Virat Kohli hit 73 off 54 balls as Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Gujarat Titans by 8 wickets at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday to stay in the race for the IPL 2022 playoffs. RCB won their 8th match of the season to finish the league stages with 16 points from 14 matches.
Gujarat Titans would be disappointed with their performance on Thursday night but they are already assured of the No.1 spot after collecting 20 points from their 14 league games.
Virat Kohli smashed 8 fours and 2 sixes (both off Rashid Khan) to end a lean patch while Faf du Plessis, the RCB captain scored a 38-ball 44 in a 115-run opening partnership.
IPL 2022: Full Coverage
Both men were dismissed by Rashid Khan but Glenn Maxwell took RCB home with a delightful cameo. Earlier in the evening, Maxwell had taken 1 for 28 off his 4 overs. He finished with an unbeaten 40 off 18 balls to end the game.
Hardik Pandya won the toss, decided to bat and then top-scored for Gujarat Titans with an unbeaten 62 off 47 balls. GT, who were the first team to have qualified for the IPL 2022 playoffs, finished with 168 for 5 after important contributions from Wriddhiman Saha (31) and David Miller (35). Rashid Khan played a cameo with 19 not out off 6 balls to help GT finish strong.
Josh Hazlewood (2 for 39) was the pick of the bowlers for RCB while Wanindu Hasaranga bowled economically and bowled his 4 overs for 25 runs and picked the wicket of the dangerous Rahul Tewatia.
KOHLI BACK IN FORM
Virat Kohli (73 off 54 balls) roared back to form with a rapid half-century and added 115 for the opening wicket with Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis who scored 44 off 38 balls. Thanks to a sensational first wicket stand, RCB chased down the target of 169 and kept themselves in the hunt for the IPL 2022 playoffs.
Virat Kohli was in poor form before RCB’s match against GT on Thursday and he had even said he was open to the idea of taking a break following suggestions from former India coach Ravi Shastri and other experts.
Once he stepped out to bat, Virat Kohli did look scratchy but he got into the groove soon enough and then proceeded to bring up his fifty with a six off Rashid Khan. Kohli had scored his only other fifty of the season against the same opponents, but that was his slowest half-century in the IPL.
In IPL 2022, Virat Kohli has bagged three golden ducks but the RCB management continued to back him. On Thursday, he repaid the faith of the RCB team and fans with an innings that brought back memories of the Virat Kohli the world is used to seeing.
It was a must-win game for RCB given their poor net run rate and Virat Kohli showed his class in a run chase as he steered the innings wonderfully before falling to Rashid Khan with RCB needing 23 off 20 balls.
Rashid Khan had also dismissed RCB captain Faf du Plessis earlier but they were firmly on course for victory by the time Kohli departed for his highest score of the season.
Glenn Maxwell walked out at No.3 and hit two sixes and Dinesh Karthik joined him in the middle with the target well within sight.
HARDIK LEADS FROM THE FRONT
Gujarat Titans, who have already qualified for the IPL 2022 playoffs, lost Shubman Gill and Matthew Wade early after Hardik Pandya won the toss and decided to bat.
Gill fell to Josh Hazlewood when Glenn Maxwell took a brilliant catch at slips in the third over of the innings. Maxwell was again in the thick of things when he dismissed his Australian teammate and GT No.3 Matthew Wade and that is when controversy struck what was a dead-rubber for the Titans.
Matthew Wade was struck on the pads when he missed a sweep shot to a length ball angled towards the stumps from Maxwell. A loud appeal from RCB was upheld by the on-field umpire and Wade’s decision to review the decision proved to be futile as the ball-tracker showed the ball would have hit middle and leg.
Matthew Wade was furious as he walked but Virat Kohli was spotted having a word with him with an arm around the GT batter’s shoulders. Once back in the dressing-room, Wade flung his bat and helmet on the floor.
It is not clear why Matthew Wade was so angry but perhaps he thought he had got some bat on the ball before it hit the pads. Wade was dropped after failing in his role as Gill’s opening partner and he has continued to flop since he returned at No.3 and all this while, Wriddhiman Saha cemented his position at the top.
Saha, in fact, played another good innings but was dismissed for 31 off 22 including 4 fours and 1 six, before he was run out by Faf du Plessis.
GT skipper Hardik Pandya, who top-scored with 62 not out off 47 balls, added 85 with David Miller (34 off 25 balls) and rebuilt the innings for the side.
David Miller was looking dangerous again but he fell after Wanindu Hasaranga took a sharp return catch to see him off.
Hardik Pandya, meanwhile, played another fine innings and went on to score a half-century as Gujarat Titans sought to finish the league stages with 11 wins from 14 matches.
Rahul Tewatia, who has also played several match-winning games lower down the order, became Josh Hazlewood’s second wicket before Rashid Khan (19 not out off 6 balls) came in and played another sensational cameo. He hit Hazlewood for two sixes in the final over of the innings as GT finished with 168 for 5 off their 20 overs.
,