Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, 8th Match - Live Cricket Score, Commentary

WICKET: Shane Watson b Axar Patel 1(4)

Let's cut Watson some slack, after he's got this cut shot horribly wrong. No room outside off, Watson still tries to make something out of it and ends up making a horlicks of his stumps. Left-arm spin is 1-0 already today. Wasn't leg spin the new chic thing in the market, eh?

Making sense of the soul-corroding ABD-for-Gayle switch

It's karma, fellas. I think we have had a lifetime of Gayle-ABD-Kohli already, last year, and I'm reminded of all the times I responded to my mom's whatsapp message with nothing but a blue double-check. She had said: "you will see". Well, I am seeing today, mom. AB de Villiers ... at the cost of the 'Universe Boss'. Damn.

Now to the cricket talks, playing both Gayle and de Villiers was implausible just because Watson is the captain, Tymal is undroppable *clink clink* and Billy Stanlake provides RCB with that stability in their bowling ranks, something as elusive as a we-don't-own-a-car Delhi household. So there go the four spots. Foreign spots.

"RCB, RCB" chants, can you believe?

This man, AB, I tell you. That day Dhoni did it and de Villiers is all set to do it today. In fact, he's doing it already. The crowd is going bonkers, chanting his team's name. "Aaaar Ceeee Beeee". And then some. Just so you remember, this is Punjab's adopted home ground. Clearly, Preity Zinta has been utterly baited into adopting Chinnaswamy's long-lost cousin.

TOSS: RCB opt to bat

There are surprises, so hold your breath. RCB have opted to bat at Indore. but this is not it. It's a green-tinged pitch, so will be good for batting first up, so it all makes sense. De Villiers is in but this isn't the surprise either. When ABD is fit, he plays. Simple. But, but, ABD comes in for Chris Gayle, who was 25 runs short of 10,000 T20 runs. That's the surprise that is threatening to hold my sanity into hostage. Give me some time, please.

Hello and welcome ... AB de Villiers?

Because hey, we all were looking forward to this, weren't we? AB de Villiers is finally out of his IPL abstinence and made himself available for selection - as my little birds report - and will most likely feature tonight.

NApX9LD4J4