IPL 2018
Mid-innings (RCB vs KKR) – RCB notch up 175 with Kohli’s Lone Fight
By P - Apr 29, 2018 9:55 pm
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Batting first at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, the home team managed to raise 175 on the board against Kolkata Knight Riders. The performance was despite their star batsman AB De Villiers missing out due to illness. Virat Kohli steered the innings throughout and smacked a six on the last ball of the innings. KKR now needs 176 runs to win the match.

Brendon McCullum

Earlier in the night, Dinesh Karthik won the toss and chose to field first. Coming up from a severe loss against Delhi Daredevils, KKR decided to go unchanged. RCB who had been embarrassed by CSK in the last match shuffled their team. They replaced ABD with McCullum. Also they brought in Manan Vohra for Negi, Murugan Ashwin for Washington Sundar and Tim Southee for Corey Anderson.

The opening pair of McCullum and De Kock provided an incredible launching platform for RCB. McCullum played his usual attacking game at the start and scored 38 from 28 balls with 4 fours and two sixes. De Kock was dismissed for 29. Virat Kohli took the hold of the situation from then on and led the way.

By the end of 15th overs, RCB had 109/3 on the board with Virat Kohli batting on 29 runs from 24 balls. He started tonking the bowlers with boundaries and played some sublime wristy strokes to launch the ball over the boundary ropes. By smacking a six on the ball of the innings, Virat ended not out 68 runs from 44 balls with five fours and three humongous sixes. Andre Russell proved the pick of the bowler with his bowling figures of 3/31.

Kolkata has enough batting force to chase down this total with ease. RCB have strengthened their bowling with Tim Southee. Murugan Ashwin will also be the surprise package.