RCB vs PBKS Review: Kohli, Karthik propel Bengaluru to their first win
Royal Challengers Bengaluru hosted Punjab Kings at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru in Match 6 of IPL 2024. RCB won the toss and chose to field first. Jonny Bairstow (8 off 6) was dismissed after hitting back-to-back boundaries before Prabhsimran Singh (25 off 17) and Shikhar Dhawan (45 off 37) formed a fifty partnership. Later, Sam Curran (23 off 17) and Jitesh Sharma (27 off 20) put together a fifty-run partnership. With the help of Shashank Singh’s (21 off 8) impressive performance at death, PBKS managed to score 176/6, with Glenn Maxwell and Mohammed Siraj scalping two each.
Chasing a gettable 177, RCB faltered at the start. Their star batters Faf du Plessis, Cameron Green, and middle-order batter Maxwell departed for three runs respectively. Rajat Patidar (18 off 18) helped Virat Kohli (77 off 49) in rebuilding. RCB’s last-game hero Anuj Rawat (11 off 14) departed thereafter. However, Dinesh Karthik (28 off 10) and Mahipal Lomror (17 off 8) sailed RCB’s ship to the shore with four wickets remaining. For PBKS Harpreet starred with (2 for 13) in a losing cause.
Top Performers of the Match
Virat Kohli (77 off 49)
With all the rumours of benching him for the T20 World Cup 2024 for his strike rate issues, Kohli registered his 100th fifty-plus score in T20s. After being dropped by Bairstow at the beginning of his innings, Kohli kept grinding and reached his half-century in just 31 balls, his 51st in the IPL. He smashed 11 boundaries and two maximums in his coming-from-behind innings.
Mohammed Siraj (2/26)
Mohammed Siraj, who was critiqued for his depleting economy rate, reverted with an impressive outing in India’s most batting-friendly ground. He picked the crucial wickets of Jonny Bairstow and a well-set Jitesh Sharma. His economy rate at the end of his spell read 6.50. His impact was evident as he conceded just four runs bowling the decisive 19th over as dangerous-looking Shashank Singh was at the crease.
What’s next for both teams?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host Kolkata Knight Riders at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on March 29. Whereas Punjab Kings will travel to Lucknow to take on Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Stadium on March 30.
