Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) ended the league stage competition of IPL 2021 with a last-ball thriller win. They defeated table-toppers Delhi Capitals (DC) and chased down 165 runs with 7 wickets in hand.
RCB captain Virat Kohli said the win against DC has given them belief that they can pull off a victory from any situation. Bangalore needed 5 runs on the final delivery when Avesh Khan bowled a full toss which was smashed by Srikar Bharat for a six over long-on.
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"Unbelievable game. We had nothing to lose, but it was a competitive game which is always the case in the IPL. We have beaten them twice now. The way AB batted in the beginning and then with KS and Maxwell, in the end, was unbelievable. The reality was that we had to win by 160 runs, and we thought that there could be a collapse or something. We thought of it the other way around," Kohli told host broadcaster Star Sports after the game.
"This gives us the confidence that we can pull off a game from any situation. We haven't chased much in this tournament. Number three hasn't been an issue. We wanted to give Christian some time, he was batting really well in the middle. We took that chance and it didn't come off. We knew KS was a guy who could come in at three at any stage," he added.
Bangalore will play IPL 2021 eliminators against Kolkata Knight Riders after finishing 3rd on the points table with 9 wins in 14 matches. A better run rate would have pushed them up to the number 2 spot in place of Chennai Super Kings.
"I think we need to sharpen up in the field. Sometimes the boundaries that go at crucial stages, could be critical. You need to be switched on always. A win like this gives you confidence.
"We have played well in Sharjah. We have been able to handle the conditions and keep the opposition in check if things have gotten away from us. We have the experience already and we need to utilize it as much as possible to keep moving on in this tournament," Kohli added.
(With ANI Inputs)
