Kolkata, Apr 19 (UNI) Leading from the front Virat Kohli's 5th ton at IPL (100 from 58-ball)
and Moeen Ali's 28-ball-66 powered Royal Challengers Bangalore to post a huge 213//4
against Kolkata Knight Riders at VIVO IPL play at Eden Gardens on Friday night.
KKR need to score 214 runs to win in 20 overs.
Kohli survived an LBW appeal from Sunil Narine on three when the TV umpire negated
the call. Kohli got out on the last ball when his big shot fell short from boundary at deep
midwicket where Shubman Gill held the catch from Harry Gurney delivery.
It was Indian captain 5th century in the IPL as he led from the front for RCB tonight as
they arrived here reeling at the bottom with seven defeats from eight games before taking
the Kolkata side.
Right handed batsman Virat Kohli's 100 came from 58-ball as he hit nine boundaries
and four sixes and Moeen Ali's blistering 66 runs came from 28-ball with five 4s and six 6s
that made the local fans cheer for the visiting side.
The visitors sent to bat first on pretty friendly turf lost their first opening wicket of Parthiv
Patel (11) at 18 when the wicketkeeper-batsman attempting for a big hit from Sunil Narine
delivery skied and Nitish Rana held it on three attempts at deep square leg.
KKR got RCB's 2nd wicket at 59/2 in 8.5 overs when Robin Utappa held Akshdeep
Nath's (13) lofty catch near the bowling line from Andre Russell's delivery.
RCB in first ten overs scored 70 conceding two wickets.
Joining Moeen Ali with captain Virat Kohli the run rate accelerated like machine with
boundaries and and over boundaries as the duo stitched together 90 runs from over 8.5
to 15.6 when the English cricketer of Pakistani origin fell to Kuldeep Yadav delivery at 66.
Kuldeep Yadav's first wicket of the night came after conceding 59 runs from four overs
Prasidh Krishna held the catch on the boundary line.
Kuldeep conceded 27 runs in his 4th over as Ali hit three sixes and two boundaries.
Moeen Ali successive half ton and his 66 of the night came from 28-ball with 4s-5 6s-6.
He made 50 from 32 balls in the previous game against Mumbai Indians.
Earlier, Home team skipper Dinesh Karthik won the toss and sent Virat Kholi's Royal
Challengers Bangalore to bat first.
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