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Bengaluru: Aaron Finch slammed his 12th fifty in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as Gujarat Lions (GL) cruised towards their 135-run target against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Thursday.
Chasing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s total of 134, GL lost their first two wickets for 23, and looked to be in a precarious position.
However, Finch wasted no time in going for the big hits, as he unleashed his fury on the RCB bowlers.
Samuel Badree was hit for two huge sixes, while Yuzvendra Chahal and Aniket Choudhary both conceded a six each.
Finch completed his fifty in just 22 deliveries, the fastest half-century ever by a Gujarat Lions batsman.
He hits four fours and four sixes to reach his fifty.
Finch was eventually dismissed by Pawan Negi. He scored 72 off just 34 balls.
Earlier, Gujarat produced a disciplined bowling performance to restrict RCB to 134.
This was the second successive match in which the big three guns of the RCB batting line-up -- Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and de Villiers -- proved to be a damp squib.
Negi was the highest scorer for the hosts with 32 runs off 19 balls which included three boundaries and two sixes.
Kedar Jadhav, who smashed 31 runs off 18 deliveries, was the only other RCB batsman who managed to trouble the Gujarat bowlers.
For Gujarat, Australian pacer Andrew Tye returned figures of 3/12 while left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja also picked up a couple of wickets.
RCB skipper Virat Kohli was the first to go when he picked out Finch at short fine leg while attempting a big shot off young pacer Basil Thampi.
Tye then took consecutive wickets with the first two balls of the next over. He struck a crucial blow with his very first ball of the match when he induced an outside edge off the dangerous Gayle with wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthick doing the honours behind the stumps.
The Australian pacer then produced a similar delivery to remove Travis Head, whose edge travelled to Raina at first slip.
Jadhav and de Villiers then tried to spark an RCB comeback, adding 36 runs between them off 26 balls after the former kicked off the partnership with three boundaries off Thampi in the sixth over.
But the partnership did not last too long as Jadhav was removed by Jadeja. The batsman had exposed his stumps while attempting a late cut to third man, but he missed as the ball held its line and crashed into the stumps.
RCB plunged into further trouble when a mix-up between de Villiers and Mandeep Singh coupled with an excellent piece of fielding by Jadeja saw the South African being run out.
Negi then strode to the middle to play a slam-bang knock and produce a 40-run stand with Mandeep.
Brief scores
Royal Challengers Bangalore - 134 (Negi 32, Jadhav 31, Tye 3-12, Jadeja 2-28)
Gujarat Lions - 135 for 3 (Finch 72, Raina 34*, Badree 2-29)
Result - Gujarat Lions won by seven wickets
