IPL 2013 Score: Unstoppable Gayle Smashes KKR Into Orbit as RCB Cruise

This game had everything: some really good bowling, an argument between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli which nearly came to blows, and that T20 monster called Chris Gayle who yet again blew everyone out of the water with his simply unstoppable power-hitting.

Amidst all that, Royal Challengers Bangalore pulled off eight-wicket victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders for their second straight win in the tournament to sit pretty at the top of the table.

Gayle, who hit an unbelievable nine sixes in his innings, was untouchable as RCB's talisman played an incredible 85 from 50 balls to stud his side's chase, after KKR could only manage 154 for eight thanks to some good bowling from RCB.

The chase did not begin well for RCB, with Mayank Agarwal perishing in the second over, but that brought Kohli to the crease and RCB's deadly duo started surgically picking apart the KKR bowlers, who started to get cricks in their neck having to look up every time a ball soared above them into the stands.

It was almost as if there was a competition between Gayle and Kohli. A caress from the RCB skipper was followed by a swat to the top tier by Gayle. A lofted drive to the stands by Kohli was met with a flat six, which would have taken a fielder's head off had they dared to be anywhere close, by Gayle.

The duo took the game away from KKR with a 63-run partnership from 6.4 overs, well before Kohli got out for a 27-ball 35 (4x4, 2x6). After Kohli sliced one to Eoin Morgan at deep point off the bowling of L Balaji, there was also some time for a few, let's say strong, words to be exchanged between India teammates Gambhir and Kohli.

Both players are as passionate as you will ever see on the field, and the duo charged at each other after some words were said, with KKR players and the umpire having to separate them. Surely, the two Delhi boys will shake hands and have a drink after the game, but it certainly added to the spectacle.

AB De Villiers came in after Kohli's wicket and gave able support to the big Jamaican at the other end, with Gayle, who gave respect to his West Indian teammate Sunil Narine, deciding not to take any risks against the spinner, continuing to bludgeon the rest of the bowling with no regard to the their mental or physical health.

Gayle (85, 50b, 4x4, 9x6) finished things off with two sixes, as RCB cruised to victory in just 17.3 overs.

Earlier, KKR just lost the plot towards the end of the innings, although the RCB bowlers should be given the credit for some really good death-over bowling.

Gautam Gambhir and Manvinder Bisla came out to open, with the latter again failing to impress, falling for just a single.

The KKR skipper and Jacques Kallis came together and built the innings' highest partnership of 51, with Gambhir very much the aggressor among the two.

Kallis did play a couple of typically aesthetic shots, but the South African fell to R Vinay Kumar, caught in the deep by Moises Henriques at deep point.

KKR decided to promote Yusuf Pathan to No.4, and for a while, it seemed like a brilliant move. The slugger looked in the mood while in the middle, smashing three boundaries and one massive six.

However, just when the away side needed Pathan to continue his run scoring, the all-rounder succumbed to a mistimed shot to long-on off Henriques' bowling.

With just seven overs remaining at 95 for three, Kolkata surprisingly held back Eoin Morgan, one of the best finishers in the game, with Manoj Tiwary walking in to partner his skipper instead.

The final push that was expected on a good wicket at the Chinnaswamy never materialised as KKR stumbled in their last six, with even Gambhir (49, 46b, 7x4, 1x6) unable to motor ahead.

It was almost as if, while trying to accelerate the scoring, KKR came up against a steep slope that was the RCB bowling, with RP Singh (three for 27) and Vinay Kumar (two for 36), in particular, impressing, and their engine just wasn't powerful enough to push ahead.

The Royal Challengers duo bowled wonderfully well in the final overs as KKR lost their way, eventually finishing on a well below par 154.