Mumbai: With Damocles Sword hanging on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), diffident Virat Kohli rose to the occasion and helped the team race to an 8-wicket victory against Gujarat Titans to keep their IPL playoff hopes alive at Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday.
The 100-plus stand for the first wicket between Kohli (73 off 54 balls with 8 boundaries and 4 sixes) and Faf du Plessis (44 off 38 with 5 boundaries) pulled the match in RCB's favour. Glenn Maxwell then walked in and displayed his style of his own, smacking 40 off 18 balls.
Earlier, GT posted a par score as captain Hardik Pandya's unbeaten half century cemented the innings. The late flourish by Hardik and Rashid Khan (19 off six with 1 boundary and 2 sixes) did not help as RCB did fairly well on a track that was gripping a bit.
With this win, RCB are placed in fourth position in points table, but eliminated Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad. However, RCB cannot heave a sigh of relief.
Mumbai Indians have to defeat Delhi Capitals, who are two points behind them with a superior NRR. Even if DC hogs a victory, RCB still can hope to qualify for playoffs if Rajasthan Royals lose to Chennai Super Kings with a big margin that their NRR falls below that of RCB. The thornless path for RCB is that the MI does them a favour by winning their last league match of the season.
Chasing 169 runs target, Kohli raced to fifty in 33 balls, displaying his repertoire of drives, punches, snarls and gestures, when he is on song. RCB reached the 100 runs mark with the help of Kohli and Du Plessis stitching a century partnership for the second time in the season for the first wicket. They first had put up a 118 runs partnership against Punjab Kings.
Rashid denied Du Plessis a half-century, but RCB were 115 for 1 in 14.2 overs and needed 54 more off 34 balls with Kohli in the middle and Maxwell to follow. Maxwell got a lifeline as the bails did not fall off though Rashid's delivery hit the leg stump, and the Aussie made most of it as he took on Hardik in an 18-run over.
Kohli exited but after he induced confidence in the RCB camp with this solid performance ahead of playoffs if the team qualifies.
Earlier, Hardik took Gujarat Titans to 168/5 with his firepower innings as he cracked an unbeaten 62 runs in 47 balls with 4 fours and 3 sixes to take his team to a fighting total. The late six-ball 19 blitz from Rashid Khan also played a crucial role in it.
RCB were incapacitated in their bowling with Harshal Patel splitting his webbing while fielding which eroded their death bowling big time. Despite Harsha's absence, RCB did well until the 18th over, before Hardik finally found his ammo.
Wriddhiman Saha (31 off 22 with 4 boundaries and a six) got them off to another solid start and David Miller (34 off 24 with 3 sixes) gave a bit of an impetus in the middle overs. Wanindu Hasaranga (1/25) bowled nice tight lines even in the 17th over and Glenn Maxwell (1/28) kept it quiet at the start.
Opting to bat first, Saha unleashed his strokes in the very first over by getting two boundaries and a six, plundering 14 runs off Sidharth Kaul. He has been pretty good in the power play this season for GT. Though Saha began on expected lines, RCB made early inroads.
After packing off Shubnam Gill (1) after Maxwell pulled off a blinder in the first slip. Matthew Wade (16 off 13) was sent packing too. The diminutive Aussie wicketkeeper tried sweeping against Maxwell and was adjudged LBW. Wade reviewed the decision quickly.
There was a clear deviation in the trajectory of the ball, suggesting an inside edge but nothing showed up on the UltraEdge and hence the TV umpire upheld the original call. The Aussie walked back to the dugout in disbelief, shaking his head. Then, GT were 38 for 2 in six overs. Saha was looking ominous again but a run out ended his promising knock.
Miller did not stay long as he gave a return catch to Hasaranga. Last two overs were incredible for GT. Hardik got to a half-century and found in Rashid Khan a batting ally who swung his bat around and got quick runs. They added 36 off the last 15 balls to drag GT to 168 for 5. (UNI)
