Royal Challengers Bangalore did not manage to push off Chennai Super Kings from the second place in the points table but they gave themselves a massive push ahead of the play-offs by snatching a stunning win over table-toppers Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Friday. They won the match by seven wickets.

In a tense finish, Bangalore needed 19 runs off the last two overs to overhaul Delhi’s 164/5. When South African Anrich Nortje gave away just 4 runs in the 19th over, the scales were heavily tilted in Delhi’s favour.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Srikar Bharat played the innings of his life to bring smiles and jubilation in the Bangalore camp. Avesh Khan bowled the last over for Delhi and he managed to keep the advantage with his team as the opponents needed 6 runs off the last ball to win. Avesh, 24, first bowled a wide and then leaked a straight full toss, which Bharat smacked over the bowler’s head for a six.

The manner in which Bangalore braved the chase despite losing Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal within the first three overs will keep them in high spirits for the upcoming challenges.

Bharat first shared a 49-run partnership with AB de Villiers (26), who was promoted up the order to No.4, and then forged an unbroken partnership of 111 runs with Glenn Maxwell (51 not out off 33 balls) to see Bangalore home. Bharat’s 78 not off 52 balls was not really a slam-bang innings, but a mature one which grew in stature as the match progressed.

Earlier, Kohli made it clear that he was not going after an audacious attempt to take the second spot in the standings from Chennai when he elected to field after winning the toss. Bangalore had to bat first and win the match by 163 runs to overtake Chennai’s net run rate.

But Kohli’s decision to bowl seemed to have backfired as Delhi began their innings strongly with openers Shikhar Dhawan (43) and Prithvi Shaw (48) sharing an 88-run stand in 10.1 overs.

But Delhi lost way somewhat thereafter and managed just 36 runs from the final five overs of their innings.