Gayle tears Delhi apart

Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle: shared a second-wicket stand of 204

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Chris Gayle slammed an unbeaten 128 to help Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Indian Premier League leaders Delhi Daredevils by 21 runs.

The West Indian hit 13 sixes and seven fours in his whirlwind 62-ball knock, one that paved way for his side to clinch a win that lifts them level on points with fourth-placed Chennai Super Kings in the race to reach the play-offs.

Virat Kohli proved a reliable ally for Gayle, making 73 from 52 deliveries to form a 204-run partnership for the second wicket.

Indeed, it was Kohli who provided the early momentum after Tillakaratne Dilshan had fallen in the third over, caught off the bowling of Varun Aaron for 10.

Cut loose

Gayle was becalmed at first - scoring just a single from his first nine balls - before cutting loose, taking left-arm spinner Pawan Negi for three successive maximums. He also cleared the rope three times in one Irfan Pathan over.

His third IPL century helped carry Bangalore to 215-1 from their 20 overs, though it turned out they needed plenty as Delhi threatened in their run chase.

Despite being without the ill Virender Sehwag, the Daredevils put themselves in a position to challenge thanks to Ross Taylor's blistering 55.

The New Zealand skipper finally found some form as he needed just 26 balls to make his runs. Venugopal Rao weighed in with 36 in 24 balls, while Andre Russell hit three of his 15 deliveries for six.

However Zaheer Khan struck three times, as did Prasanth Parameswaran, to make sure the Royal Challengers picked up wickets at crucial intervals.

In the end the hosts, who are already certain of a place in the play-offs, finished up on a highly respectable 194-9 at the Feroz Shah Kotla.