Bangalore, April 19: The Chennai Super Kings team assembled in Chandigarh for their game against Kings XI Punjab tonight, would have noted the benchmarks that Brendon McCullum and Kolkata Knight Riders set in the course of their 140-run win over Bangalore Royal Challengers as the Indian Premier League commenced with fireworks on and off the field here last night.

Following a “short and sweet” opening ceremony that perhaps set a benchmark, McCullum got under the arc lights with a dream innings that effectively swung the game in favour of Sourav Ganguly-led Knight Riders to totaled 222 for three in their 20 overs.

In reply, the Royal Challengers never recovered from losing two early wickets, including that of skipper Rahul Dravid who was bowled by Ishant Sharma and collapsed in a heap.

Medium pacers Ashok Dinda (2 for 9), Ajit Agarkar (3 for 25) and Ganguly (2 for 21) then took charge and completed the rout. The home team was dismissed for 82 in 15.1 overs.

McCullum, in the process, notched up the highest ever score in this format of the game, slamming 10 boundaries and 13 sixes en route to overhauling Cameron White’s best of 141 not out.

The Chennai Super Kings, with the likes of Matthew Hayden, Jacob Oram and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni in their ranks, have the potential to match the big hitting feats of the McCullums of the World. But the Kiwi played the sort of innings that is more an exception at the moment, but something that other batters could try and emulate.

Brief scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 222 for 3 in 20 overs (Brendon McCullum 158 not out) beat Bangalore Royal Chalengers 82 all out in 15.1 overs (Praveen Kumar 18, Ajit Agarkar 3 for 25, Sourav Ganguly 2 for 21, Ashok Dinda 2 for 9).

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