Incredible Hetmyer, super Mann help RCB defeat SRH

Bengaluru : Shimron Hetmyer and Gurkeerat Singh Mann engineered an incredible turnaround that will linger long in IPL memory, powering Royal Challengers Bangalore to a four-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad here Saturday.

Both Hetmyer and Gurkeerat hit blazing fifties as RCB recovered from a hopelessly placed 20 for three in the third over to reach the 176-run target with four balls to spare.

The win meant RCB ended what has been a forgettable season on a positive note, while SRH's hopes of securing a playoffs berth were kept on standby.

During their 144-run partnership for the fourth wicket, Hetmyer smashed half a dozen sixes and four boundaries for his 47-ball 75, while Gurkeerat made 65 in 48 deliveries with the help of eight fours and one maximum.

This was the first time that RCB had a hundred-plus partnership since 2013 when Kohli and De Villiers were not involved.

After Parthiv Patel was snapped up early by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Virat Kohli got began RCB's riposte with two delightful strokes -- a straight-driven boundary and a flicked six -- but the mainstay nicked a length ball to stun the home crowd.

More trouble was in store for RCB as they lost AB de Villiers, who snicked Bhuvneshwar to the first slip where Martin Guptill took a neat catch.

RCB were tottering at 20 for three in the third over but Shimron Hetmyer and Gurkeerat Singh Mann had other ideas.