'Tough pill to swallow' - AB de Villiers reacts to Royal Challengers Bangalore's 2023 IPL heartbreak

RCB were knocked out from the IPL 2023 after suffering a six-wicket loss over GT.

Published - 22 May 2023, 19:32 IST | Updated - 08 Dec 2024, 09:45 IST

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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Gujarat Titans (GT) squared off in the final group stage game of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, May 21. The Faf du Plessis-led side were knocked out from the IPL 2023 after suffering a six-wicket loss over the defending champions.

Speaking about the match, GT skipper Hardik Pandya won the toss and invited RCB to bat first. With Virat Kohli (101* off 61) scoring his second straight century this season, RCB set a 198-run target for the visiting side to chase. Noor Ahmad grabbed two wickets, while Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal, and Rashid Khan picked one scalp each for Gujarat.

In response, opener Shubman Gill (104* off 52) also scored a century as GT chased down the target in 19.1 overs. Apart from Gill, Impact Player Vijay Shankar also provided a worthwhile contribution to GT, scoring 53 off 35 deliveries. For RCB, Mohammed Siraj claimed two wickets, while Vyshak Vijay Kumar and Harshal Patel picked one each.

Following his century, Kohli received millions of congratulatory messages on social media. AB de Villiers, a close friend and former teammate of Kohli, was one among those who congratulated Kohli. The South African praised the former RCB captain's determination for standing up in any situation and performing admirably throughout his entire career.

“Virat is there when we need him!” AB de Villiers tweeted after Kohli scored century.

But even though RCB lost the game, he didn't forget to applaud the performance of his former IPL team. He claimed that RCB gave it the best they had during the game against GT. He further praised Shubman Gill and the GT, stating that they were too good.

"Tough pill to swallow. Well tried RCB. Shubman Gill and the Titans simply too good today," the Proteas batter tweeted after the match.