Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli reacts during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, at HPCA Stadium, in Dharamshala on May 9, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar conjured up superlative fifties before the bowlers joined the party as Royal Challengers Bengaluru kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a huge 60-run win over Punjab Kings in the IPL on May 9.

Kohli’s 47-ball 92 was the cornerstone of RCB’s innings as he starred in two partnerships — 72 off 32 balls with Patidar (55 off 23 balls) and 92 off 46 balls with Cameron Green (46 off 27 balls) to propel the team to 241/7.

In reply, Rilee Rossouw put up a show with a 27-ball 61-run knock but Karn Sharma’s twin strike triggered a collapse as PBKS were all out for 181 in 17 overs.

This was a fourth successive win for RCB and it took them to 10 points, while PBKS (8) were knocked out of the playoff race as they can reach a maximum of 12 points from the remaining two games.

Swapnil Singh (2/28), Karn (2/36) and Lockie Ferguson (2/29) took two each, while Mohammed Siraj (3/43) claimed three wickets for RCB.

Chasing a stiff target, PBKS lost Prabhsimran Singh (6) early but Rossouw looked unstoppable as left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh was carted for two fours before Siraj was belted for three fours and a six.

Yash Dayal and Ferguson were then hit for 16 and 14 runs by Jonny Bairstow (27) and Rossouw as PBKS scored 75 runs in six overs.

Once Bairstow was removed by Ferguson, Rossouw turned his attention on Green, blasting two fours and a six on way to his fifty off 21 balls.

Jitesh Sharma was then cleaned up by Karn, while Swapnil got rid of Liam Livingstone (0) as Punjab slipped to 126 for 5 in 12th over.

They couldn’t recover from those blows and it was all over when Shashank Singh (37), Sam Curran (22) and Ashutosh Sharma (8) returned to the dugout.

Earlier, Kohli, who was dropped on 0 and 10, timed the ball nicely, used his feet and wrists to bring up his sixth IPL fifty this season. He reached his mark in 32 balls, before slamming another 40 in his next 15 balls. He cracked seven fours and six maximums.

Patidar, who was also given two lives, provided the early momentum as he slammed six maximums and three fours during his 23-ball 55.

After Patidar’s dismissal, Kohli and Green continued the onslaught to take RCB past the 200-mark. Green hit five fours and a six before being caught in the final ball as RCB scored 77 in last five overs.

Pacer Vidhwath Kaverappa (2/36) picked up two wickets in the powerplay on his IPL debut but his figures could have been much better had the fielders not dropped three catches off his bowling.

Kohli was dropped in the third ball but Kaverappa dismissed Faf du Plessis (9) and removed Will Jacks (12) but PBKS couldn’t create pressure as Sam Curran (1/50) and Harshal Patel (3/38) leaked runs.

Patel, who had dropped Patidar, conceded three boundaries in his first over as RCB scored 56 in the powerplay.

It started raining sixes thereafter as Kohli and Patidar slammed a maximum each to spoil Kaverappa’s bowling figures.

Patidar then creamed spinner Rahul Chahar for three mighty maximums before depositing Arshdeep and Sam Curran for two more sixes, the last one bringing up his fifty in 21 balls.

With Patidar on fire, RCB crossed 100 in the ninth over. Curran, however, got rid of Patidar in the 10th over, when rain halted play for a brief while.

After resumption, Kohli completed his fifty and hit Livingstone for two fours.

Green brought up the 150 with a four off Patel. Kohli then went berserk as he slog swept Livingstone for a six, while Curran was deposited over mid-wicket for a 94-metre maximum. He sent one over long-on for another maximum.

Dinesh Karthik (18) played a cameo before Patel claimed three wickets in last over.

A resurgent Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look for their fourth consecutive victory when they face an unpredictable Punjab Kings as the two sides fight for survival in the Indian Premier League, in Dharamsala on Thursday.

After a horrendous start to the season, RCB have managed to claw their way back into the tournament. They have the winning momentum on their side, having won their last three games comprehensively.

The wins have not only boosted their sagging morale but also taken them to the seventh spot in the points table.

With eight points from 11 games, RCB can still make the playoffs if they win all their remaining three fixtures although the chances are slim.

Punjab Kings too stare at a similar situation. They occupy the eighth spot, having collected eight points from 11 games.

However, between the two — only one team can reach the all-important 14 points mark.

Having beaten PBKS earlier in the season and heading to this clash with three wins on the trot, RCB will feel more confident than the hosts.

Virat Kohli remains consistent at the top, while skipper Faf du Plessis broke his string of poor scores with a belligerent knock in the last game.

Will Jacks also impressed with a match-winning century against GT, and Cameron Green showcased his all-round skills with crucial contributions in runs and wickets against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Their bowling department has started clicking with Mohammed Siraj, who is in India’s T20 World Cup squad, finally finding his rhythm.

Yash Dayal and Vijaykumar Vyshak also did well against GT and RCB will expect them to continue in the same vein.

PBKS, on the other hand, will be low on confidence having suffered an inexplicable batting collapse against Chennai Super Kings.

The Kings showcased their very best and worst against CSK. Their bowlers were all over the CSK batters but the batting unit choked.

It was a example of how Punjab’s season has been this year — unpredictable.

They have showcased their potential with away wins over Kolkata Knight Riders, when they recorded the highest successful run chase in T20 cricket, and CSK.

However, they have faced difficulties getting the job done at home. They won just one out of five games in Mullanpur, their main home ground.

A change in venue to the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium also didn’t go their way in the previous game here.

The team would hope to end its home run on a high but for that to happen, the PBKS unit has to fire in unison.

Squads:

Punjab Kings: Sam Curran (c), Matthew Short, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Atharva Taide, Arshdeep Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Shivam Singh, Harshal Patel, Chris Woakes, Ashutosh Sharma, Vishwanath Pratap Singh, Shashank Singh, Tanay Thyagarajan, Prince Choudhary, Rilee Rossouw.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik, Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan.

Match starts 7.30 p.m. IST.

Virat Kohli produced a quality half-century on a slightly gummy pitch that took the Holi-day crowd on a joyride and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in an IPL match here on Monday.

The 177-run target wasn’t a massively tough one, but needed a meticulous scaling down because of the deck’s nature.

Kohli (77, 49b, 11×4, 2×6) conducted it to near-perfection as RCB made 178 for six with four balls to spare to register their first win of this IPL.

The Royal Challengers needed 47 from 24 balls from that point Dinesh Karthik (28 not out off 10 balls) and ‘Impact Player’ Mahipal Lomror (17 not out, 8 balls)carried them past the rope with some sensible cricket. Karthik team’s designated finisher showed that he can seamlessly switch from microphone to willow as he walloped Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh with minimum fuss to finish it in style.

Kohli’s innings was not a blemish free effort as he received reprieves on the very first ball on zero and then when he was on 33, and on both the times pacer Sam Curran was the aggrieved party.

But when Kohli bats at such a lofty zone those are momentary distractions – for him and for the fans.

He showed that in no little measure, clanking Curran for three more fours after that first drop as 16 runs cascaded in the opening over of the chase.

There were his money shots too – cover drives, swat-flicks, lofts over extra cover as Kohli dismantled the Kings attack all alone.

But a shot stood out from the rest for its sheer timing and execution. Rabada, who was otherwise superb for a 2/23 figure, pitched one slightly short, and Kohli danced down to magnificently flay the offering over the covers for a four.

The inside out maximum over covers off leg-spinner Rahul Chahar too has the touch of Kohli’s genius.

Those shorts also bore testimony of Kohli’s class on a tacky deck where other RCB batters such as Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell struggled to get a move-on against Rabada and highly-impressive spinner Harpreet Brar (2/13).

It reflected in the fact that the highest partnership in RCB innings was a 43-run association between Kohli and Rajat Patidar (18, 18b) for the third wicket.

But the lone Odyssey of Kohli ended when his slash off Harshal Patel’s slower ball on off-stump failed to generate enough power and distance to clear Brar at deep third man.

Earlier, the pragmatism of captain Shikhar Dhawan was the bedrock on which Punjab Kings built their 176 for six.

Dhawan (45, 37b), Jitesh Sharma (27, 20b) and Prabhsimran Singh (25, 17b) were the main contributors for the Kings after RCB opted to bowl first.

For the hosts, Mohammed Siraj and Maxwell took two wickets apiece.

The Kings made a shaky beginning as Jonny Bairstow got out early as his outings on these shores, which stretched back to last year’s World Cup, has now become more barren than the Indian summer.

But from 17 for one, the visitors found some runs through Dhawan and Prabhsimran who tackled the pitch and the RCB bowlers with aplomb, milking 55 runs off 38 balls.

Dhawan was not precisely smooth during his stay but showed enough pluck to cash in on the loose deliveries, such as a length ball on the off-stump from left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar which he lifted over long-on for a six.

In fact, the RCB bowlers, especially impressive left-arm seamer Yash Dayal (1/23), did well to tie him down with deliveries that darted into him from just short of good length.

Prabhsimran also occasionally vented his aggressive instincts, and the most telling piece was his flicked six off Green that sailed 90 meters over mid-wicket for a maximum.

But just as the alliance was blossoming, Prabhsimran tried to pull Maxwell but a feeble top edge was grabbed by stumper Anuj Rawat.

But the Punjab side suffered a heavier blow soon as Dhawan got out.

The left-hander’s attempt to hoist Maxwell out of the ground ended in the hands of Kohli at long-on as the Kings slipped to 98 for four in 12.1 overs.

The Kings needed some more runs on the board to give a meaningful challenge to the home side.

They found those from Jitesh, who hammered Dagar for two sixes in a row, and Curran, who added 52 runs for the fifth wicket off 34 balls.

Brief scores

Punjab Kings: 176 for 6 in 20 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 45, Prabhsimran Singh 25, Sam Curran 23, Jitesh Sharma 27; Glenn Maxwell 2/29, Md Siraj 2/26).

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 178 for 6 in 19.2 overs (Virat Kohli 77, Mahipal Lomror 17 not out, Dinesh Karthik 28 not out; Kagiso Rabada 2/23, Harpreet Brar 2/13).