Australian batsman Aaron Finch has blasted Gujarat Lions off the bottom of the Indian Premier League and virtually ended Royal Challengers Bangalore's play-off hopes in a seven-wicket victory.
Finch hit 72 runs off 34 balls to lead the Lions from slightly wobbling to the brink of victory. Captain Suresh Raina finished with a rush for the Lions to total 3-135 in the 14th over, in reply to Bangalore's dismal 134 all out.
Bangalore have reached the final three times, including last year, but - surprisingly for a side featuring Virat Kohli, Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers - batting has let the side down. Kohli has hit two half-centuries in this campaign, and Gayle and de Villiers one each. None fired in this home game.
Kohli was out for 10, fellow opener Gayle for 8, and de Villiers run out for 5. At that point, Bangalore were 5-60 after less than 10 overs, an improvement at least on their total of 49 four days earlier.
Gujarat medium-pacer Andrew Tye took a match-winning 3-12 in his four overs, and spinner Ravindra Jadeja earned two wickets to double his tournament tally plus a catch and the run-out of de Villiers. Tasmanian bowler James Fauklkner also got among the wickets, returning 1-15 from his three overs.
Gujarat started shakily when openers Ishant Kishan (16) and Brendon McCullum (3) were out early.
Raina stayed patient while Finch arrived and lifted the pressure when he launched his second and third balls for sixes.
Finch laid into medium-pacer Aniket Choudhary for 16 runs in the ninth over, and hit successive sixes off spinner Pawan Negi.
The Victorian was out in the 13th over when he pulled Negi to long on. His 72 included six sixes and five boundaries.
Raina finished off the match 10 balls later, reaching 34 not out to become the league's leading run-scorer.
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