New Delhi: Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by Virat Kohli this time, scored 174 runs after both openers Kohli and Faf du Plessis scored fifties. A drop in the run rate after the powerplay and fall of wickets towards the end restricted RCB as after a 137-run opening stand, any batting lineup will look for a big score. Both Kohli and Faf were slow at different points and that did cost them a few runs.
Faf scored 84 off 56, hitting five fours and five sixes, and these were crucial runs for RCB. Kohli slowed down after the powerplay and from 29 off 19, he ended up with 59 off 47.
Harpreet Brar picked up the first two wickets consecutively and laid the stage for Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis to strike in the death overs. PBKS bowlers were great as they manage to restrict RCB under 180 and skipper Sam Curran and leggie Rahul Chahar had big roles to play as they ended their quota of four overs by giving 27 and 24 runs respectively.
In the 16th over, Faf was dropped by Jitesh Sharma, but in the next over, the wicketkeeper picked up a diving catch to dismiss Kohli. The wicket was followed by Brar getting Glenn Maxwell on the next ball. Dinesh Karthik and Mahipal Lomror could hit a boundary each but the pacers did not allow them to give the required finish to the visitors.
RCB will need Mohammed Siraj, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Wanindu Hasaranga to pick wickets and bowl the right lengths to keep their chances of winning the game.
Kohli stepped up as the captain as Faf would not be able to field after a niggle against CSK. On the other hand, Sam Curran is leading PBKS in absence of Shikhar Dhawan who got a minor shoulder injury. Liam Livingstone and Nathan Ellis joined the PBKS playing XI while Kagiso Rabada missed out.
