As Kolkata defeats Bengaluru in the IPL, Kohli’s 83 is in vain.
India IPL — In the Indian Premier League on Friday, Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru despite Virat Kohli’s methodical, undefeated 83 runs.
On a two-paced pitch that subsequently got easier to bat on, Kohli followed his 77 on Monday with a 59-ball knock that helped Bengaluru reach 182-6.
Playing his 500th Twenty20, Sunil Narine and Phil Salt, the opening batsmen for Kolkata, got off to a quick start, scoring 85 runs in the power play. They needed 3.1 overs to post a winning score of 186-3.
Narine hit two fours and five sixes in his 47 off 22 innings. Salt scored 30 points out of 20. They ravaged players like Mohammed Siraj (0–46) and Yash Dayal (1-46), two quick bowlers.
Mayank Dagar yorked Narine, and Salt soon after by dragging impact player Vijakumar Vyshak (1-23) to deep square leg.
However, in a 75-run partnership with Shreyas Iyer, Ventakesh Iyer produced some masterful pull shots and made good use of his feet to close out the game. Shortly after Kohli reached 50 off 30 with four sixes and three fours, Ventakesh offered him an easy catch at deep midwicket. Not out at 39 was Shreyas.
Even though Kohli dominated the first part of the match, Andre Russell bowled well with 2-29. Earlier, multi-million-dollar bowler Mitchell Starc of Kolkata went wicketless at 0-47.
In the second over, Bengaluru captain Faf du Plessis was caught off guard by a stunning off-cutter from Harshit Rana. Cameroon Green attempted to accelerate alongside Kohli, but in the ninth over, Russell clean bowled the Australian, ending their dangerous stand.
Even though Kohli scored his second consecutive half-century off of 36 balls, Bengaluru could only muster a point.
Bengaluru has won one of its three games, while Kolkata has won two of its two.