Virat Kohli on RCB’s first win: Royal Challengers Bangalore captain was vocal about the team’s maiden win in IPL 2019.
Advertisement
During the 28th match of the ongoing 12th season of the Indian Premier League between Kings XI Punjab and Royal Challengers Bangalore at Mohali, Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Kings XI Punjab by 8 wickets to register their maiden IPL 2019 victory.
Speaking during the post-match presentation ceremony, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli expressed relief at finally winning a match in the tournament. “Most pleasing thing is coming for an interview at this time, and not immediately out of the field. Great feeling to get across the line.
why is kohli batting so impressively? his world cup selection is assured. #KXIPvRCB
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) April 13, 2019
“Have been unlucky in couple of games. Won’t say we’ve been unlucky in every game, but a couple of games we should’ve closed out before this. After so many setbacks, the guys had desire. That’s one word we spoke about,” Kohli was quoted saying.
After Kohli won the toss and put the hosts in to bat, Punjab scored 173/4 in their allotted quota of 20 overs on the back of opening batsman Chris Gayle’s 27th IPL half-century, 99* (64), with the help of 10 fours and five sixes.
With Punjab 90/2 at the halfway mark, it appeared as if the ‘Gayle Storm’ would take his team past the 200-run mark. That being said, Royal Challengers’ bowlers made amends in the second half to concede 84 runs in the last 10 overs.
“Restricting them to 170 was great effort”
Being asked about the same, Kohli admitted that they were thinking about 190 runs being par. Knowing that Gayle would bat deep, Kohli was was lyrical about his bowlers.
The way Kohli pointed out to the RCB crest after getting that fifty should shut all the critics questioning his commitment towards @RCBTweets! ❤️
— Prajakta Bhawsar (@18prajakta) April 13, 2019
“We thought 190 will be par and to restrict them to 170 was a great effort. To pick up 4 wickets in 8 overs in the middle for 60 runs was an outstanding effort. We knew Chris [Gayle] was going to bat deep. So many opportunities to get dot balls. We knew if we bowled decently to him, we might restrict them,” Kohli said.
Before concluding, Kohli funnily claimed commentator Murali Kartik to be RCB’s lucky mascot this year and expressed desires of him commentating in every Bangalore game from now on.
