Kohli ton gives RCB second win IPL 2019
Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 10 runs in the 35th match of IPL season 12. Losing the toss, Royal Challengers Bangalore lost last four wickets in 20 overs and set a target of 214 for Kolkata. In reply, Kolkata Knight Riders lost 5 wickets and fell short by 10 runs. The slow start that KKR got in chase of the big goal was ultimately expensive. Nitish Rana (85 not out off 46 balls) and Andre Russell (65 off 25 balls) added 102 runs in the last six overs but KKR still could only reach 203 runs.
Rana scored nine fours and five sixes while Russell hit two fours and nine sixes. This was the second win in the nine matches of Bengaluru, while KKR had to face four consecutive losses after winning four consecutive matches. In its nine matches it is a total fifth loss. The return of Dale Steyn (2 for 40) also helped the Bangalore bowlers gain strength. With him Navdeep Saini and Mohammad Siraj also bowled well.
Only 37 runs were scored in KKR Powerplay and in the meantime they lost the wickets of Chris Lynn (1), Sunil Narine (18) and Shubhman Gill (9). After this the team lost even more momentum. Robin Uthappa’s nine runs in 20 balls dented KKR’s run rate. After Robin was dismissed in the 12th over, Russell came in at the crease. Then KKR needed 133 runs in 49 balls.
Russell hit three consecutive sixes in the 15th over of the innings against Yuzvendra Chahal. After that, Rana, who took up the charge of maintaining the run speed, hit two sixes of Saini. 61 runs were needed in the last three overs, but it proved to be a little too late.
Russell hit three sixes off Stoinis and completed the half-century off 21 balls. In the last over, KKR had to score 24 runs. Kohli handed the ball to Moin. Russell and Rana could hit only one six each.
Royal Challengers Bangalore innings
Thanks to the century by captain Virat Kohli, Royal Challengers Bangalore gave the target of 214 to win for Kolkata Knight Riders. Bangalore scored 213 runs losing four wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Kohli scored a 100 runs in 58 balls. He scored nine fours and four sixes in his innings. Batting first RCB lost opening batsman Parthiv Patel after he had scored 11 runs, Sunil Narine gave the first blow to RCB. Losing the wickets early, the team could not take special advantage of the powerplay and scored 42 runs in the first six overs.
