IPL: Punjab Kings demolish RCB by 54 runs to keep playoff hopes alive

Mumbai, May 13

Punjab Kings buried Royal Challengers Bangalore under a deluge of runs as they kept their playoff hopes alive with 54-run victory, riding on superb half-centuries from Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone in an IPL match here today.

Bairstow (66 off 29 balls) and Livingstone (70 off 42 balls) propelled Punjab Kings to 209/9 in a must-win game. Punjab then restricted RCB to 155/9.

Kagiso Rabada finished with figures of 3/21, while Rishi Dhawan (2/36) and Rahul Chahar (2/37) took two wickets each.

Brief scores: Punjab Kings: 209/9 (Livingstone 70, Bairstow 66; Harshal 4/34, Hasaranga 2/15); Royal Challengers Bangalore: 155/9 (Maxwell 35, Pitidar 26; Rabada 3/21).