The Royal Challengers Bangalore moved up to third place in the standings with this remarkable victory, improving their net run rate to +1.981. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) by eight wickets in their season opener on Sunday with to brilliant batting performances from Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli at Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Virat Kohli Played A Stunning Knock
With a 148-run opening wicket stand, the duo made short work of the target score of 172. Eventually, Du Plessis batted for 72 runs off 47 balls, with 5 fours and 4 sixes. Virat Kohli, on the other hand, came back unbeaten on 82 after facing only 49 balls. A net run rate of +1.981 propelled RCB to third place in the standings after this shocking victory.
It was the first time in IPL history that Du Plessis and Kohli batted together for RCB, and it happened at Chinnaswamy. The score of 172 may have seemed like a tall order, but for these two cricketing greats, it was child’s play. They immediately began pounding the Mumbai assault, and by the end of the powerplay, they had brought the stand within fifty runs.
They kept attacking the MI bowlers and scored half-centuries in the process. Faf reached the fifty-point mark in just 29 balls, while Kohli needed 38.
The RCB were on track for a 10-wicket victory before Arshad Khan bowled out Faf du Plessis in the 15th over, breaking their record-setting stand of 148 runs. The crowd anticipated a swift conclusion as Dinesh Karthik entered next. The veteran wicketkeeper-batsman was dismissed by Cameron Green for a duck before he could go on the scoreboard.
Although Kohli smashed the winning runs, RCB made it safely home thanks to a couple of sixes from the following batter, Glenn Maxwell.
Rohit Sharma Hugged Kohli
Meanwhile, after Kohli smashed the winning runs and took his side home, captain of Mumbai Indians Rohit Sharma also appreciated his knock. Several pictures of Rohit hugging Virat after his sensational knock has gone viral on the internet and the beautiful moment has left everyone in awe.
Check out some of the tweets on viral pictures:
Picture of the day – Rohit Sharma appreciating Virat Kohli's today innings.
The bond of King Kohli & Hitman Rohit. pic.twitter.com/4KjefBj8kh
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) April 2, 2023
Rohit is the only one who witnessed Virat's all 82* so closely 🥰pic.twitter.com/23vBhZAcVP
— Pr𝕏tham (@Prxtham_18) April 2, 2023
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma hugging each other without a smile on face, clear rift.#RCBvMI pic.twitter.com/MugbsRxTXd
— Akshat (@AkshatOM10) April 2, 2023
WTC FINAL , Asia Cup And World Cup में भी ऐसे ही खेलना Virat – Rohit pic.twitter.com/FwLauUeM0B
— Vaibhav Bhola 🇮🇳 (@VibhuBhola) April 2, 2023
Rohit Sharma hugged Virat Kohli and appreciated his innings.
A beautiful picture! pic.twitter.com/wEUZnrYqbz
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 2, 2023
Rohit Sharma appreciating Virat Kohli.
A beautiful picture of IPL 2023. pic.twitter.com/zaNwJTwbxU
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) April 2, 2023
Earlier, the Mumbai Indians were in a tough spot against the RCB, but Tilak Varma batted brilliantly, hitting a sparkling fifty. After being put in, five-time winners MI got off to a slow start, but Varma, fresh off a great season, came up with the goods by keeping the batting together with an unbeaten 84-run knockoff of just 46 balls.
When they were forced to bat first, Mumbai quickly fell to 48/4 and then 123/7, putting them in risk of being bowled out for a low score. Varma, though, held his own, as seen by the nine boundaries and four sixes he hit at a strike rate of 182.6, to help Mumbai score 69 runs in the final five overs.
As captain Faf du Plessis elected to bowl, RCB bowlers reduced MI to 20 for three in 5.2 overs, but Varma played a lone hand, adding 50 and 48 for the fifth and eighth wickets with Nehal Wadhera (21) and Arshad Khan (15 not out), respectively.
MI reached 99 for five in 14 overs thanks in large part to the powerful hitting of Wadhera, who blasted back-to-back maximums off of bowler Karn Sharma before being caught by captain Virat Kohli.
Meanwhile, MI reached 149 for seven after Siraj’s 19th over, which he bowled despite having numbers of 3-0-5-1 after three overs. He sent down five wides and allowed two fours.
