CENTURION, May 7: Naman Ojha hit an unbeaten 52 on Thursday to guide defending champions Rajasthan Royals to a seven-wicket win over the Bangalore Royals Challengers in their Indian Premier League match at Centurion on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Ojha blasted three boundaries and three sixes in 38 balls as Rajasthan reached 107/3 after Bangalore was bowled out for 105 on the last ball of their innings at Centurion Park.

"I thought we batted extremely well and executed the chase well too," Rajasthan captain Shane Warne said.

"It's mixing up nicely. The young players and the experienced guys are getting on well, which is the idea of this whole IPL," the legendary leg-spinner added.

Rajasthan's Amit Singh took 4/19 and Ravindra Jadeja returned figures of 3/15 after Bangalore lost the toss and were sent in to bat.

In pursuit, Rajasthan lost opener Graeme Smith on 20 in the sixth over after he missed a full, swinging delivery from Jacques Kallis and was bowled. Smith cracked four boundaries in 22 balls.

Twenty-one runs later, Lee Carseldine was run out following a mix-up with Ojha to leave Rajasthan on 48/2 in the ninth over.

dOjha then put on a 43-run stand for the third wicket with Yusuf Pathan (22 off 19 balls). The partnership was broken when Pathan top-edged a pull off South African seam bowler Dillon du Preez and was caught by Wasim Jaffer. Needing 15 runs to win, Ojha and Jadeja (1 not out) steered Rajasthan home with 30 balls remaining. - AP