After his team’s 54-run thrashing at the hands of Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Faf du Plessis said that regular fall of wickets didn’t help their cause while chasing a stiff target of 210 at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.
RCB batters such as Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Glenn Maxwell got starts but failed to convert them into a match-winning score.
According to Du Plessis, RCB managed to pull things back after Jonny Bairstow slammed 66 off 29 balls to set the foundation for PBKS’ huge total.
“It was a good score, obviously Jonny, the way he started put our bowlers under great pressure. I thought we pulled it back a bit. 200 was about par on that wicket, was a brilliant wicket. When you're chasing scores like that, you can't afford to lose wickets in clusters and, unfortunately, that's what happened to us,” Du Plessis said at the post-match presentation.
The RCB captain also praised Virat Kohli for looking in good shape during his brief knock of 14-ball 20.
WATCH – Virat Kohli’s heartbreaking reaction after his dismissal on 20 against PBKS
Unlike his last few innings, Kohli time the ball well this time around, hitting a couple of fours and a six. He was looking set for a big one but Kagiso Rabada dismissed him in the fourth over of RCB’s innings.
“He (Kohli) is seeing the lighter side of it, every single way that you can possibly get out, is happening to him. That's how the game works. All you can do is to keep trying hard, work hard and stay positive. He played some good shots tonight, obviously. Obviously, I would want him to carry on. Bad patches happen to all of us, he's taken it in the right note.”
Despite the loss, RCB are occupying the fourth spot on the points table. With one match left against the Gujarat Titans (GT), Du Plessis understands the importance of a win to reach the playoffs.
“Not a great outing for us tonight. I will take a day off and then see how we can switch on for a game that's a must-win one for us. One more net session isn't going to make you a better player, it's about making yourselves stronger in the mind. If we play to our potential, we are a very strong side. Unfortunately, we didn't do that tonight," Faf said.
Royal Challengers Bangalore are due to face Gujarat Titans on May 19 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
