NEW DELHI:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
's explosive start, led by Faf du Plessis and
Virat Kohli
, set the tone for a thrilling encounter. Du Plessis, in particular, showcased his aggressive intent, smashing the ball to all corners and registering the franchise's second-fastest fifty off 18 balls against Gujarat Titans in the IPL match in Bengaluru.
While du Plessis took on the aggressor role, Kohli provided crucial support, resulting in their highest Powerplay score of 92 in the history of the IPL.
However, a dramatic turn of events saw Bengaluru lose momentum, slipping from 92/1 to 111/5. Kohli, undeterred by the falling wickets, anchored the innings, losing partners but holding one end firmly.
Dinesh Karthik
's arrival provided much-needed support, and despite Kohli's dismissal, Karthik kept his calm and targeted
Rashid Khan
to get things back under control.
With
Swapnil Singh
also contributing crucial runs, Bengaluru's resilience shone through as they successfully chased down the 147-run target with 38 balls to spare, showcasing the team's depth and determination in overcoming adversity.
Veteran RCB batter Karthik, who hadn't thought of coming to bat with the way their openers started the chase, gave full credit to Kohli and du Plessis for the four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans.
"I started with a cup of tea, then after four overs I had a cappuccino and thought I wouldn't be batting." Things happened, and then I had to have a bat," Karthik said after the match.
"[Approach] How to hit boundaries, basic cricketing skills come through. I backed myself to get the job done. The pitch was good to bowl on, having been under the covers there was a bit of moisture.
Good toss to win but the bowlers did the job beautifully. The way Faf and Virat batted, I don't think they would have played the same shots batting first! [Advice to Swapnil] Play for the one that comes in. If you feel sweep is a good option, back yourself to do it but commit to the shot, don't be half-hearted," Karthik added.
English (US) ·