INDIA: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) got off to a great start in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season by beating Mumbai Indians (MI) by eight wickets. The match witnessed an outstanding performance by RCB’s star player, Virat Kohli, who slammed a magnificent half-century, scoring 82 runs off just 49 deliveries with the help of six fours and five sixes. With this feat, Kohli became the first Indian cricketer ever to achieve the milestone of 50 50-plus scores in the IPL.
David Warner tops the list with 60 50-plus scores in the IPL, followed closely by Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan, who have 50 and 49 50-plus scores to their names, respectively. Kohli has scored five centuries and 45 fifties in the IPL so far.
Kohli, along with Faf du Plessis, played masterfully in the chase, delivering a 148-run opening partnership and guiding RCB to a sensational start in their IPL campaign.
In their 89-ball stand, the pair put on a display of exquisite stroke production, hitting 10 boundaries and as many maximums. In the 15th over, when du Plessis left the game, Kohli completed the task by smashing a four and a six off Arshad Khan to give RCB the victory.
Earlier, MI had won the toss and opted to bat first, scoring 171 for 7 in their 20 overs. Tilak Varma played a scintillating knock of 84 off 46 balls, adding 50 and 48 with Nehal Wadhera (21) and Arshad Khan (15 not out) for the fifth and eighth wickets, respectively.
Varma’s knock was decorated with nine boundaries and four sixes. RCB’s bowlers had reduced MI to 20 for three in 5.2 overs, but Varma’s contribution helped MI reach a manageable total.
Jason Behrendorff was MI’s impact player in the second inning, replacing Suryakumar Yadav, but it didn’t work as Kohli and du Plessis took advantage of him and his new-ball partner, Arshad, scoring 30 runs in three overs. Du Plessis hit Behrendorff for two consecutive sixes, and Kohli hammered a four and a six off Jofra Archer after the bowler dropped him on the opening delivery.
RCB won because they did well in every aspect of the game. Their bowlers did a great job of keeping MI to a score that they could handle. Kohli’s milestone only added to the excitement of the match, making it a memorable one for RCB fans.
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