NEW DELHI: After coming from a two-month paternity break, batting run machine Virat Kohli scored a match-winning 77 off 49 balls and handed Royal Challengers Bengaluru a four-wicket victory against Punjab Kings at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. This was RCB's first win in the tournament.
Virat, who smashed 11 boundaries and two sixes, deservedly walked away with the Player of the Match award.
Following RCB's maiden win, Virat was seen engaging in a video call with his family members. Displaying evident delight and jubilation, Virat showered flying kisses during the call, radiating happiness.
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"I know my name is nowadays quite attached to just promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket. But, I've still got it, I guess," said the 35-year-old father of two in the post-match presentation.
His comments come in the backdrop of never-ending media speculation surrounding the team's composition for the big event to be jointly hosted by the USA and the West Indies starting June 1.
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1/10:Virat Kohli helps RCB beat Punjab Kings
PTI
2/10:Virat Kohli
<p>Kohli powered RCB to victory, smashing 77 with 11 fours and two sixes in a 49-ball blitz. His performance helped them chase down 177 runs with four balls to spare, bouncing back from their previous loss in the tournament opener.<br /></p>PTI
3/10:Mohammed Siraj
<p>Bengaluru chose to field first against Punjab. After Siraj dismissed Bairstow for eight runs, they continued to take regular wickets.<br /></p>PTI
4/10:Shikhar Dhawan
<p>Maxwell made a significant breakthrough by dismissing skipper Shikhar for 45 runs off 37 balls, including five fours and a six. At that point, PBKS was 98/4 in 12.1 overs.<br /></p>PTI
5/10:Curran and Jitesh
<p>Curran and Jitesh reached their 50-run partnership, taking the team to 150 runs in 17.4 overs. Dayal broke the partnership by dismissing Curran for 23 runs off 17 balls, including three fours. At that point, PBKS was 150/5 in 17.4 overs.<br /></p>AP
6/10:Shashank Singh
<p>In Joseph's last over, Shashank Singh smashed two sixes and a four. PBKS concluded their innings at 176/6, with Shashank unbeaten on 21* from eight balls, including a four and two sixes, while Harpreet Brar remained unbeaten on 2*.<br /></p>PTI
7/10:Kagiso Rabada
<p>Punjab's Kagiso Rabada made an early impact, dismissing skipper Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green, both for just three runs.<br /></p>PTI
8/10:Harpreet Brar
<p>Harpreet Brar shifted the momentum in PBKS's favor by dismissing Patidar (18) and Glenn Maxwell (3) in rapid succession.<br /></p>PTI
9/10:Virat Kohli
<p>Virat Kohli reached his 51st IPL fifty in just 31 balls. He also became the third batsman, following Chris Gayle and David Warner, to achieve 100 fifty-plus scores in T20 cricket.<br /></p>ANI
10/10:Dinesh Karthik
<p>Kohli was dismissed by fast bowler Harshal Patel in the 16th over, and shortly after, Bengaluru lost another wicket. However, Karthik (28) and impact substitute Mahipal Lomror (17) guided the team to victory with an unbeaten partnership of 48 runs off 18 balls.<br /></p>PTI"Well I mean you have to (make additions to your game)," he said when asked about going aerial against the pacers on the off-side.
"People know I play the cover drive pretty well so they're not going to allow me to hit gaps and with guys like KG (Kagiso Rabada) and Arshdeep (Singh) as well, he's tall. So, I mean, if they're hitting length, you have to create some momentum in the ball.
"And once you're closer to the ball, you kind of negate the bounce that's going to happen. You meet it earlier. So, I mean, you have to come up with a game plan here and there and try to keep improving your game," he explained at the post-match presentation.
Virat had missed the five-match Test series against England as he was overseas for the birth of his second child.
The long break allowed him to spend much needed quality time with his family and not being recognised on the streets was something that he enjoyed the most.
RCB will now face Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
