Srikar Bharat played the innings of his life as he hit a last-ball six to help Royal Challengers Bangalore defeat Delhi Capitals in a thrilling IPL game in Dubai on Friday.
Bharat has been one of RCB's standout players in the second leg of IPL 2021 in the UAE.
In a batting line-up featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, A B de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell, the Andhra right-hander has stood out with some gritty performances with the bat.
Bharat, who made his IPL debut in the UAE, has occupied the important No 3 position for RCB.
Against Delhi Capitals, Bharat faced the big task of getting RCB back on track after they lost both openers -- Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli -- inside the first three overs.
With de Villiers also not in the best of form, Bharat took it upon him to get the innings going with a six and a boundary off Delhi left-arm spinner Axar Patel in the fourth over.
De Villiers's dismissal for 26 in the 10th over was a big blow as RCB were left with a stiff task of scoring 104 from the last 10 overs for victory.
Bharat was severe against Axar, hitting him for a six in the 12th over before he played a cute late shot against Kagiso Rabada for a four fine on the off-side in the next over.
His positive approach also helped Glen Maxwell find his range and the Aussie hit two boundaries each off Axar and Anrich Nortje in back-to-back overs to keep RCB in the hunt.
The RCB wicketkeeper-batsman clipped Ripal Patel for a couple of runs through midwicket to race to his half-century off 37 balls.
Even though Maxwell continued to find boundaries at regular intervals, Bharat was not far behind. He played a cracking pull shot off Delhi's pace ace Rabada, hitting him over the square leg fence for a six to take some pressure off the Australian and keep the asking rate under check.
Nortje bowled a superb 19th over to concede just four runs and leave RCB to get 15 from the final over.
Avesh Khan, who bowled the final over, had a big laugh when Bharat was beaten trying to hit a full delivery out of the park.
Maxwell showed enough confidence in Bharat to take two runs off the penultimate ball after Axar mis-fielded at deep midwicket, which left RCB with six runs from the last ball for victory before Avesh bowled a wide.
Then it was Bharat who had the last laugh. With five needed from the last ball, he lofted a full toss from Avesh over long-on for a six to take RCB to a sensational last ball win as they finished their league assignments on a high.
He finished unbeaten on a career-best 78 not out from 52 balls, hitting three fours and four sixes, putting on a match-turning stand of 111 runs with Maxwell, who stroked 51 not out from 33 balls.
