Virat Kohli got his form going and bounced back in some style at the Brabourne Stadium against Gujarat Titans, scoring a sublime half-century. Kohli, along with Rajat Patidar put on a 99-run stand, with both getting fifties, to drive the RCB total to 170/6 in Mumbai on Saturday.
This was Kohli’s first half-century this season, which has seen him go through a troubled phase.
Batting first, RCB had a bad start as they lost their skipper Faf du Plessis for a duck when Pradeep Sangwan had him caught behind. However, what was good news for RCB fans, was that Virat Kohli was hitting the ball well, and started off his innings with a couple of crisply struck boundaries.
Kohli had Rajat Patidar for company at the other end, and both were looking to fire away against Gujarat’s bowling on a hot afternoon in Mumbai. The aggressive approach helped rebuild after Faf’s wicket and had RCB at 43/1 at the end of the powerplay.
The next couple of overs were quiet courtesy some tight bowling by Lockie Ferguson and Rashid Khan, but soon after, Patidar attacked the spinner and Kohli took on the pacer, adding 24 from two overs, which saw RCB move to 75/1 at the midway stage. Kohli was nearing a half-century, his first this season, and at the other end, Patidar wasn’t holding back, as Alzarri Joseph saw his deliveries disappear over the fence and into the crowd.
Kohli brought up his half-century in the 13th over of Mohammed Shami with a single, while a boundary from Patidar in the next over off Ferguson gave him his first fifty too. Patidar punched it off the back foot to get to the milestone. An aggressive Patidar had helped Kohli as well, and the duo put on 99 runs before Sangwan sent the number 3 batter back to the hut for 52 off 32.
In walked Glenn Maxwell and was of course looking to attack from the get go, however, Kohli could not really kick on at the other end after completing his fifty. However, he had set it up for a big finish and was bowled by Indian team colleague Shami for 58 off 53 deliveries. After Kohli’s departure, RCB’s big hitters Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik were in the middle with a little over 3 overs to go.
DK though could not impact the situation much and was dismissed for 2 by Rashid Khan. Maxwell though was starting to move along, as Rashid finished his spell with figures of 1/29. The Australian welcomed Ferguson to the attack with a boundary, but the Kiwi had Maxwell’s number as Rashid helped out with a great catch. Maxwell was gone for a quickfire 33.
Shahbaz Ahmed and Mahipal Lomror had a little over an over to bat out and finish well, they added 20. Shahbaz remained unbeaten on 2 while Lomror scored 16 before Joseph had him caught off the last ball, after a dismissal earlier in the over was ruled out as the ball hit a rope while in the air. RCB posted 170/6.
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