5 highest scores by Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL history
One of the most popular teams in the IPL, Royal Challengers Bangalore, are the ultimate underachievers in the history of the tournament. Despite boasting the likes of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, etc. the team is yet to win the competition and has finished at the bottom of the table in two of the last three seasons.
However, one of the many reasons why they are so popular is because the team guarantees great box office value. Fans have been treated to absolute spectacles in the past with exhilarating, aggressive cricket showcased by Virat Kohli and co. Some of the numbers put up by the RCB batsmen are just astounding and defy belief.
The team's bowlers have done well too but it's the batsmen that have stolen the show over the years. That being said, we look at the five highest scores recorded by RCB in IPL history.
#5. 226/3 vs Kings XI Punjab (2015)
Led by George Bailey, Kings XI Punjab won the toss and elected to bowl first and it was all RCB from then on. Gayle and Kohli opening the innings and the master batsmen picked apart the Punjab bowling attack. Kohli was the first to be dismissed after 11 overs with the score of over 110. The Gayle storm was in full flow that night with the West Indies international smashing 117 off 57 deliveries.
De Villiers, who was the leading run-getter for the franchise that year, scored an unbeaten 47 runs off 24 deliveries including four maximums and three boundaries. Punjab's morale was beaten black and blue as there batting lineup crumbled to a mere 88 with Sreenath Aravind leading the way for RCB with four wickets, including the scalps of Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Bailey, etc.
Also see – MI squad
#4. 227/4 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016)
The 2016 edition of the IPL was a great chance for Royal Challengers Bangalore to finally win the coveted title. Kohli was performing at another level compared to everyone else in the tournament, RCB had the likes of Shane Watson, AB de Villiers, Chris Gayle, etc. and also made the final. However, that was not to be the case.
The game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at home was an indication of the kind of season RCB was going to have. Gayle got out early, but Kohli and de Villiers carried on the blitzkrieg. The duo scored 75 and 82 respectively as the Sunrisers bowlers had no answer to the brilliant stroke-making. Sarfaraz Khan put the final touches as the Bangalore-based side scored 227. Hyderabad were restricted to 182 with Watson and Yuzvendra Chahal getting two wickets apiece.
#3. 235/1 vs Mumbai Indians (2015)
Playing in front of a packed Mumbai crowd, with the hosts possessing the likes of Lasith Malinga, Kieron Pollard, Rohit Sharma, etc. would be intimidating for many. Not for Kohli and De Villiers. Losing opener Chris Gayle in the fourth over added more pressure on these two but this duo thrives under pressure.
It was an absolute assault of biblical proportions from de Villiers and Kohli. The Mumbai Indians bowlers stood no chance on the day as captain Sharma had no answers to this type of batsmanship. Kohli scored 82 runs off 50 deliveries while the former South African captain notched up 133 runs off 59 delivers as both remained unbeaten. Combined. they hit 24 boundaries and eight maximums as Mumbai were restricted to 196 with Harshal Patel picking up two wickets.
#2. 248/3 vs Gujarat Lions (2016)
This was a massacre in Bangalore. It was an all-round performance of the highest order from Virat Kohli and co. After winning the toss, Gujarat Lions elected to bowl first and soon realized that the toss was the only thing they were winning that day. Gayle failed to deliver once more and once again the onus was on Kohli and De Villiers to come up with the good for the Bangalore-based team.
Playing in front of a packed home crowd, the dynamic duo of Kohli and de Villiers put on a show for their supporters with them scoring 109 and 129 respectively. Just to put things into perspective, the first wicket fell in the fourth over and the next two wickets fell in the final two deliveries of the innings. Combined, they hit 20 sixes and 15 boundaries as the team scored 248. The Gujarat Lions were ultimately bowled out for 104 with RCB recording the largest margin of victory in the history of IPL.
#1. 263/5 vs Pune Warriors India (2013)
Two words - Gayle storm. This game saw Christopher Henry Gayle at his absolute, devastating best. Nothing was going to stop Gayle from going berserk that day. The West Indies international scored an unbeaten 175 off just 66 deliveries as he deposited 17 maximums into the stands in from of the home crowd.
It was a traumatizing experience for the Pune Warriors India franchise as Gayle picked them apart, bowler by bowler. RCB scored the highest total in franchise history with a mammoth 263 for the loss of five wickets from their quota of 20 overs as De Villiers applied the finishing touches to the innings with 31 runs off just eight deliveries. As a result, Pune's were already deflated before coming out to bat and were restricted to a mere 133 for the loss of nine wickets at the end of 20 overs.