After suffering a 59-run thrashing at the hands of Delhi Capitals (DC), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli admitted that they lacked intensity and did not bring out their 'A' game in Dubai on Monday (October 5).
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Chasing 197 to win, RCB could post only 137/9 in 20 overs. Besides Kohli (43 off 39 balls), none of the RCB players managed to cross the 20-run mark as the Bangalore-based franchise suffered their second defeat in the tournament from five games.
"Delhi are playing some good cricket. Their batting line up is fearless, they have a good balance in the side, their bowling line up is pretty good too and they will be hard to beat, I wouldn't say unbeatable but they are a tough side to beat. Against such sides we have to bring our A game and top intensity which I don't think we did tonight," Virat said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Earlier, Delhi piled up 196/4 in 20 overs on the back of Marcus Stoinis’ unbeaten 26-ball 53 and Prithvi Shaw’s 23-ball 42 at the top. Rishabh Pant (37 off 25 balls) and Shikhar Dhawan (32 off 28 balls) also made valuable contributions with the willow.
Defending the total, Kagiso Rabada (4/24) registered the best figures of IPL 2020 While Akshar Patel (2/18) and Ravichandran Ashwin (1/26) jolted the RCB batting unit in the powerplay.
"We were quite aggressive with the new ball, Prithvi and Shkihar batted really well. I think Prithvi took the game on and we expected that, we kept a catching position and even tried to pick a wicket with the spinner. We got into the game after the first six and then Stoinis batted really well in the end, we gave him a life, he took the game away from us," Kohli conceded.
Nonetheless, RCB are still at the third position in the points table and Virat Kohli believes the inclusion of Chris Morris, their premier all-rounder who is nearing his full fitness, will bolster RCB’s playing XI in the upcoming games.
"Chris was really close to playing today as well but couldn't make it. We have four days before the next game, once he comes back into the squad it is a different balance altogether.
"The good thing is we have won three out of five, we have lost two where we haven't played good cricket, so I think it is about rectifying those small mistakes," he remarked.
RCB will take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their next game on Saturday (October 10).
