Under Virat Kohli’s leadership, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) registered a comprehensive 24-run victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on Thursday (April 20).
Invited to bat first, RCB posted 174/4 in their allotted 20 overs on the back of half-centuries from Faf du Plessis (84 off 56) and Kohli (59 off 47).
Defending the total, the visitors rode on pacer Mohammed Siraj’s four-wicket haul (4-21) to bundle out PBKS for 150 in 18.2 overs.
It was the third win of the season for RCB in six matches as they moved to the fifth spot on the points table.
Speaking after the game, Kohli said the mood in the RCB camp remains upbeat while also stating that they are not looking too much into the points table at the moment.
"This (win) does not make us an invincible team or the league position before today did not make us a bad team. The table cannot define your mood, when you have just played five or six games. Maintain our processes and stay in the moment," Kohli said at the post-match presentation.
Virat Kohli stood in as captain in this match as regular skipper Du Plessis played the role of an Impact Player.
RCB were 130/0 at the end of the 15th over but managed to score only 44 runs in the last five overs. Kohli said the pitch became difficult for free-flowing strokes after the seventh over of their innings.
"In the first half, the conditions changed drastically. Faf batted outstandingly well. We thought of extending our partnership for as long as possible so that it could give us an extra 20 runs.
"After overs 7-8, as soon as the ball was getting bashed into the square, the ball really started getting scuffed up. We changed our strategy then to bat deeper. Had we stayed in, we could have given a crack at 190-200. We felt 175 was a good score on this pitch. I told them that was more than enough," Kohli said.
"All we had to do was be confident and hold the ball in hand looking to get wickets. The way you win games in T20 cricket is by taking wickets. At the half-way stage, the idea was to take the game to the opposition in the first six overs. We broke the game open right there and our fielding was brilliant as well,” he further remarked.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will next face Rajasthan Royals at Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 23.
