IPL 2018, DD vs RCB: Virat Kohli spanking Junior Dala for 17 runs is SK Turning Point of the match
The Royal Challengers Bangalore kept themselves alive in the tournament by clinching an important 5-wicket victory against the Delhi Daredevils at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Saturday (May 12).
Almost everything went right for Virat Kohli and his men from the very outset of the game, as he won the toss and decided to bowl first at the ground where he became the player that he is today.
An excellent fifty by Rishabh Pant, who is now the owner of the Orange Cap, saw Delhi pick up a strong total of 181-4 after 20 overs. RCB started the chase on a poor note, losing both their openers to cheap scores.
Sandeep Lamichhane, Nepal's first cricketer to feature in the tournament, was impressive upfront and bowled in tandem with Trent Boult to restrict the visitors to 18 for the loss of two wickets after the first three overs.
However, Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers, both decided to come to the party on the day and put up two brilliant half-centuries to take RCB over the finish line.
The initiation of their attack started in the fourth over of the game, where Junior Dala was taken apart by the Indian skipper to score 17 runs off just six legitimate deliveries. This was the over that turned the momentum of the chase and took the pressure off the able shoulders of Kohli, thereby qualifying for the SK Turning Point of the match.
The elegant yet powerful right-handed batsman smashed two fours and one massive six in the over, making the South African feel the heat with his immense strokeplay. From teetering at the edge of a dangerous situation, RCB went on to up their effort in the chase through that one over.
It was all about the Kohli-AB show after that, as the two veterans displayed their class and talent to take the Challengers to their first away victory of the season.
While Kohli scored 70 off 40 deliveries, the South African talisman racked up 72 unbeaten runs off just 37 balls. The latter was even adjudged Man of the Match for his impressive effort on the day.
"I wasn't happy with the way we finished with the ball, but AB told me in the innings break that we can do this and that is what helped me get into the zone and then I let my instincts take over. It's an honour for me to bat with AB. We were looking to finish it with a few more overs to spare to help the net run rate, but the two points are very important," said Kohli after the game.
Despite being seventh on the points table, the Bangalore franchise have an outside chance of making it to the playoffs, if they can manage to win all of their subsequent matches in the tournament. Delhi, on the other hand, have fallen to yet another poor season in the IPL, and will not make it to the top four this year as well.
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