Jacques Kallis and Robin Uthappa hammered blistering half-centuries to pull off a stunning chase as Royal Challengers Bangalore thumped Kings XI Punjab by eight wickets in a high-scoring humdinger of the Indian Premier League. Chasing Kings XI Punjab's intimidating 203 for three,the Bangalore side achieved the target with eight wickets and seven balls to spare on a day when over 400 runs were scored in 39 overs. Kallis was unbeaten after a stellar 57-ball 89 and his effort was good enough for the Man of the Match award. Uthappa's 21-ball blitzkrieg of 51 was studded with four fours and as many sixes,while Manish Pandey chipped in with a 25-ball 38. Earlier,Kings XI Punjab rode on the 129-run opening stand between Manvinder Bisla (75 off 51 balls) and Ravi Bopara (77 off 50 balls) to reach a commanding 203 for three which,however,proved inadequate in the end. If Pandey and Kallis,who smashed nine fours and five sixes in his sizzling essay,had set the platform with a 74-run partnership at the start,it was Uthappa who provided the nuclear power in the mid-innings to fashion RCB's magnificent chase. The stocky former Indian batsman struck four sixes and four boundaries in his 21-ball essay,taking 25 off S Sreesanth's third over.
