Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore IPL, Highlights: RCB Thrash KKR By Nine Wickets

After being put in to bat, Kolkata Knight Riders suffered early setback as they lost Robin Uthappa in third over of the innings. Skipper Gautam Gambhir and Manish Pandey then steadied the ship with a crucial 76-run stand but both got out in quick succession. When it looked like that Royal Challengers Bangalore would restrict them to under 160, Andre Russell and Shakib Al Hasan came to the rescue and hit some lusty blows that propelled the hosts to a challenging total. In reply, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers made light work of the target and fifties from both helped the tourists seal their sixth win of the season. Get all the highlights of this match here. (SCORECARD | POINTS TABLE | NEWS |PLAY FANTASY LEAGUE)

23:30 hrs IST: That's it. Thank you for joining us today. See you all tomorrow for the game between Rising Pune Supergiants and Delhi Daredevils. Until then, it's goodbye. Cheers! 

Virat Kohli (RCB skipper and Man of the Match): "It was a tricky chase because the wicket was a bit sticky. I knew I had to stay in. We spoke about that. Again, with AB coming out and taking the chase along with me, it feels wonderful. We haven't always played well in Kolkata, but it feels great that we'll carry this win to Bangalore."

Gautam Gambhir (KKR skipper): "I thought it was a good wicket, and we needed 180-190. We were there in the game, but I dropped a crucial catch. We could have put some pressure had I taken that. I knew they would come hard at us, but our bowlers gave everything. We knew RCB were a quality chasing side." 

23:18 hrs IST: And that's the end. RCB thrash KKR by nine wickets to seal their sixth win of the season. 

Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers put on an unbeaten 115-run partnership off just 67 balls as Royal Challengers Bangalore won the match with 8  balls to spare.

© BCCI

23:13 hrs IST: SIX! Third of the night for Kohli. It's all too easy for RCB. 

23:11 hrs IST: Fifty for de Villiers. His 20th in IPL. RCB now require 11 off 12 balls. 

23:06 hrs IST: RCB now require 27 off 18 balls. 

Reverse sweep from Virat to get to 733 runs, then a single to post the highest tally by any batsman in a single #IPL season! #PlayBold

- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 16, 2016

22:59 hrs IST: That's fifty for Kohli. His 24th in IPL. Brilliant! RCB now require 49 off 30 balls. 

22:54 hrs IST: SIX! Kohli steps out and smashes it high over long-on. RCB now require 59 off 36 balls. It's time for second strategic time-out.

Virat in such good touch that every missed boundary is frustrating! #RCB 125/1 in 14 over #KKRvRCB #PlayBold

- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 16, 2016

22:50 hrs IST: Expensive over from Shakib. 11 runs off it. RCB now require 72 off 42 balls. 

22:47 hrs IST: FOUR! de Villiers makes room and whacks it over covers for a biggie. 

22:46 hrs IST: STAT ATTACK - Virat Kohli becomes the first Indian batsmen to score 700 runs in a single season of Indian Premier League. 

22:45 hrs IST: 100 up for RCB in 11.5 overs. 

22:42 hrs IST: Five runs off Shakib's first. RCB now require 88 off 54 balls. 

22:39 hrs IST: Nine runs off Narine's third. RCB now require 93 off 60 balls. 

22:33 hrs IST: FOUR! Half-volley from Rajpoot and de Villiers hits it over the bowler's head and it beats the long-off fielder comfortably. RCB are 82/1 after 9 overs. It's time for strategic time-out. 

22:32 hrs IST: FOUR! Short and wide from Rajpoot and de Villiers slaps it behind point for his first boundary. 

22:29 hrs IST: Seven runs off Narine's second. RCB are 72/1 after 8 overs. 

22:27 hrs IST: WICKET! Gayle lbw Narine 49(31). 

22:25 hrs IST: Tidy over from Rajpoot. Just two off it. RCB are 65/0 after 7 overs. 

22:21 hrs IST: SIX! Third of the night for Gayle. He moves to 42. RCB are 63/0 after 6 overs. 

22:16 hrs IST: More consecutive boundaries for Gayle. Eight runs off Narine's first. RCB are 52/0 after 5 overs. 

Gautam Gambhir turns to Sunil Narine for control, Gayle sweeps him for four! #KKRvRCB #PlayBold

- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 16, 2016

22:14 hrs IST: Narine comes in. 

22:13 hrs IST: SIX! Length ball from Morkel, outside off, Kohli dances down the track and hits it over covers for a maximum. RCB are 44/0 after 4 overs. 

22:08 hrs IST: Consecutive sixes for Gayle. That's exactly what RCB want. They are 32/0 after 3 overs. 

22:06 hrs IST: FOUR! Fuller delivery from Russell and Kohli flicks it through mid-wicket for his second boundary. 

22:04 hrs IST: Consecutive boundaries for Gayle. RCB are 15/0 after 2 overs. 

21:59 hrs IST: FOUR! Short ball from Russell and Kohli pulls it well to deep backward square leg boundary. RCB are 7/0 after first over. 

21:58 hrs IST: Gayle gets off the mark with a single. 

21:57 hrs IST: Russell to bowl the first over. Gayle to take strike. 

21:41 hrs IST: And that's the end of the first innings. KKR finish on 183/5 in their 20 overs. We'll be back in a few minutes time. 

21:36 hrs IST: SIX! Half-volley from Jordan, Russell rocks back and smacks it high over long-off. KKR are 171/5 after 19 overs. 

21:31 hrs IST: Jordan to bowl the penultimate over. 

21:30 hrs IST: Single for Shakib off the last ball. KKR are 161/5 after 18 overs. 

21:27 hrs IST: SIX! Biggie! Slower delivery from Watson, Shakib gets on one knee and launches it into deep mid-wicket stands. 

21:25 hrs IST: KKR are 145/5 after 17 overs. 

21:20 hrs IST: FOUR! First boundary for Shakib. KKR are 137/5 after 16 overs. 

21:18 hrs IST: SIX! Too short from Aravind and Russell thumps it over mid-wicket for maximum. 

Gautam Gambhir (L) and Manish Pandey scored crucial fifties for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore.

© BCCI

21:15 hrs IST: Another WICKET! RCB are clearly back in the game. SK Yadav c Abdulla b Aravind 5(5). KKR are 125/5 after 15.2 overs. It's time for second strategic time-out. 

21:09 hrs IST: WICKET! What's happening! Pathan st Rahul b Chahal 6(12). KKR are 118/4 after 14.1 overs. 

Fair play to you Yusuf! Stumping appeal off Chahal and Pathan walks off, #KKR 118/4 #KKRvRCB #PlayBold

- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 16, 2016

21:06 hrs IST: In walks Russell at number five. 

21:05 hrs IST: OUT! Pandey c de Villiers b Aravind 50(35). 

21:02 hrs IST: That's fifty for Pandey. His 7th in IPL. 

21:01 hrs IST: Two runs off the last ball for Pathan. Abdulla finishes with figures of 1/22. KKR are 107/2 after 13 overs. 

20:55 hrs IST: SIX! What a shot! Pandey picks up the length very quickly and clobbers it flat into the deep mid-wicket boundary. KKR are 100/2 after 12 overs. 

20:52 hrs IST: Just four runs off Abdulla's third. KKR are 91/2 after 11 overs. 

20:51 hrs IST: WICKET! Much needed breakthrough for RCB. Gambhir run out 51(34). 

20:46 hrs IST: Good over from Jordan. Just five runs off it. KKR are 87/1 after 10 overs. 

20:45 hrs IST: Wow! That's fifty for KKR skipper Gambhir. His 31st in IPL. 

Yet another fifty for the skipper. 31st IPL fifty for @GautamGambhir. Most by any player #KKRvRCB #AmiKKR

- KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 16, 2016

20:43 hrs IST: STAT ATTACK - Yuzvendra Chahal has conceded 10 sixes so far in 2016 IPL - the most by a RCB bowler. 

20:39 hrs IST: Seven runs off Jordan's first. KKR are 74/1 after 8 overs. 

20:33 hrs IST: Consecutive boundaries for Gambhir. He looks in top form. Costly over from Chahal. 16 runs off it. KKR are 67/1 after 7 overs. 

20:31 hrs IST: SIX! Pandey just muscles the slog-sweep into the deep mid-wicket stands for his first maximum. 

20:30 hrs IST: Chahal comes in for his first over. 

20:27 hrs IST: Nine runs off Watson's first. KKR are 51/1 after 6 overs. It's time for strategic time-out. 

Another short ball to @GautamGambhir and another boundary scored towards square leg! The plan is clearly not working for RCB #KKRvRCB

- KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 16, 2016

20:25 hrs IST: FOUR! Short ball from Watson and Gambhir hammers it into deep square leg boundary. 

20:22 hrs IST: FOUR! 4th boundary for Gambhir. KKR are 42/1 after 5 overs. 

20:19 hrs IST: Expensive over from Aravind. 15 runs off it. KKR are 33/1 after 4 overs. 

20:18 hrs IST: FOUR! Length ball from Aravind and Pandey lofts it over covers. 

20:16 hrs IST: FOUR! Short delivery from Aravind and Gambhir times the pull well to deep mid-wicket boundary. 

20:14 hrs IST: Good over from Abdulla. Just four off it. KKR are 18/1 after 3 overs. 

20:11 hrs IST: OUT! Uthappa c & b Abdulla 2(4). 

20:10 hrs IST: In comes the first change in bowling. Iqbal Abdulla. 

20:08 hrs IST: FOUR! Slower delivery from Aravind and Gambhir flicks it past the left of the fielder at mid-on. KKR are 14/0 after 2 overs. 

20:05 hrs IST: Aravind into the attack. 

20:04 hrs IST: Single of the last ball for Gambhir. KKR are 8/0 after first over. 

20:03 hrs IST: FOUR! Overpitched delivery from Binny and Gambhir smashes it in the gap between point and covers. 

20:00 hrs IST: Uthappa gets off the mark with a single. 

19:58 hrs IST: It's time for live action. Gambhir and Uthappa make their way out in the middle. Binny to start the proceedings for Bangalore. 

19:40 hrs IST: That's brilliant! 

.@iamyusufpathan has been on a purple patch of form this season. #KKRvRCB #AmiKKR #KKRStats pic.twitter.com/6hpX1fpe16

- KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 16, 2016

19:32 hrs IST: Here are the playing XI of both teams: 

RCB: Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli (c), AB de Villiers, Shane Watson, KL Rahul (wk), Sachin Baby, Stuart Binny, Chris Jordan, Iqbal Abdulla, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sreenath Aravind

KKR: Gautam Gambhir (c), Robin Uthappa (wk), Manish Pandey, Yusuf Pathan, Shakib Al Hasan, Andre Russell, Suryakumar Yadav, Sunil Narine, Piyush Chawla, Ankit Rajpoot, Morne Morkel 

19:30 hrs IST: RCB skipper Virat Kohli wins the toss and elects to bowl first. 

19:20 hrs IST: Toss in 10 minutes! 

19:14 hrs IST: STAT ATTACK - Kolkata Knight Riders have taken the most number of wickets (73) so far in the 2016 Indian Premier League. 

19:11 hrs IST: Let's see how he fares tonight! 

The magician - @SunilPNarine74 has everyone spell-bound #KKRStats #KKRvRCB #AmiKKR pic.twitter.com/InFWrDcuDB

- KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) May 16, 2016

19:05 hrs IST: A warm welcome to our live coverage of the 48th match of Indian Premier League season 9. Kolkata Knight Riders take on Royal Challengers Bangalore at Eden Gardens tonight. 

Yusuf Pathan was the star in KKR's previous match against RCB and he will be the key.

© BCCI

Yusuf Pathan stole Virat Kohli's thunder when Kolkata Knight Riders beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by five wickets in their Round 1 IPL 2016 match in April. Pathan's 29-ball 60 helped a tottering KKR chase down a challenging 190-run target with five balls to spare.

Monday's match will also see two of the most aggressive captains in IPL going head-to-head. Both Gautam Gambhir and Kohli have led KKR and RCB with example this season and it will be no different today.

KKR are better placed in the league table. They are No. 2 with 14 points from 11 matches. RCB are No. 6 with 10 points from as many games. But RCB have shown intent and if the manner of their last win against Gujarat Lions is any indication, KKR will have to be careful.

The match will boil down to a contest between RCB's top-heavy batting and KKR's bowling riches. Kohli and AB De Villiers have scored 1215 runs between them this season. The sheer might of Bangalore's batting force can intimidate any opposition.

In terms of team balance, KKR have looked better. Apart from the Pathan factor, KKR have won matches due to their all-rounders Shakib Al Hasan and Andre Russell. Plus, KKR's bowling attack has shown the ability to win the big moments in crucial games.