Kings XI Punjab skipper KL Rahul played a mammoth and unbeaten 69-ball innings of 132 runs to help his team thrash Royal Challengers Bangalore by 97 runs in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League on Thursday.

Thanks to Rahul’s boisterous batting, Punjab posted 206/3 on the board. The Punjab bowlers continued the momentum their skipper had given and bundled out RCB for a paltry total of 109 in just 17 overs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Rahul, who crossed the 2000 runs mark in the IPL during his innings, hit 7 maximus and 14 boundaries at a strike rate of above 190. Among bowlers, leg-spinners Murugan Ashwin and Ravi Bishnoi were the stars as they took three wickets each.

Chasing a massive 207-run target, RCB batters never looked in control and Kohli-led side suffered a bating collapse, thanks to a discipline effort by Punjab bowlers.

It was only Aaron Finch (20), AB de Villers (28), Washington Sundar (30) and Shivam Dube (12) who were able to touch the double-digit mark as the rest of them failed severely.

Earlier, Rahul’s whirlwind knock contained 14 boundaries and seven hits into the stands. It was Rahul’s second IPL century and fourth overall in T20s. It was also the highest score by any Indian in the IPL as the KXIP captain surpassed the previous record of unbeaten 128 by Rishabh Pant.

Put into bat, Rahul and his opening partner Mayank Agarwal (26) handed an ideal start to their team as KXIP were 50 for no loss in the initial six overs.

Just in the seventh over, Yuzvendra Chahal came up with a breakthrough by dismissing Mayank Agarwal, who failed to the read the googly and the ball castled the wicket.

Rahul, however, kept the fight on as his side was 90/1 in 10 overs and received able support from Nicholas Pooran (17).

Shivam Dube dismissed Pooran in the 14th over. However, it hardly affected Rahul, who was in a murderous mood tonight.

The KXIP notched up his ton in 62 balls, thanks to his RCB counterpart Kohli, who dropped Rahul twice — at 83 and 90.

In the penultimate over, Rahul smoked lethal South African pacer Dale Steyn for 26 runs and remained unbeaten.

Brief scores: KXIP 206/3 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 132 not out, Mayank Agarwal 26; Shivam Dube 2/33) beat RCB 109 all out in 17 overs (Washington Sundar 30, AB de Villers 28; M Ashwin 3/21) by 97 runs.

With IANS inputs