Faf Du Plessis scored a fine 84 as Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Punjab Kings by 24 runs at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday.
After being asked to bat first by Punjab skipper, openers Du Plessis and Virat Kohli got Bangalore off to a fantastic start. The pair added 137 runs for the opening stand before wicket keeper Jitesh Sharma took a brilliant catch diving to his left off Harpreet Brar for 59.
Glenn Maxwell perished for a golden duck, miscuing a slog off Brar to Atharva Taide towards point.
Du Plessis then holed out to Sam Curran at long off while trying to take on Nathan Ellis for a 56 ball-84. His knock comprised off five fours and five sixes. Dinesh Karthik (7) also perished to Arshdeep Singh, as Punjab Kings bowlers in the end restricted Bangalore to 174/4 in their 20 overs.
Chasing 175, Mohammed Siraj drew first blood by trapping Atharva Taide (4) leg before wicket with a full delivery.
Matthew Short (8) was then cleaned up by a googly from Wanindu Hasaranga. Siraj struck again by dismissing Liam Livingstone leg before wicket with an incoming delivery for 2.
Punjab were in further trouble when Harpreet Singh (13) was run out by a brilliant direct hit from Siraj.
Stand-in skipper Sam Curran (10) was also run-out by a direct hit from Hasaranga.
Wayne Parnell pegged Punjab back by knocking over the well set Prabhsimran Singh for a 30 ball-46.
Jitesh Sharma provided a glimmer of hope by scoring a breezy 27 ball-41, but it was not enough as PBKS were bowled out for 150 thereby losing the match by 24 runs.