NEW DELHI • Royal Challengers Bangalore learnt the hard way that star power does not always guarantee success after succumbing to the lowest ever score in cricket's Indian Premier League (IPL) in Sunday's match against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Their blockbuster batting line-up, containing prolific India captain Virat Kohli, swashbuckling West Indian Chris Gayle and the versatile South African AB de Villiers, were bundled out for 49 i in just 9.4 overs.

Skipper Kohli fell for a first-ball duck, Gayle made seven and de Villiers managed eight, with none of the Bangalore batsmen reaching double digits after restricting Kolkata to 131.

"Our worst batting performance," Kohli said after the team's spectacular meltdown at Eden Gardens. "It really hurts... reckless batting, it was that bad. This is just not acceptable."

Rajasthan Royals' 58 against Bangalore in 2009 was the previous lowest total.

With their fifth defeat in seven matches, last year's runners-up Bangalore slipped to the bottom of the points table at the halfway stage of the Twenty20 tournament.

"We need to forget it and move forward. We're a much better team," said Kohli, who missed Bangalore's first three matches with a shoulder injury. "We got 200 plus in the last game. I'm sure everyone realises what they've done wrong. You have to come out, show intent and back yourselves. I'm sure we won't bat like that again in the tournament."

Kolkata's pace attack claimed all 10 Bangalore wickets with Australian Nathan Coulter-Nile, England's Chris Woakes and New Zealander Colin de Grandhomme claiming three each.

Woakes said the pitch "definitely assisted the seamers."

REUTERS