Drilled down the ground, DK's reviving himself and takes RCB to a win in their first home game. Arshdeep went full and just outside off, Karthik got across and blasted it flat over the bowler. Too straight for long-on. Crowd are ecstatic
PBKS vs RCB, 6th Match at Bengaluru, IPL, Mar 25 2024 - Match Result
RCB won by 4 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)
That was fun. There were unforced errors, teams not capitalising after getting close to taking home the advantage. Kohli's intent™️ chat won't be too loud given how he exploded at the start. But both teams got a lot of things right tactically and skill-wise, which made it a great game for the neutrals too. Hope that trend continues as the tournament progresses and that you follow it along with us, here on Cricinfo.
Harit Gautam: ""We had to pay the price for dropping Kohli" hope the selectors don't have to repeat Dhawan's words after the World Cup "
Kozhakks: "Loved the post match presentation from Kohli! The camaraderie between Harsha and Kohli was evident in that. "
[Dancing down and hitting over cover to pacers] I had to, bowlers know I play the cover drive pretty well. So they won't allow me to hit gaps. Guys like KG and Arshdeep, if they are hitting length, you have to create momentum, once you're closer to the ball you negate the bounce. You have to come up with a game plan and try to keep improving. I know my name is often used to just promote the T20 game across the world these days but still got it I guess. [Last two months] We were not in the country. We were at a place where people weren't recognizing us. Just to feel normal for two months was a surreal experience. Of course, things become totally different with two kids from a family perspective. Just being together, the connection with the older kid too is amazing. I couldn't have been more grateful to God for the opportunity that I got to spend time with the family. I was telling the guys that the voices got that much louder as it wasn't the case for the last two months. It was amazing to be another person on the road. I don't play for caps, it's just another opportunity. (2/2)
Virat Kohli, POTM: [To the crowd] Don't get overexcited, it's just two games. I know what this (orange cap) means. [Love story with the crowd] It's been going on for years. People talk a lot about playing the sport. At the end of the day you don't talk about the achievements, stats or numbers but the memories. It's what Rahul Dravid says. The friendship, love, appreciation, backing has been amazing and is what you'll miss and never forget. In T20, I'm opening, I try to give the team a blazing start. But when wickets start falling, you have to understand the conditions as well. The wicket wasn't as placid as normal here. It was a bit two-paced. Had to play correct cricketing shots, couldn't hit balls across the line. Tried a few, felt like I needed big hits at the other end, which didn't happen as Maxi and Anuj got out quickly. Disappointed not having finished it off. It was a slot ball that I sliced straight to deep point. Not a bad bad though playing after two months and getting into the tournament. (1/2)
Faf du Plessis, RCB captain: [Was he cool] Only on the outside, not as much on the inside. Gotta make sure you get over the line early in the tournament. Great to see the composure at the end. Don't think game was gone after Kohli went, because of the Impact Player and Mahipal in. In previous years we used to feel 12 runs in the last overs would be tough but now even 15s seem gettable in the last two. Really pleased for DK getting his game going. It sets us up for the rest of the tournament. Games get won at lost at the No. 7 and 8 position with the Impact subs, so he's key. Our plan at the auction was to find the DNA of the team. It's tough on this unique ground. The pitch was a bit different. Kohli's is still the same person, has had a nice break. It helps keep fresh in the back end of the career.
Dinesh Karthik Getting there [past the rust] I wasn't completely in control but it started to feel good. We needed the partnership with Lomror, he took the pressure off me with that six. It was critical, he batted well. Harshal is a wily customer. If you miss the dipping slower ball, you're done, so I had to time the scoop well. Lomror looked calm, didn't tell him anything at first. Told him to put that behind after he hit that six, then keep his head still and the rest will follow through. He's been batting well in the nets too.
Shikhar Dhawan, Punjab Kings captain: Good game, we brought it back. Think we were 10-15 less. Should have encashed in the first six overs. We had to pay the price for dropping Kohli. We lost momentum there, it was crucial. It looked a good wicket but wasn't true. It was stopping, bit of double-bounce and turned. 70% it was coming good. I was happy with my runs but think could've played faster in the first six. We lost two wickets which put pressure too. That total we thought was par. Match went till last over, at the end we could have bowled better. Harpreet is bowling really well, that too to left-handers on a small ground. He soaked in pressure and got breakthroughs. His celebration, the Kabaddi thing, is big in Punjab. People connect with the thigh-five, happy to see him doing it
11:14pm It was a twist-y turn-y chase. Kings were in it despite the unforced error. But Kohli gave RCB liftoff and DK landed the plane safely. All games this season have been won by the home team. RCB's record hasn't been great but that wasn't an issue tonight. The biggest event seemed to have taken place at the start of the chase, when Bairstow dropped Kohli. It unleashed one of the best players, and indeed flayers, in cricket. Him charging pacers and clubbing them through extra is what we've imagined doing as kids. The overseas stars failed. Promoting Green to No. 3 and Patidar over Maxwell didn't work. Harpreet was sensational, Rabada was good too. The constant wickets almost derailed the chase, especially Kohli fell due to some smart field placement. But DK came in with ice in the veins, got Lomror for support and the duo cleared the game with great skill and calmness.
Raab: "As a Bangladeshi, just had PTSD watching DK bat like this. If you know, you know. "
Wide and full. The angle takes it too far. DK leans and shapes to play but knows he doesn't have to. Gets the wide and the stumps' lights are doing their own dance
DK scoops the game back in RCB's favour. Whataguy! This was premeditated but to perfection. He was going square-on and the ball was into the pitch, angling outside off, he got behind it and launched it behind again. Short fine leg was in again, he outplayed a pacer. Again!
AJ: "Can RCB be declared the winner because they have scored more runs by the 19th over " Arshdeep has 10 to defend.
Akshay : "Win predictor perfectly imitating our heart beats"
Goes back towards the yorker. Low fully though, at the stumps, worked to long-on
Mustafa Moudi : "DK yet again playing a DK - Dangerous Knock !!"
Bumper sits up and DK hooks it over the fine-leg boundary! Slower one, 126ks, landed short, angled in to go over leg stump. Sat up for DK to get inside the line and launch it. Short fine leg was in, just a 59-metre hit. Brings the equation down to 11 off 7
Low fully hits pad, lbw not given. Harshal is interested, no review. 140ks, angling on leg, DK tries to clip behind square, gets opened up. Ball goes offside but nearby
Fine leg comes in
Cannoned over the bowler. Hard length, 136ks, angling in towards fourth. Karthik didn't have to shift his line, got his weight forward and slapped it
Karthik starts backing away before coming back but Harshal, smartly bowls a Test ball to beat him. Three-quarter length on fifth, 140ks, Karthik was late on the attempted steer towards third. Beaten
Angle works against Harshal this time. The full ball goes past the flick and down leg. Good stop by the keeper
It's full but not a yorker. Delivered from wide of the crease, angling towards fourth. Lomror was in the crease, drove it to long-off, along the ground
Raghav: "With the required run rate of just 12 per over, with smaller ground... it's advantage RCB still" Harshal has the ball. Nose and toes?
Low full toss on middle, slipped with power but it's straight at square leg's shin.
Wide and full, outside Lomror's hitting arc. He's on one knee, but the stride is straight and not towards the line, tries to slash it over cover. Misses
Suri K: "Please bring in Lomrar as a sub!" From earlier. He sends a reminder too
Speaker on, full volume! Short this time, around shoulder height, Lomror swivels and pulls. Didn't need to look at it, knew he'd get it over backward square
Crowd finds its voice again. Dhawan has a word with Arshdeep
Slugged over cow corner! Slot ball angling in at off, 136ks, Lomror stays in the crease, twists his ankle inwards and launches it
Desh: "Sometimes I wonder how international players forget basics - Curran bowling a slower 130k ball on outside leg when fine leg is in the circle. Easy boundary!!"
Pulls the shortish ball to deep square leg
Slower bouncer beats the pull, RCB get a bye though
Vinod Rajpal: "Can DK rescue RCB from here ?"
Full and slow on leg, clipped to the right of Arshdeep at deep fine leg. DK scampers back for a tight second, makes it!
Down leg again. Back-of-length offcutter misses the line, it's helped off the top of the thighs. Four to fine leg
Karthik lunges and collects his thoughts before facing
Junaid Anwar: "Let us also appreciate Shashank Singh the "unfortunate guy" many laughed at him after the auction."
Harpreet Bhatia charges in from backward point as they go for the run, can't pick it up. It rolls back but they settle for one. Length outside off, was defended with an angled bat
Full and on the pads, drifting leg side and it's clipped wide of short fine for four
Lomror, RCB's Impact Player, comes in with 47 needed off 22.
2W | ||||
1W | 1W | |||
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | |
Toss | Royal Challengers Bengaluru, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2024 |
Player Of The Match | |
Hours of play (local time) | 19.30 start, First Session 19.30-21.00, Interval 21.00-21.20, Second Session 21.20-22.50 |
Match days | 25 March 2024 - night (20-over match) |
PBKS Player Replacement | Impact player: in, out (1st innings, 19.6 ov) |
RCB Player Replacement | Impact player: in, out (2nd innings, 16.2 ov) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Royal Challengers Bengaluru 2, Punjab Kings 0 |
Over 20 • RCB 178/6
RCB won by 4 wickets (with 4 balls remaining)