Published: Apr 20, 2019, 08:27 AM (IST)
Edited: Apr 20, 2019, 08:27 AM (IST)
Virat Kohli struck a masterly hundred to put Nitish Rana and Andre Russell’s magnificent fightback in a shade as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 10 runs in a thrilling Indian Premier League (IPL) clash at the Eden Gardens here on Friday.
In desperate need of a win to keep their slim playoff chances alive, Kohli took 58 balls to bring up his fifth ton of the IPL and first this season with the help of nine fours and four sixes after Moeen Ali gave the much needed oxygen to their innings with a whirlwind 28-ball 66 (4×5, 6×6).
This was Kohli’s first hundred since 2016 when he had dragged the team out of a hole with four centuries in a record-shattering performance which yielded 973 runs from 16 matches as RCB finished as runners-up.
Kohli and Ali added 90 runs for the third wicket off just 43 balls as RCB posted 213/4 after being only 70/2 at the halfway stage.
Chasing a stiff 214 for victory, Rana (79 off 45 not out; 9×4, 4×6) and Russell (65 off 25 balls; 2×4; 9×6) stitched together a 118-run partnership off 48 balls to take the match till the last over.
