CHRIS GAYLE...77

Swashbuckling West Indies opener Chris Gayle smashed a blistering half-century before Yuzvendra Chahal returned with a three-wicket haul as Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Gujarat Lions by 21 runs in their IPL encounter here on Tuesday.

Gayle slammed a 38-ball 77-run innings, while skipper Virat Kohli produced a superb 50-ball 64 to guide RCB to a massive 213 for 2 after Gujarat skipper Suresh Raina won the toss and elected to field.

Gayle, who has been out of form, meanwhile, completed his 10,000 runs in twenty20 cricket with a single off Basil Thampi in the fourth over.

Opener Brendon McCullum then played a superb 72-run off 44-ball innings, studded with two fours and seven sixes but he didn't get the support from the other end as RCB restricted the Lions to 192 for 7 to snap their three-game losing streak.

Yuzvendra Chahal (3/31) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB as he picked up three crucial wickets -- Dwayne Smith (1), Suresh Raina (23) and McCullum -- in his four overs to derail Gujarat's runchase.

Chasing 214 to win, Gujarat lost their opening batsman Smith early when he was caught at the boundary line by Mandeep Singh off Chahal's bowling at deep square-leg.

SCORES IN BRIEF

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE: 213 for 2 in 20 overs (Gayle 77, Kohli 64, Head 30 not out, Jadhav 38 not out; Kulkarni 1-37, Thampi 1-31)

GUJARAT LIONS: 192 for 7 (McCullum 72, Raina 23, Finch 19, Jadeja 23, Kishan 39; Chahal 3-31)

Result: Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 21 runs.

Player of the match: Chris Gayle.