IPL: Royal Challengers defeat Sunrisers by eight wickets

Virat Kohli’s masterclass keeps RCB in hunt

Hyderabad: King Virat Kohli put on a masterclass with a fine century (100 off 63; 12×4, 4×6) as Royal Challengers Bangalore thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets to stay in hunt for a playoffs berth, at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Riding on in-form batter Heinrich Klaasen’s century (104 off 51; 8×4, 6×6), Sunrisers posted 186/5 after being asked to bat first. However, his efforts went in vain as Royal Challengers eclipsed the total with four balls to spare. Kohli set the platform for the crushing victory with a 172-run opening partnership with captain Faf du Plessis (71 off 47; 7×4, 2×6). The victory took them to fourth place with 14 from 13 games. They will take on Gujarat Titans in their last match on Sunday. For the bottom-placed Hyderabad, it is their sixth loss in seven home games.

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Chasing the target, Royal Challengers were off the blocks quickly. Kohli found gaps with consummate ease hitting Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Abhishek Sharma for two four each. Captain Faf joined him with a six and four off Bhuvneshwar as they raced to 64/0 in powerplay.

Debutant Nitisk Kumar Reddy almost got the wicket of du Plessis when the batter pulled the bowler straight to Mayank Dagar at the mid-wicket on 41. However, the review showed that the second bouncer of the over was over the batter’s shoulders making it a no-ball.

From there on, it was all about this RCB duo. They dictated terms to SRH bowlers. Kohli hit SRH’s most experienced bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar for four boundaries in the 15th over to take his side to 150/0. He pulled Natarajan for a six over mid-wicket and lofted Bhuvi for a six over cow corner to reach his sixth IPL century in 62 balls (12×4, 4×6) but was holed out at the mid-wicket the next ball with 15 needed off 14 balls.

Though Natarajan dismissed du Plessis in the 19th over, Glenn Maxwell and Michael Bracewell took their side home.

Earlier, Sunrisers were off to a sedate start with Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi struggling to get off the blocks. Off-spinner Bracewell, who was introduced in the fifth over, delivered twin blows in his first over. He first got rid of Abhishek Sharma (11) on the first ball and Tripathi (15) on the third. Sunrisers’ in-form player Heinrich Klaasen hit Shahbaz Ahmed for three boundaries to take them to 49/2 in the powerplay.

Klassen added 50 for the third wicket in just 29 balls with captain Aiden Markram.

Klaasen took special liking to leg-spinner Karn Sharma hitting him for a six each in the ninth and 11th over. Shahbaz Ahmed broke the 76-run partnership when he cleaned up Markram (18 off 20). Harry Brook joined Klaasen and hit Karn Sharma, the 15th over of the innings, for a four and a six. Klaasen hit another six in the same over to make it a 21-run over.

Klaasen and Brook hit Shahbaz for 19 in the 17th over. Klaasen then lofted Harshal Patel for a maximum straight over the bowler’s head to reach his maiden IPL century. He became the fastest centurion (49 balls) for the Sunrisers. But Harshal ended his innings with a yorker two balls later. However, Mohammad Siraj bowled a fine final over giving just four runs with the wicket of Glenn Phillips as hosts scored 53 runs in the final five overs.