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With the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) heading towards its business end, every game becomes crucial in the context of qualification for the playoffs. And for the teams that find themselves caught in the mid-table tangle at the moment, a victory in each of their remaining games is a must, with the margin of victory and its corresponding impact on the Net Run Rate (NRR) also playing a critical role in deciding the top four.
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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced a similar situation, needing to win both of their remaining games, on the eve of their away clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The immensely talented side that they are, RCB had something of a mixed run throughout the season and couldn’t quite achieve the kind of consistency that teams such as Gujarat Titans (GT) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) did this season.
RCB, however, would’ve backed themselves to produce a clinical show against an under-fire SRH unit that had massively under-delivered for the better part of the season due to individual failures as well as some strange management decisions.
In Photos: Kohli, du Plessis guide RCB to eight-wicket win over SRH
And on Friday, Bangalore compounded Hyderabad’s woes with the kind of ruthless batting display that raised their hopes of not only clinching one of the three remaining playoff spots, but to also challenge defending champions GT and some of the other top-performing sides for the title that has eluded them for 15 seasons in the world’s biggest T20 league.
Klaasen gives RCB a massive scare
RCB managed to nip a steady start from SRH openers Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi in the bud before they could settle in and cause major damage thanks to a double-wicket over from off-spin-bowling all-rounder Michael Bracewell, who got rid of both in a space of three deliveries.
Enter the in-form Heinrich Klaasen, who has been one of the few bright spots in what has otherwise been a dull season for the Sunrisers so far. Klaasen, one of the better players of spin in the modern game (in Kevin Pietersen’s own words, mind you) changed the course of the Hyderabad innings and transformed what initially appeared to be a dull grind to another score in the range of 150-160 into a challenging total with what could very well be described as one of the most important knocks of his career.
Klaasen attacked from the word go and took charge of the SRH innings right away, holding on to that role till the fag end of the innings. And along the way, he toyed with the RCB attack, both spinners and seamers, to bring up his maiden hundred in the IPL, and the second by an SRH batter this season, in just 49 deliveries. He was ultimately foxed by a slower yorker from Harshal Patel, but even the bowler couldn’t help but applaud him for dishing out a masterclass that gave Hyderabad some hope of collecting a win in their final home game of the season.
Kohli, Faf to the rescue
Even though it was Hyderabad’s home game, the way the crowd cheered on for Virat Kohli and went “RCB! RCB!” during Bangalore’s chase, one would certainly be forgiven for assuming the venue to be the Chinnaswamy instead of Uppal.
Much like Klaasen earlier in the day, Kohli switched the attack mode on from the very first over of Bangalore’s chase of the challenging 187-run target, collecting a boundary off each of the first two deliveries off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Kohli then dispatched left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma for two fours in three balls the following over, and would also collect a four off T Natarajan in the third.
He was already batting in the 20s when skipper Faf du Plessis announced himself at the crease with a hat-trick of fours off Kartik Tyagi’s bowling in the fourth over. And the fifth over was not even completed when the fifty opening partnership was completed between the prolific duo who have been the most dominant batting pair this season.
Thanks to their fiery starts, RCB would sit pretty at 64 for no loss at the end of the powerplay, and from thereon, it was a one-way street pretty much till the end of the game.
What was especially impressive about Kohli’s game today was the fact that he appeared to have answered those who were questioning his intent in the middle overs.
Shortly after bringing up his half-century in 35 balls in the 12th over, Kohli would smash Mayank Dagar for a maximum to move into the 60s before smashing long-time India teammate Bhuvneshwar for four boundaries in five deliveries in an 18-run 15th over to really step on the gas pedal and move into the 80s.
The former RCB captain wouldn’t slow down when approaching the three-figure mark, hitting a six to both move to 90 and bring up his first century in the IPL in more than four years, going level with former Bangalore teammate and West Indian legend Chris Gayle for most tons in the league (6) in the process. It also ended a long wait for Kohli, who finally buried the ghosts of his wretched form with the bat that had haunted him since 2020.
Read | Don’t care what anyone says on the outside, says Virat Kohli
Kohli, however, departed right after reaching the milestone in the 18th over, with Faf following him back to the dugout the very next over. By then however, the pair had done enough to ensure Glenn Maxwell and Bracewell could comfortably guide the team home to victory and ensure they dislodged Mumbai Indians from the fourth spot on the points table in the process.
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