Kohli continued his red-hot form as he smashed an unbeaten 54 off 45 balls to secure his side a spot in the Indian Premier League play-offs, following a six-wicket win over Delhi Daredevils in a winner-takes-all contest in Raipur last evening.
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Captain fearless-Kohli-became the first player to score 900 runs in an IPL season, and he needs 81 more to become the first player to reach 1000-run mark. What had, for long periods, seemed an anti-climax of sorts – a total around 150, a rare Virat Kohli failure and an RCB top-order collapse – was ultimately salvaged.
RCB collapsed to 68 for six and Kohli’s team started at imminent defeat.
Praising lower order batsman Iqbal Abdulla, who gave De Villiers able company with his 33 not out off 25 balls. Bangalore restricted Delhi to a lowly 138/8 in 20 overs, before chasing it down with 11 balls in hand. On top of this list comes all-rounder Shane Watson, who might have failed with the bat but picked up four wickets on Tuesday to break the backbone of the Lions.
And halfway through the 18th over, De Villiers and Abdullah managed to even the required number of runs and balls at 15 and finally claim the victory in the 19th over. The duo stitched 91 runs that will probably be the most decisive partnership in the tournament so far.
The Daredevils made a strong start as Bangalore came to the crease, quickly dismissing two of the side’s biggest threats.
But from there it was nearly all de Villiers, the multi-skilled player hitting five fours and five sixes as he and Abdullah (33 off 25) blasted their side to victory after needing 91 off 62 with six wickets down.
Watson set Raina up to have the Indian Test batsman caught at short fine leg from a short ball in the third over, the table-toppers crashing to 3-9 after losing Australian Aaron Finch for four and Brendon McCullum for one. He was really motivated to do it for the team.
On being asked about how IPL helped him to improve his game, he said, “I’m still learning”. Special credit to Iqbal as well, the way he got stuck with AB, that crucial partnership.
“Unbelievable, can’t believe I’m the winning captain”, Kohli said after the match. He went on to add, “That should end a lot of debates as to who is the best going around. No question about it”. “It is a great honour and privilege to be in a final with this great franchise, which has looked after me and the team so well over the years”, he gushed.
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Generally known to be a batting paradise, the Bangalore track on Tuesday was dry, the ball gripped and turned and only de Villiers applied himself well and understood the pace of the wicket.
