Virat Kohli smashed 77 from 49 balls with the help of eleven fours and two sixes as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by four wickets in their 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the unforgiving M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Monday.
IPL 2024: RCB vs PBKS – HIGHLIGHTS
Kohli, who won the player of the match award, says he was glad to get away from cricket for some time and be in a place where no one knew him.
“Just to feel normal for two months – for me, my family – it was a surreal experience. Couldn’t have been more grateful to God for the opportunity to spend time with the family. It’s an amazing experience to just be another person on the road and not be recognised. That’s the promise I can give here – I’ll keep turning up and keep trying me best,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation.
Kohli had skipped the five-match Indian vs England Test series with a personal break to be with his family during the birth of his second child Akaay.
Kohli and Anushka Sharma, who are also parents to Vamika, had welcomed their second baby, in London on February 15, 2024.
Follow all the action from IPL 2024, including the IPL 2024 Schedule and IPL 2024 Points Table. Also, check Players vying for IPL 2024 Orange Cap and IPL 2024 Purple Cap
On Monday, Kohli’s innings was not a blemish free effort as he received reprieves on the very first ball when on zero and the second one when 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 legspinner Rahul Chahar too has the touch of Kohli’s genius.
Those shots 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.
It reflected in the fact that the highest partnership in RCB innings was a 43-run association between Kohli and Rajat Patidar 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.
(With inputs from Agencies)
Comments
0 comment