Punjab's big-hitting Australian Aaron Finch fell for a golden duck before being given a lesson by AB de Villiers, who scored 57 runs off 40 balls as Royal Challengers Bangalore secured a first win of the IPL campaign.
Finch was trapped in front first ball by Umesh Yadav after opener Mayank Agarwal went for 15.
De Villiers hit two fours and four sixes to rescue his team from a precarious 4-87 needing 156 for victory. He fell with the score on 146 and Bangalore won with three balls to spare, finishing on 6-159.
"I really wanted to get (the team) over the line," de Villers said. "I love guiding the team to victory being unbeaten, unfortunately I couldn't do that."
The run chase, although modest, started badly when New Zealand's Brendon McCullum was out for a golden duck off Axar Patel's second ball, while 17-year-old Afghanistan offspinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman got the prize wicket of the prolific Virat Kohli (21).
Kohli was warming up nicely for a big knock, with four fours.
South Africa wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock held the top order together with 45 off 34 balls, inclusive seven fours and a six. But Punjab captain Ravichandran Ashwin struck twice in two balls to remove him and Sarfaraz Khan for a golden duck.
De Villiers, outstanding in South Africa's recent series win at home to Australia, took control of the situation in typically composed style. He put on 59 runs for the fifth wicket with Mandeep Singh, who scored a valuable 22.
Earlier, opener Lokesh Rahul top-scored for Punjab with 47 off 30 balls.
But the fast-medium pace of Umesh Yadav pegged Punjab back from 0-32 to 3-36. He produced his brilliant triple strike in the space of six balls, Agarwal, the dangerous Finch and then Yuvraj Singh for four.
Ashwin's aggressive 33 off 21 balls helped Punjab sneak past 150, but it was not enough to apply serious pressure.
"I always thought we had our backs against the wall because we were about 20-30 short," Ashwin said. "Still, we fought hard."
