DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Skipper Virat Kohli hit an unbeaten 90 as Royal Challengers Bangalore outplayed Chennai Super Kings by 37 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL) yesterday.

Kohli held the innings strong despite early losses, including AB de Villiers for nought and a slow start to take the attack to the opposition in Bangalore’s 169 for four in Dubai.

The star batsman scored his second half-century of the IPL season and exploded in the last four overs to help Bangalore get 66 runs as Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai lost the plot.

Bangalore’s South African paceman Chris Morris led a disciplined bowling attack with figures of 3-19 from his four overs to keep down Chennai to 132 for eight at the end of 20 overs.

Ambati Rayudu top-scored with 42 but the top and the middle order faltered including Dhoni scoring just 10 runs in Chennai’s fifth loss in seven games.

Coach Stephen Fleming said the team needs to bat with more “intent” in the upcoming games and the play-off race will get “further away” if the three-time IPL champions keep playing like this.

Kohli stood out with a well-paced knock as he scored fifty in 39 balls and then smashed the bowlers to all parts of the ground with four fours and four sixes in his 52-ball stay.

Earlier in the first match of the day, skipper Dinesh Karthik led by example with a blazing 58 to set up Kolkata Knight Riders’ narrow two-run win over Kings XI Punjab.

Karthik top-scored to guide Kolkata to 164 for six, a total their bowlers defended by restricting Kings XI Punjab to 162-5 in Abu Dhabi.

Paceman Prasidh Krishna claimed three wickets and spinner Sunil Narine returned figures of 2-28 to choke the opposition chase despite skipper KL Rahul’s 74.