Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) kept their IPL playoff hopes alive with a convincing 60-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala. A brilliant batting display, spearheaded by Virat Kohli’s powerful 92 (47), coupled with a superb fielding effort, sealed the deal for RCB.
Virat Kohli makes most of dropped catches
Virat Kohli, who enjoyed a slice of luck with two dropped catches early in his innings, capitalized ruthlessly. He unleashed a magnificent knock, punishing PBKS with a flurry of boundaries.
His blistering 76-run stand with Rajat Patidar (55 off 23) laid a solid foundation for RCB’s imposing total of 241/7. Valuable contributions from Cameron Green (46 off 27) and Dinesh Karthik (18 off 7) in the later stages further propelled the visitors to a formidable score.
RCB fielding excellence stifles PBKS chase
PBKS’ chase never really got going, thanks to a sensational display of fielding from RCB. A breathtaking running catch by Faf du Plessis, a direct-hit run out by a well-balanced Virat Kohli, and a crucial spell of 2/29 from Karn Sharma put the brakes on PBKS’ scoring. Ultimately, they were bundled out for 181 runs in 17 overs, handing RCB a comprehensive victory.
Cameron Green praises Virat Kohli knock
Speaking at the post-match press conference, RCB’s all-rounder Cameron Green acknowledged the significance of Kohli’s innings. He highlighted the danger Virat Kohli poses when given a lifeline, particularly early on in his innings. Green described Kohli’s batting after the dropped catches as “vintage Virat,” playing with a sense of freedom and determination that proved too much for PBKS to handle.
“Opposition team can’t give him that many chances. He will make you hurt, especially early in the innings – when he is trying to be aggressive. After a couple of drops, he played like he didn’t have anything to lose. He played like vintage Virat that we all know.”
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Focus on Next Game: RCB Path to IPL Playoffs
Green also emphasized RCB’s approach to the remaining matches. He explained that the team is taking a game-by-game approach, focusing solely on winning their next encounter.
Green said: “Yeah I think what we have done really well is look at the next game. Obviously at the start of the tournament, you can look at whats coming further and where we are at the table. And I think that’s the view where we are at, we kind of get pushed in the corner and what we can really do is focus on next game and win every game. And it’s all going according to the plan at the moment. We are going to focus on the next game.”
The aforementioned strategy seems to be paying off, with RCB currently on a four-match winning streak. Their unwavering focus and recent hot streak keep their playoff dreams alive.
