of 21 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes. Faulkner remained unbeaten on 41 runs of 17 balls with 3 fours and 3 sixes.

 

After this defeat it is becoming very difficult for Royal Challengers Bengaluru to qualify for the semi-finals. Had Bengaluru won the match, the IPL tournament would have opened up. Now with 12 points Rajasthan Royals retained the third position in the Points Tally after Kings Eleven Punjab and Chennai Super Kings. So the contest in respect of the 4th spot.

 

Unless Royal Challengers Bengaluru improved the performances of the bowlers there is no hope in IPL 2014. They have very talented batsmen. But when the big scores made by the batsmen are not defended by the bowlers and fielders the morale of the entire team just goes down.