Royal Challengers Bangalore 2-158 (Chris Gayle 85*, Virat Kohli 35, Lakshmipathy Balaji 1-33) beat Kolkata Knight Riders 8-154 (Gautam Gambhir 59, Yusuf Pathan 27, RP Singh 3-27) by eight wickets.

The master blaster opener of Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chris Gayle, continued with his brilliant form in the IPL 2013 and crushed Kolkata Knight Riders easily.

Kolkata Knight Riders scored 154 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in the measured 20 overs and Royal Challengers Bangalore blasted 158 with 8 wickets in hand and 15 balls to spare.

Chris Gayle (Royal Challengers Bangalore) was announced ‘Player of the match’ for his unbeaten crunchy knock of 85 off 50 mere balls.

The 12^th match of the Indian Premier League was played on Thursday, April 11, 2013, at M Chinnaswammy Stadium, Bangalore.

Earlier, Virat Kohli, the skipper of Royal Challengers Bangalore, won the toss and opted to field first. The decision looked fruitful when Kolkata Knight Riders lost their first wicket for just three runs as Jacques Kallis got together with his captain Gautam Gambhir. The latter scored 16 runs in the following overs with 3 fours and Kallis got two boundaries in the process. Gambhir preferred to attack, he was sending the ball out of the rope at will and the total was taken to 54 after 8 overs as Kallis was gone on the first ball of the next over for 16.

Yusuf Pathan walked in next, he started off with 3 consistent boundaries and hit the first six of the match in the 12^th over. Pathan was caught by Vinay Kumar off Moises Henriques for 27 and was replaced by Manoj Tiwary. Gautam Gambhir reached his fifty in the 14^th over but went back to the dressing room two overs later for 59 off 46 deliveries with 1 six and 7 fours. Tiwary was the other highest scorer with 23 as Koklata Knight Riders managed 154 with two wickets remaining in 20 overs.

RP Singh was the prominent bowler with three wickets whereas Moises Henriques and Vinay Kumar shared two each.

The first wicket of Royal challengers Bangalore went down at 12 when Mayank Agarwal was caught behind by Manvinder Bisla off Ryan McLaren for 6. Virat Kohli joined in with Chris Gayle and they reached 21 after the first five overs as Mclaren was punished for 22 runs in the next over with 2 fours from Kohli and 2 lofty sixes by Gayle. The duo hit another 25 runs in the next and seventh one with 2 sixes and even fours.

The partnership was extended to 75 in 9 overs when Virat Kohli was caught by Eoin Morgan off Lakshmipathy Balaji for 35 scored off  27 with 2 big sixes and 4 fours. AB de Villiers came in next and was dropped at seven by Tiwary off Balaji on the third ball of the 12^th over. Chris Gayle smashed his fifty in the following over, he accumulated 17 runs in the 16^th over off Kallis with 2 sixes and 1 four and crossed the target by hitting 2 fours in the 18^th. Chris Gayle remained unbeaten for 85 off just 50 balls comprising 9 towering sixes and 4 fours,  AB de Villiers secured his end with 22 as Royal Challengers piled up 158 runs in 17.3 overs after losing two wickets and won the match comprehensively.