Bengaluru, Mar 29 (UNI) Virat Kohli's impressive unbeaten half-century laid the groundwork for RCB's competitive total of 182/6 against KKR in the 10th match of the IPL 2024 at Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday..
Kohli, scoring 83 runs off 59 balls with 4 boundaries and 6 sixes, formed a crucial partnership of 65 runs with Cameron Green (33 off 21 balls) for the second wicket.
Initially, Faf du Plessis (8) departed early, attempting an innovative shot against pacer Harshit Rana (2/39). However, Kohli and Green stabilized RCB's innings with a steady partnership, particularly during the Power Play segment where they reached 61 for 1.
Kohli exhibited a variety of shots, including drives, lofts, sweeps, and slog-sweeps, showcasing his adaptability and dominance. His flick off Mitchell Starc for a six was particularly noteworthy, highlighting his continuous innovation in batting techniques.
Meanwhile, Green's approach was marked by brute power, evident in his aggressive batting against Sunil Narine, whom he hammered for 15 runs in an over.
However, Green's innings was cut short when he was bowled by Andre Russell. Glenn Maxwell, who got lucky with two dropped catches, couldn't capitalize on the opportunities and fell to Narine after contributing 28 runs off 19 balls with 3 boundaries and a six.
Rajat Patidar (3) struggled once again, reflecting a lack of confidence following his previous performances in the Test series against England.
Dinesh Karthik's cameo, scoring 20 runs off just 8 balls with 3 sixes, added significant weight to the RCB total, as has become customary for him towards the latter stages of the innings.
Karthik's ability to accelerate the scoring rate quickly and his penchant for hitting boundaries proved valuable in bolstering RCB's total score.
Despite the challenges posed by KKR's bowling strategy, which focused on slowing down the pace, Kohli continued to anchor RCB's innings with determination and skill.
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