Rajat Patidar keeps RCB hopes alive with masterful hundred

Playing in just his 11th match in the competition, the 28-year-old smashed a remarkable century to lead Royal Challengers Bangalore to victory end Lucknow Super Giants' first season as a franchise

Kolkata: Royal Challengers Bangalore 207-4, Lucknow Super Giants 193-6 - Royal Challengers Bangalore win by 14 runs

Scorecard

Rajat Patidar played one of the great Indian Premier League innings to keep Royal Challengers Bangalore's title hopes alive.

Playing in just his 11th match in the competition, the 28-year-old smashed a remarkable century after Faf du Plessis had fallen first ball and Virat Kohli made 25.

Until Dinesh Karthik (37*) joined him in the 14th over to manufacture an unbroken 93-run partnership in just 41 deliveries, Patidar had fought a mostly lone battle. Glenn Maxwell was caught by Evin Lewis off the bowling of Krunal Pandya, and Mahipal Lomror went to Ravi Bishnoi's leg-spin.

But Patidar, who had only previously hit a single half century in the IPL, smoked a hundred, including seven sixes and 12 fours – 90 of his runs coming in boundaries.

Lucknow Super Giants were sloppy at times, with nine wides and a waist-high no-ball among their unforced errors, while a marginal lbw decision went against Bishnoi who was convinced he'd trapped Karthik in front early in his innings.

Fittingly, Patidar went to his century with a six, with RCB reaching 207 for 4 from their 20 overs.

^{Rajat Patidar was only playing his 11th IPL game}

In reply, KL Rahul carried his team's hopes, anchoring the innings with 79 off 58 balls, but other than Deepak Hooda – who was eventually bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga for 45 off just 26 deliveries – none of Lucknow's top seven could stay with their captain.

Josh Hazlewood eventually accounted for Rahul in the penultimate over, with Pandya falling next ball.

But it was Harshal Patel who bowled the key spell in a high-scoring affair; he spent a few moments off the field after a collision in the outfield but returned to bowl his four overs at a cost of just 25 runs.

Bangalore will now face Rajasthan Royals in the Qualifier, with the winners taking on Gujarat Titans in Sunday's final.