Bangalore, May 5: For the fourth time in five matches, the Royal Challengers succumbed to the pressure of playing at home. It was a royal struggle alright, as the Challengers looked anything but what their name suggested.

Up against a strong outfit in Kings XI Punjab, the Challengers surrendered meekly to seriously dent their slim hopes of a semifinal berth in the Indian Premier League. In sharp contrast, Yuvraj’s Kings XI did their reputation no harm and strengthened their position at the top of the table cruising to 127/4, for a six-wicket victory with ten deliveries to spare at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday night.

Bowling out the Challengers for 126 in 19.2 overs, through some handy work from their bowlers, Kings XI knocked off the required runs without fuss, Shaun Marsh showing them the way again with an impressive 39 off 34 deliveries. The difference between the two sides was like chalk and cheese and though Praveen Kumar did his bit, just like his captain Rahul Dravid had done earlier, they were left with too little to defend.

Rocked by the sensational opening over from Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, where he sent back Wasim Jaffer and Cameron White with his fourth and fifth deliveries, the Challengers were driven to the ground. A semblance of normalcy was only restored by skipper Dravid, whose attacking 60 off 51 deliveries with nine hits to the ropes and one over it, gave them some respectability.

Sent in by Yuvraj Singh, who was an animated version throughout with his constant field and bowling changes, Kings XI were served brilliantly by their trundlers. Sreesanth scalped two but it was the restraining spell by leggie Piyush Chawla, who broke the back of the already limping Challengers. A fantastic middle over exhibition saw Chawla snare 3/25 from four and with three run outs destroying their hopes, it wasn’t surprising that the Challengers picked up the dubious distinction of recording five ducks in the match.

Be that as it may, if it wasn’t for Dravid’s charge, the Challengers would have been looking at a total much less than 100 even. As it transpired, save for the face-saving 54-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Virat Kohli, who clubbed a 36-ball 34, there was nothing in the home side’s batting to even vaguely trouble the Mohali outfit.

With the Challengers being willing hosts and more than accommodating, Yuvraj’s men had to nothing exceptional; if the Challengers first 50 came in 10 overs, Kings XI cruised to it off just 33 deliveries. Did someone say the difference in class in the sides was a scathing indictment on the Challengers? Five defeats from seven matches is surely damning.