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Bangalore: Until Chris Gayle began raining sixes, hammering as many as five successive ones off the hapless Rahul Sharma, the mood in the Bangalore camp was one of gloom.
But in a remarkable turnaround, and despite Gayle (81, 48b, 4x4, 8x6) falling with a further 56 to get, Bangalore made it their night, the six-wicket win coming just as the heavens themselves opened up in celebration.
The six that Saurabh Tiwary struck off the final delivery when two runs were needed for a win, seemed to have signaled the end of both Team Bangalore's drought as also that of the city.
Needing to overhaul Pune's stiff 182 for six, a total set up by a well-made 69 (45b, 9x4, 2x6) from local man Robin Uthappa, Bangalore, before and after that Gayle onslaught, seemed to be heading for their fourth successive defeat and Pune their fourth win from five matches.
That's when AB de Villiers, another one of Bangalore's heroes at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday, turned it on with a 13-ball unbeaten 33 (2x4, 3x6).
In the company of the until now under-delivering Tiwary (33 not out, 23b, 1x4. 2x6), the South African put together the match-winning 59 runs for the fifth wicket, one that came after 66 were needed off the last five at one stage.
The Pune bowlers, who otherwise looked far better than their Bangalore counterparts, suddenly found themselves clueless.
It wasn't that way with their batting, as Pune, led by Uthappa and supported by his opening partner Jesse Ryder (34, 22b, 4x4, 1x6), posed Bangalore enough and more problems.
Bangalore rang in the changes on Tuesday, even daring to leave out birthday boy Muttiah Muralitharan, their most successful bowler to date, in order to accommodate Tillakaratne Dilshan.
But with Uthappa and Ryder first and Marlon Samuels (34, 20b, 1x4, 2x6) next coming up with the goods, Pune had enough to show at the end of their innings.
Brief scores
Pune Warriors 182 for 6 (Uthappa 69, Ryder 34, Samuels 34)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 186 for 4 (Gayle 81, Tiwary 36*, de Villiers 33*)
Result Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Pune Warriors by six wickets
MOM Chris Galye (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Points Royal Challengers Bangalore 2, Pune Warriors 0
