Synopsis: After being dropped on 0, Virat Kohli rebounds with stellar knock, with cameos from Dinesh Karthik and Mahipal Lomror including the of completion, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings, who misplaced their composure on the demise.
“There’s a bit in it (the pitch) for the bowlers” and “issues can get robust with the brand new ball” have been a few cliches utilized by Sam Curran in the course of the mid-match tv interview to explain how Punjab Kings have been hoping to defend 176 towards Royal Challengers Bengaluru on the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday.
Right here’s one other cliche that Curran was agonisingly made conscious of some minutes later – take your probabilities, or the highest gamers make you pay.
VK 🤝 DK
The dynamic duo behind RCB’s outstanding chase tonight 😎#TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS | @imVkohli | @DineshKarthik pic.twitter.com/eI3TyvAyO2
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 25, 2024
Curran was skipper Shikhar Dhawan’s choose from an array of high-profile fast-bowling choices to take the brand new ball, and his left-arm angle towards the right-hander examined Virat Kohli from the get-go – the Indian batting star managed a thick outdoors edge on the second ball of the chase that was put down at slip by Jonny Bairstow, whose common Take a look at tour of India has, it appears, prolonged into the IPL.
Kohli made Punjab pay instantly, middling three boundaries, a flick of the pads and two fluent cowl drives, within the subsequent 4 balls. By the top of the Powerplay, Kohli had meted out punishment to every of their frontline bowlers, and regardless of two key wickets, put up 34 of his aspect’s complete of fifty to set them on their method to a four-wicket win.
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7️⃣7️⃣ Runs
4️⃣9️⃣ Balls
1️⃣1️⃣ Fours
2️⃣ SixesRecap a chase particular ft. Virat Kohli 🎥🔽 #TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKShttps://t.co/iR71StHWUr
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 25, 2024
Driving his luck, the previous India skipper performed an innings that was a press release for his credentials for the upcoming T20 World Cup. Hypothesis could also be rife over whether or not he’ll characteristic in that occasion, however Kohli as an opener, when he can discover holes within the area for boundaries, appears to be a real possibility when he bats with intent and aggression. Rewatch his lofted off-drives off Kagiso Rabada and Arshdeep Singh, or the benefit with which he dispatched Rahul Chahar for a six over the off-side, for proof of the identical.
But, regardless of chasing a mean complete, and their chase-master getting a slice of fortune on his method to a well-worked 49-ball 77, as soon as Kohli holed out at deep backward level, RCB regarded like they have been out of the reckoning.
Punjab lose management
It was Punjab’s formidable bowling line-up that utilized the squeeze on RCB and didn’t permit them to settle. Left-arm spinner Harpreet Brar’s tight spell of 2-13 (50 % dots and no boundaries conceded) was the choose of the bowling effort and promised to take the match away from the hosts.
Nevertheless, when Punjab had all of the momentum of their favour, they crumbled below the stress of closing out the match. Curran, Harshal Patel, and Arshdeep all missed their strains and lengths, allowed free runs as extras, and did not bowl to their area. Dinesh Karthik and impression participant Mahipal Lomror will get the plaudits, however ascribing this consequence to their calculations and ingenuity, versus blaming the free demise bowling from Punjab, would miss the purpose.
What a end 🔥
What a chase 😎An unbeaten 48*-run partnership between @DineshKarthik and @mahipallomror36 wins it for the house crew 💪@RCBTweets register a 4-wicket win!#TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS pic.twitter.com/0BFhn9BRnC
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 25, 2024
Curran went for 30 from his three-over spell. Arshdeep went for twenty-four from his final eight balls. Harshal went for twenty-four from his final two overs as RCB got here residence with 4 balls to spare.
Maintaining it quick
If there was vindication wanted of the newly-introduced two-bouncers-per-over rule within the IPL, it got here within the effectiveness of the RCB bowling lineup on Monday.
Every of the Punjab Kings batters acquired begins, however RCB’s pacers made certain none ran away with the sport on a pitch that’s identified to be a belter. The disruption in rhythm, and common wickets, all got here because of some well-directed quick bowling.
Again to Again wickets for @RCBTweets ❤️#PBKS lose each set batters within the type of Liam Livingstone & Shikhar Dhawan.
Head to @JioCinema and @StarSportsIndia to look at the match LIVE#TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS pic.twitter.com/GKhnsCWruQ
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 25, 2024
It was Mohammed Siraj who opened the floodgates, sticking to his weapons regardless of seeing two balls dispatched for 4, deceiving Bairstow with one which the Ebglishman top-edged to get caught at mid-off.
After a strong anchor-style innings from skipper Shikhar Dhawan was aided by a helpful cameo from Prabhsimran Singh, Punjab have been in a strong place as Dhawan and Liam Livingstone stored the scorecard ticking to achieve 96/2 after the eleventh over.
However Alzarri Joseph would return to the short-ball playbook, dragging Livingstone into an tried lower at a large and quick one, getting an edge to wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat.
With set batters again within the dugout, Curran and Jitesh Sharma – two batters which have constructed a formidable status as finishers – needed to put within the onerous yards to construct a partnership. Each would perish to shorter balls, with the ‘keeper taking splendid catches off the bowling of Yash Dayal and Siraj.
On a batting-friendly pitch, RCB’s quick bowlers didn’t let Punjab’s robust center order take management with knowledgeable use of the quick ball. If not for a freak of a remaining over – Shashank Singh’s blind swinging slapping Joseph for over 20 – they’d have restricted their opposition to a rating properly beneath par.
Temporary scores: Punjab Kings 176/6 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 45; Mohammed Siraj 2/26) misplaced to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 178/6 in 19.2 overs (Virat Kohli 77, Dinesh Karthik 28 not out; Harpreet Brar 2/13, Kagiso Rabada 2/23) by 4 wickets