After his match-winning 52-ball 90* against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Dubai on Saturday (October 10), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli said he was putting too much pressure on himself in the initial games of the tournament.
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Notably, Kohli had registered the scores of 14, 1 and 3 in RCB’s first three games before he bounced back to hit 72*, 43 and latest 90 not out.
The last three outings also made him RCB’s leading run-scorer with 223 runs.
"It was one of our more complete performances. Wanted to bat first but got into a bit of a trick situation there. We spoke at the time out that around 150 would be great. To gain some momentum now was very important because we have back-to-back games. When you don't get too far ahead of the game, it rewards you [with respect to making 169 after playing for 150]. If you're in at the death overs and you have a score and you're hitting it well, you can capitalise well. That was something for us to learn tonight," Kohli said at the post-match presentation ceremony after his team’s 37-run victory over CSK.
"I was putting too much pressure on myself [in the early matches]. When you start burdening yourself too much, you don't contribute as a player and your team needs that as well. That super over really opened my thinking up, where I had to perform or we would lose," he added.
Riding on Kohli’s knock, RCB posted 169/4 on the board. With the ball, Chris Morris bagged three wickets while Washington Sundar claimed two scalps as RCB restricted CSK to 132/8 in their stipulated 20 overs.
"Morris didn't get an opportunity but there was still Morris to come and Gurkeerat to come. I think it was a complete performance and the intensity was right there, from the first over when we entered the field. It's a good start and when you get momentum at this stage of the tournament it can separate you from the bottom of the table or going up," Kohli remarked.
RCB will take on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their next match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium on Monday (October 12).
