Royal Challengers Bengaluru 241 for 7 (Kohli 92, Patidar 55, Green 46, Harshal 3-38, Kaverappa 2-36) beat Punjab Kings 181 (Rossouw 61, Shashank 37, Siraj 3-43, Swapnil 2-28, Ferguson 2-29, Karn 2-36) by 60 runs
With the required rate now high above the run rate, it was curtains for PBKS. They ended 181 all out after 17 overs.
Kohli anyway started the match as the IPL’s highest run-scorer. But having been reprieved on zero, he went on to play one of his best innings of a stellar season, finding boundaries through the covers, through midwicket, and down the ground – his footwork often immaculate.
Though he opened the batting, he didn’t have a lot of the strike, facing only 14 balls in the powerplay. But before long he was striking at well over 150, as he found capable partners in Patidar (who was the more aggressive partner in their stand), and then Green.
It was a vintage Kohli innings, full of powerful wristy flicks, hard running, though towards the end he also got his six-hitting game going, finishing with six maximums overall.
He seemed poised to make his second triple-figure score of the season, but sliced a wide Arshdeep Singh delivery and was caught at deep third in the 18th over.
