IPL 9, Match 50 Review: Fearless Kohli takes RCB to the second spot

The match between the Royal Challengers Bangalore and the Kings XI Punjab at Bengaluru was going to be inconsequential for the Kings as they were out of the competition. But for the hosts, the equation was simple; win the match and stay alive in the race for the playoffs.

It was the captain marvellous again who led from the front as Royal Challengers put on yet another display of sheer Stick Cricket batting. RCB posted a gigantic 211 on the board, which never looked in reach of the Kings XI Punjab in the match. Their batsmen got brief starts, but none had the masterclass to match the inning that Kohli played. It was the difference between the two sides on the night.

Earlier in the game, the rain gods had threatened to mar the chances of Virat Kohli-led RCB. Over an hour was lost due to heavy rains in the city of Bengaluru. Such bleak was the situation that there were small ponds of water on the field. The groundsmen did a fabulous job to get the ground ready and a 15-over a side match kicked off.

A score past 160 would have seemed good when RCB were put into bat by the Kings XI skipper Murali Vijay. However, the openers, Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle, had their own plans for the night. Kohli started off from where he had left in the previous innings. Despite having 7 stitches on his left-hand webbing, he decided to play and attacked right from the word go. Gayle, too, was back to his usual self and butchered KXIP bowling.

The duo took a special liking to KC Cariappa and took him for 55 runs in his 3 overs. The 5-over powerplay saw just 53 runs, the brutal assassination kicked off after the powerplay. Seeing 3 sixes in an over became a regularity with Axar Patel, Kyle Abbott and Cariappa bowling full tosses to the two set batsmen. Gayle raced to 73 off just 32 balls with 4 fours and 8 maximums before being dismissed by Axar Patel.

The 147-run opening stand ended after 66 balls of clean striking. In walked AB de Villiers, but his South African teammate outplayed him and dismissed him for nought. AB is known for hitting any delivery that is pitched close to the stump. Abbott just took advantage of this and fired a wide Yorker which AB could only drag back onto his stumps.

KL Rahul joined Kohli in the middle, but it was the RCB skipper who continued his stunning form to notch up his 4th ton of the season as he found gaps perfectly between the placed fielders. Such was his batting, that the entire stadium was right behind their captain who went absolutely berserk. Birthday boy Sandeep Sharma had something to cheer about as he got the wicket of Kohli in the second last over. He was caught in the deep by David Miller, but the damage had already been done. Perhaps damage beyond repair!

How did Twitter celebrate Virat’s knock? – Twitter Reactions: Invincible Virat Kohli smashes records at Bengaluru

Virat Kohli’s masterclass lasted for 50 deliveries as he hit 12 fours and 8 sixes in his innings of 113. A couple of boundaries from Rahul in the last oversaw Royal Challengers Bangalore finish on a high with a thundering total of 211/3 in their allotted 15 overs.

Kings XI Punjab skipper cleared his intent that he would go for the chase, though it was an unlikely one. He carved a couple of boundaries in the 1st over and looked good for more. But Vijay underaged a delivery by Sreenath Arvind that rattled his woodwork. Wriddhiman Saha joined Hashim Amla at the crease and showed some aggression.

He hit the first three balls by Yuzvendra Chahal for 3 boundaries but the leggie had the last laugh as he dismissed Saha on the fourth delivery. Saha made 24 in 10 balls with 5 boundaries. Amla (9) didn’t last long either and perished in his attempt to accelerate. As far as most of the people would have believed, if there was any one batsman who could take the Kings anywhere close to the target, it had to be David Miller. The South African disappointed yet again and was caught by his teammate AB de Villiers off the bowling of Shane Watson on 3.

Wickets kept tumbling as Axar Patel (13) perished too. Farhaan Behardien and Kyle Abbott followed with golden ducks to leave Kings XI Punjab reeling at 80/7 after 8.5 overs. Gurkeerat Singh Mann’s brief resistance of run-a-ball 18 ended when he became Yuzvendra Chahal’s 4th victim of the night.

It was just a matter of formalities when the rains interrupted again by the end of 14 overs with the Kings XI Punjab on 120/9. The match was called off as the players shook hands and RCB registered yet another thumping victory.

Brief Scores:

Royal Challengers Bangalore: 211/3 in 20 overs (Kohli 113, Sandeep Sharma 1/29)

Kings XI Punjab: 120/9 in 14 overs (Saha 24, Yuzvendra Chahal 4/25)

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