Kohli in the runs as RCB sign off with a win
Virat Kohli returned to form with a half-century as bottom side Royal Challengers Bangalore ended an Indian Premier League campaign to forget with a 10-run-win over Delhi Daredevils.
Kohli has failed to inspire RCB to hit the heights in the 2017 IPL, but signed off with 58 from 45 balls to help his side to 161-6 after the India captain won the toss at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground.
The classy Kohli and Chris Gayle (48) put on 66 for the second wicket and Delhi were unable to prevent Bangalore from securing only a third win of a dismal tournament.
Harshal Patel, Travis Head and Pawan Negi did much of the damage as the Daredevils, who were guaranteed to finish sixth regardless of the result in the final game of the regular season, could only muster 151 all out.
Pawan Negi gets his man! Mishra(7) departs! #DD 135/8 after 18 overs. #DDvRCB #PlayBold #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/XNkAJ8yg9f
— Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 14, 2017
Gayle set the tone by taking two boundaries off the first over from Zaheer Khan and struck Mohammed Shami for a couple of sixes before Vishnu Vinod (3) played on to a delivery from Pat Cummins.
Kohli got in on the act, effortlessly launching Corey Anderson's first ball for six over long-on with phenomenal timing and clearing the ropes again in a 12th over from Amit Mishra which went for 19 and included another six from Gayle.
Gayle, who has endured a poor IPL by his standards, fell tamely to Shahbaz Nadeem to miss out on a half-century, but Kohli had his fourth fifty of the tournament in the 15th over after Head was run out.
Kohli flicked Zaheer over the ropes but was out from the following ball and Negi hit three consecutive boundaries in the last over of the innings, runs which proved to be crucial.
Avesh Khan removed Sanju Samson in the first over of Delhi's reply, but Karun Nair (26) and Shreyas Iyer (32) made contributions for the home side to put them on course to chase down their target.
Harshal (3-43) got rid of Iyer and bowled Marlon Samuels first ball, but Delhi were still in with a great chance while Rishabh Pant (45 off 34) was at the crease.
They continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, though, and were 119-7 with only 20 deliveries remaining when Harshal ended Pant's entertaining knock. Negi finished off the job with 3-10 to ensure RCB ended their season on a high note.