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Johannesburg: Bangalore Royal Challengers' top-order fired in unison as they humbled the Lions by six wickets to reach the semifinals of the Champions League Twenty20 on Tuesday.
In a virtual quarterfinal, Royals first restricted the Lions to 159 for six and then achieved the target with one over to spare to become the first IPL team to reach the last four stage of the T20 tournament.
Openers Manish Pandey (44) and Rahul Dravid (33) set the tone for a successful run chase with the former India skipper turning out to be the main aggressor. Virat Kohli then hit a whirlwind 29-ball 49 in pressure cooker situation to see the team through.
Earlier, Alviro Petersen smashed a 29-ball 45 while Robert Frylinck provided the late charge to help Lions post a competitive 159 after they decided to bat first.
Pandey started the proceedings for RCB, hitting Deacon for the first boundary. Soon Dravid got into the act and blasted consecutive boundaries off O'Reilly in the second over.
O'Reilly was treated with equal disdain in the next over by Dravid, who slashed him across the point boundary, before sending Frylinck on a leather hunt past mid-on.
Pandey then smashed O'Reilly through the covers to pick up another four, while Dravid sent Richard Cameron across the deep backward point boundary.
Looking for a boundary on the off-side in the eighth over off Aaron Phangiso, Dravid saw his stumps crashed as RCB lost their first wicket with 53 on the board.
Out-of-form Ross Taylor (5) was the next to go. Trying to hit a Deacon delivery, he failed to clear the inside circle and was caught by Petersen.
Robin Uthappa (7) also got out cheaply while trying to steal a run as Lions clawed back into the game, reducing RCB to 112 for four in 15 overs.
Needing 48 off 30 balls, Kohli flicked O'Reilly for a six at deep square leg, before lofting one over the bowler's head for another six and then smashed a four through cover to bring RCB back in the contest.
Cameron White then put one across the square boundary, before Kohli flicked a de Bruyn ball for another four.
White then whacked one over mid-wicket to level the score and then picked up a single to bring up the winning run for the Royal Challengers.
Earlier, skipper Petersen clubbed three fours and two sixes and added 44 runs in 26 balls with Vaughn van Jaarsveld (24) for the third wicket.
Neil McKenzie (39) also played his part in the middle order but it was Frylinck's 22 runs in nine balls which took Lions across the 150-mark at the New Wanderers here.
Frylinck hit one boundary and two sixes in his cameo, adding 19 runs in seven deliveries with Thami Tsolekile (5) in the slog overs.
Vinay first got rid of Vandiar. Looking for a pull, the batsman ended up giving an easy catch to wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa.
The Karnataka bowler then induced an outside edge from Richard Cameron (0) as Uthappa collected another easy catch.
Petersen and Van Jaarsveld then got together and shared 27 runs between them for the fourth wicket, which was studded with four boundaries and two sixes.
Brief score
Highveld Lions 159 for 6 (Petersen 45, Vinay Kumar 2-23, Kumble 1-13)
Royal Challengers Bangalore 160 for 4 (Kohli 49*, Pandey 44)
Result Royal Challengers Bangalore won by six wickets
MOM Virat Kohli (Royal Challengers Bangalore)
Points Royal Challengers Bangalore 2, Highveld Lions 0
