Virat Kohli’s meticulous unbeaten 83 went in vain for Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they were hauled down by Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League on Friday.
Kohli followed his 77 on Monday with a 59-ball knock that anchored Bengaluru to 182-6 on a two-paced pitch that became easier to bat on later.
Kolkata opening batters Sunil Narine, playing his 500th Twenty20, and Phil Salt made a rocket start of 85 in the power play. They reached a winning 186-3 with 3.1 overs to spare.
Narine, 47 off 22, smashed five sixes and two fours. Salt made 30 off 20. They plundered the likes of fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj (0-46) and Yash Dayal (1-46).
Narine was yorked by Mayank Dagar and Salt followed him soon when he pulled impact player Vijakumar Vyshak (1-23) to deep square leg.
But Ventakesh Iyer played some exquisite pull shots and used his feet well in a 75-run stand with Shreyas Iyer to seal the game. Ventakesh offered a straightforward catch to Kohli at deep midwicket soon after his 50 off 30 with four sixes and three fours. Shreyas was 39 not out.
Earlier, Kolkata’s multi-million-dollar pacer Mitchell Starc went wicketless at 0-47, but Andre Russell bowled well with 2-29 despite Kohli’s early domination.
Bengaluru captain Faf du Plessis fell to a brilliant off-cutter by Harshit Rana in the second over. Cameroon Green looked to accelerate alongside Kohli but Russell broke their threatening stand by clean-bowling the Australian in the ninth over.
Kohli raised his second successive half-century off 36 balls but it helped Bengaluru only to a par score.
Kolkata has two wins from two matches, and Bengaluru one from three.
Source: AP News