On Sunday, the star batter for Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. Kohli looked in great shape as he scored a magnificent half-century. With six fours and five sixes, Kohli scored 82 runs in just 49 deliveries, and he appeared to be in top form.
He became the first Indian cricketer to score 50 or more runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL). With 60, Delhi Capitals’ David Warner leads the list overall. With 49, Punjab Kings captain Shikhar Dhawan is third overall.
With a 148-run opening partnership between Kohli and Faf du Plessis, RCB made a sensational start to their IPL campaign with a comprehensive eight-wicket victory.
Tilak Varma’s scintillating 84 off 46 balls got MI to 171 for seven when he batted, but Kohli and du Plessis made fun of the total by hitting twin fifties as RCB smashed home with as many as 22 balls left.
Kohli and Du Plessi’s partnership:
Kohli (82 not out) and Du Plessis (73 not out) chased 172 in a near-perfect 89-ball partnership that included 10 boundaries and as many maximums. They made an impressive display of stroke-making.
Kohli finished the job after du Plessis died in the 15th over by hitting a four and a six off Arshad Khan to eliminate the winning runs and hand MI their 11th consecutive defeat in their season opener.
MI got Jason Behrendorff instead of Suryakumar Yadav as their effect player yet it didn’t function as he and his new-ball accomplice Arshad were scammed by Kohli and du Plessis, piling up 30 out of three overs.
After being dropped by the bowler in the first ball, Kohli blasted a four and a six off Jofra Archer, whereas Behrendorff was hit by du Plessis for consecutive sixes.
Piyush Chawla, a veteran spinner, was then used, but du Plessis hit him over the extra cover. Kohli hit a shot over the middle wicket off Archer, and RCB scored 53 in six overs.
After that, du Plessis destroyed Cameron Green with two fours and a maximum. In order to reach fifty, the skipper gave Hrithik Shokeen the same treatment twice more.
After that, Kohli hit Chawla over long-on to score a team hundred before scoring fifty for himself in the 12th over.
In the subsequent game, Jason Behrendorff scored 16 runs, and du Plessis hit a six and a four. As the runs kept coming thick and fast, Kohli pulled Archer over deep square leg. not out of 3 balls.
Before that, MI had a bad start, but Varma, who had a good season last year, played a fantastic inning to keep the game going.
Varma added 50 and 48 with Nehal Wadhera (21) and Arshad Khan (15 not out) for the fifth and eighth wickets, respectively, after the RCB bowlers had reduced MI to 20 for three in 5.2 overs.
The 20-year-old scored nine boundaries and four sixes in his knock.
Cameron Green was bowled out by Recce Topley, who took his first IPL wicket, and Ishan Kishan was bowled out by Mohammed Siraj with an outswinger.
When Siraj and Dinesh Kartik collided while going for a catch in the fifth over, Rohit was saved. However, Akash Deep used an edge to reduce MI to 20 for 3 in 5.2 overs, and the India skipper was unable to take advantage.
Topley left the field in the eighth over after injuring his shoulder while diving to stop a Varma boundary.
After making his debut, poor form Suryakumar Yadav also fell victim to Shahbaz Ahmed’s direct hit.
Varma, on the other hand, batted with confidence as he continued, reverse-sweeping Michael Bracewell for a four before hitting a six and four off Maxwell to score 16 runs in the 12th over.
Karn Sharma bowled Wadhera to two consecutive maximums, but Kohli caught him as MI fell to 99 for five. There was part of assumptions from Tim David however Karn Sharma tidied him up when he attempted to go for success.
Varma, on the other hand, demonstrated his temper when he slammed Akash Deep into a deep square leg for yet another maximum to reach his half-century.
After three overs, Siraj had figures of 3-0-5-1. He bowled the 19th over, but Varma hit five wides to stop him from hitting two fours and MI reached 149 for seven after the 16-run over. In the final over, Varma hammered Harshal with two sixes and a four, resulting in 48 runs in the last 17 balls.