December 23, 2024
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Gujarat Titans

"Was Really Ill, Felt I Won't Be Able to Play": Mohammed Siraj On Match-Winning Show vs GT

“Was Really Ill, Felt I Won’t Be Able to Play”: Mohammed Siraj On Match-Winning Show vs GT

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Mohammed Siraj in post-match presentation© BCCI/Sportzpics For Mohammed Siraj, it was mind over matter as he pushed his physically indisposed self to the limits to earn ‘Player of the Match’ award in RCB’s four wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in an IPL match here on Saturday. Siraj removed openers Wriddhiman Saha and opposition skipper Shubman Gill in his first spell to push GT on the backfoot and that went a long way in restricting the visitors to a modest 147. “I was really ill for the last few days. Thought I might not be able to play today but I really wanted to play so it was great that I was able to,” Siraj said after the match. While he wasn’t well, in his mind, he had envisaged how he would bowl that perfectly pitched up delivery which will grow big on the batter and there couldn’t have been a better execution against Wriddhiman, who didn’t have the technique to handle such a ball. “When I woke up in the morning, I thought I won’t be able to play and that I should take rest. When I woke up, I manifested what I wanted to do and that’s exactly what happened,” Siraj said. RCB skipper Faf du Plessis seemed happy to have won three back-to-back matches. “Been really good last couple of games, the way we’ve played with bat and ball. We have been unbelievable on the field. Something around 180-90 would have been a good score,” Du Plessis said. Du Plessis’s 63 off 24 balls with 10 fours and three sixes went a long way in ensuring that RCB climbed to the seventh spot by finishing the game in little under 14 overs. “Probably not the best but you’re trying to be positive, get your net run-rate up. It makes sense from that point of view but it gets to the point when you need to show a bit of calmness and composure – probably around four down, so some lessons to be learned from that.” Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill said that his team now only can focus on winning their remaining games and control the controllables “It depends on the wicket. First couple of overs you get a good idea and play according to that. I think 170-80 on this wicket would have been a good total. How we batted in the powerplay, and how they bowled, decided the game,” he said. “We would have had one extra bowler but losing three wickets in the powerplay (changed planning). Very important to start from zero in our next match and move on from this game. Learn from mistakes and not repeat them. All about winning from here on.” (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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Anushka Sharma's Reaction As Virat Kohli Survives Run Out Breaks The Internet

Anushka Sharma’s Reaction As Virat Kohli Survives Run Out Breaks The Internet

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Anushka Sharma reacting to Virat Kohli surviving a run-out© X (Twitter) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their 3rd Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match on the bounce, beating last year’s runners-up Gujarat Titans in a comprehensive manner. After Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis gave the team a 92-run stand for the first wicket, while chasing the target of 148 runs, RCB incurred a dramatic middle-order collapse to go from 92/0 to 117/6. It was Virat who kept the team in the fight while Dinesh Karthik and Swapnil Singh gave the finishing touch. But, the chase might not have been possible had Virat not survived a run-out on the first ball of his innings. During the course of his stay on the crease, Virat also had a big scare that saw him almost get run-out. It was Gujarat Titans star David Miller who made a brilliant stop and threw the ball towards the keeper’s end. Kohli lost his bat and wasn’t even in the frame when the ball passed the stumps. Virat could’ve been dismissed on the very first ball of his innings had the throw hit the stumps. His wife Anushka Sharma, who was in the stands for the match, was snapped by the shutterbugs while reacting to the incident. Anushka Sharma’s reaction after Virat Kohli survived a run out. pic.twitter.com/BcSl7kUE8L — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 4, 2024 Though RCB won the match by a fair margin, with plenty of overs to spare, skipper Faf du Plessis admitted that he was nervous after the team lost a plethora of wickets in the middle. “We’ve been really good in the last few games, with both bat and ball. We’ve been unbelievable in the field as well. The wicket was a bit different, there was a bit more bounce. Wanted to make sure we take that information from the pitch and give it to the bowlers. Yes there was a dropped catch but it’s the effort that we look for and that was there throughout,” said Du Plessis in the post-match presentation. “The games we’ve played here have all been high-scoring, anything around 180-190 would’ve been par. Was important we didn’t look at the scoreboard when we went out to bat and try and play the way we play. Was a bit nervous. Probably not the best assessment from us there. Yes we wanted to go out there and get the total quickly to boost the NRR but probably when we were 4 down, we had to calm down a little bit,” he added. Topics mentioned in this article

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"I Am 5 Feet 3 Inches": Ex-India Star Body-Shamed For Calling Glenn Maxwell "Over-Rated"

“I Am 5 Feet 3 Inches”: Ex-India Star Body-Shamed For Calling Glenn Maxwell “Over-Rated”

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On Saturday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased down a target of 148 against Gujarat Titans in just 13.4 overs in Bengaluru. While the number of overs left might make one believe that RCB had it easy, it was not so. RCB lost six wickets and had it not been for some rearguard action by Dinesh Karthik and Swapnil Singh, things would have been tricky for RCB. The chase started on a string footing for RCB as they crossed in the Powerplay. Just when it looked like RCB would cruise to the target, they started losing wickets. From 92/0 in 5.4 overs RCB were reduced to 111/6 in 10. 4 overs. Faf du Plessis (64) and Virat Kohli (42) were the only good performers as stars like Will Jacks (1), Rajat Patidar (2), Glenn Maxwell (1), Cameron Green (1)  fell like a pack of cards. It prompted former Indian cricket team wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel to call Glenn Maxwell over-rated. “Glenn Maxwell….HE IS THE MOST OVERRATED player in the history of ipl…#IPL2024 ….” he wrote on X. glenn maxwell….HE IS THE MOST OVERRATED player in the history of ipl…#IPL2024 …. — parthiv patel (@parthiv9) May 4, 2024 For that comment, he was brutally trolled and even body-shamed. i am 5”3… that matters? https://t.co/H5GOY3BcEy — parthiv patel (@parthiv9) May 4, 2024 this happened once also..trophy was bigger thn me.. https://t.co/RZ3j07zsYx — parthiv patel (@parthiv9) May 4, 2024 watching 2024!! https://t.co/B92aMJ4iV1 — parthiv patel (@parthiv9) May 4, 2024 Talking about the match, Royal Challengers Bengaluru pressed the self-destruction button halfway but a blazing fifty by captain Faf du Plessis had enough torque in it to carry them to a four-wicket over Gujarat Titans in their IPL match on Saturday. Du Plesiss (64, 23b, 10×4, 3×6) and Kohli (42, 27b, 2×4, 4×6), who added 92 runs in just 35 balls for the opening wicket, were in prime touch as Royal Challengers moved past a frail target of 148, braving some nervy moments, most of it their own creation. The win also lifted RCB to seventh place on the table with eight points from 11 matches, and kept their mathematical chances of making it to the play-offs alive. With PTI inputs Topics mentioned in this article

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Watch: What Virat Kohli did after receiving the Orange Cap from Dinesh Karthik | Cricket News

Watch: What Virat Kohli did after receiving the Orange Cap from Dinesh Karthik | Cricket News

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Virat Kohli, who had lost the Orange Cap as IPL 2024‘s top scorer to Chennai Super Kings’ captain Ruturaj Gaikwad earlier this week, reclaimed it with his 42-run knock for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their victory over Gujarat Titans in Bengaluru on Saturday. But it was not just his breezy knock but also his cheeky gesture after receiving the cap from teammate Dinesh Karthik that broke the internet.IPL 2024 STANDINGS: Points Table | Orange Cap | Purple CapKohli’s 42 came off just 27 balls at a strike rate of 155.56, while he put up an opening partnership of 92 runs with RCB skipper and top-scorer Faf du PLessis who struck a sublime 23-ball 62, which included 10 four and 3 sixes.However, RCB’s middle order caved in against Joshua Litle (4/42) while chasing Gujarat Titans’s below-par 147. But the Kohli-Du Plessis partnership had done enough damage at the top, as veteran finisher Karthik (21* off 12 balls) and Swapil Singh (15* off 9) took the team home in 13.4 overs for a four-wicket win.WATCH VIDEO Kohli’s knock took him past Gaikwad in the Orange Cap standings. CSK’s Gaikwad was nine runs ahead before the start of Friday’s match. Kohli now has 542 runs in 11 matches so far this season. After the game, Kohli received the Orange Cap from Karthik, who put it on Virat’s head. In a cheeky gesture, Kohli bowed to Karthik after receiving it, as both smiled. RCB bowlers, led by two wickets each from Yash Dayal, Vijaykumar Vyshak and Mohammed Siraj, bowled out Gujarat Titans for just 147 after the hosts won the toss and opted to bowl first. The victory took RCB to the seventh spot in the points table, but their chances of reaching the playoffs continue to hang by a thread.

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Pakistan targets right T20 combination against understrength New Zealand | Cricket

RCB skipper Faf admits being nervous during quick loss of wickets following win over GT

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Bengaluru [India], : Following a four-wicket win over Gujarat Titans , Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Faf du Plessis said that he was nervous when his team lost six quick wickets. RCB skipper Faf admits being nervous during quick loss of wickets following win over GT Faf and Virat Kohli delivered an exceptional start with a 92-run stand but lost their next six wickets within 25 runs. However, Swapnil Singh and Dinesh Karthik held nerves to guide the team to a tense win with 38 balls left. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Following the game, Faf said at the post match presentation, “We have been really good in the last few games, with both bat and ball. We’ve been unbelievable in the field as well. The wicket was a bit different, there was a bit more bounce. Wanted to make sure we take that information from the pitch and give it to the bowlers. Yes there was a dropped catch but it is the effort that we look for and that was there throughout.” “The games we’ve played here have all been high-scoring, anything around 180-190 would have been par. Was important we did not look at the scoreboard when we went out to bat and try and play the way we play. Was a bit nervous . Probably not the best assessment from us there. Yes we wanted to go out there and get the total quickly to boost the net run rate but probably when we were 4 down, we had to calm down a little bit,” he added. Coming to the match, RCB elected to field first after winning the toss. GT was 19/3 at one point. Then, a 61-run partnership between Shahrukh Khan and David Miller helped GT make a brief comeback. RCB kept taking regular wickets and once again reduced GT to 87/5. Then, a 44-run partnership between Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan took GT beyond the 100-run mark. RCB bundled out GT for 147 runs in 19.3 overs. Yash Dayal , Vijaykumar Vyshak and Mohammed Siraj were among the top bowlers for RCB. Cameron Green and Karn Sharma took a wicket each. Coming to the run chase, RCB started off brilliantly with Faf Du Plessis and Virat Kohli putting up a 92 run stand. After that RCB lost its way due to a fantastic spell from Joshua Little and Noor Ahmed . However, Dinesh Karthik and Swapnil Singh guided the team to a four wicket win with 38 balls left. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

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'Start from zero...': Shubman Gill after Gujarat Titans slump to third loss in a row | Cricket News

‘Start from zero…’: Shubman Gill after Gujarat Titans slump to third loss in a row | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a dominant four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans for their third consecutive IPL 2024 win on Saturday. This was RCB’s fourth win in 11 matches, which propelled them from last place to seventh, keeping their slim playoff hopes alive.Chasing a modest target of 148, Du Plessis (64) and Kohli (42) provided a strong start with a 92-run partnership in 35 balls, securing the win with 6.2 overs to spare at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.Du Plessis’s departure triggered a mini-collapse, as Gujarat struck back with wickets from Joshua Little and Noor Ahmad, leaving RCB at 117-6 when Kohli fell. Wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik (21) and Swapnil Singh (15) then ensured a smooth finish with an unbroken 35-run stand, guiding the team home without further trouble.Meanwhile, Gujarat Titans’s situation remains precarious, as they suffered their seventh loss in 11 matches.After the defeat, Gujarat Titans captain Shubman Gill rued not having an extra bowling option in the side.“It all depends on the wicket, you see the first couple of overs. You get an idea and you play according to that. I think 170-180 on this wicket would have been a good total,” Gill said.“I think how we batted in the powerplay and how we bowled in the powerplay, that made a difference. We would have an extra bowling option (had we not lost early wickets.) Never easy. It’s important for us to start from zero (in the next game), need to move on,” he said.“Many positives to take from this game, need to make sure we don’t repeat our mistakes. It’s all about winning everything we can from here on,” Gill added.

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'Don't look at the scoreboard and...': Skipper Faf du Plessis explains RCB's batting approach | Cricket News

‘Don’t look at the scoreboard and…’: Skipper Faf du Plessis explains RCB’s batting approach | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s emphatic four-wicket victory over the Gujarat Titans marked their third consecutive win in the IPL. Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli spearheaded the successful chase of a modest 148-run target, forming a formidable partnership of 92 runs in just 35 balls.Their commanding performance laid a solid foundation for the team’s triumph, achieved with 6.2 overs to spare at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.However, du Plessis’ departure triggered a brief collapse, with Gujarat Titans striking back with quick wickets. The team found itself in a precarious position at 117-6 following Kohli’s dismissal.Yet, wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, alongside Swapnil Singh, displayed composure and determination, guiding Bangalore to victory with an unbeaten partnership of 35 runs. Their collective effort ensured there was no further drama as they successfully steered the team home.Skipper du Plessis, however, clearly stated that the team’s mantra is to not look at the scoreboard and play the way we want to play.“Been really good the last few games, the way we’ve played with bat and ball. Aggressive with the bat, unbelievable in the field. [Assessment of conditions] There was more bounce in the wicket, we got that information and the bowlers were consistently really good. We dropped a catch but have been really consistent. Something around 180-90 would have been a good score, but we’ve seen the way the game has changed,” Du Plessis said after the match.“Don’t look at the scoreboard and play the way that we want to play. It was a bit nerve-racking, another wicket, another wicket. Probably not the best but you’re trying to be positive, get your NRR up. It makes sense from that point of view but it gets to the point when you need to show a bit of calmness and composure – probably around four down, so some lessons to be learned from that,” Du Plessis added.

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Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli take RCB to win over Titans after bowlers fire

Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli take RCB to win over Titans after bowlers fire

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For the first six overs of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) reply, the ball was travelling to all parts of the stadium. The home team were running away with the match on 92/1 after the powerplay, chasing 148. So dominant were they, and GT bowlers so listless, that RCB got greedy. They decided to push for an early win in a bid to boost their net run rate. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s skipper Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli during the match against Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League 2024.(ANI ) Perhaps late, but Titans woke up to the possibility of using the short ball, which was their undoing while batting. Irish left-arm seamer Josh Little, playing the season’s first match, was the only serious bowling option GT had to execute the short-ball ploy. Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxwell in the 8th over, Cameron Green in the 10th, all holed out trying to attack Little’s short ball. His 4-0-45-4 almost forced RCB off their perch. When Noor Ahmed’s wrong ’un got the set Virat Kohli 42 (27b), RCB were 117/6 and there was panic in the dugout. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! But Dinesh Karthik’s calm 21* (12b) and Swapnil Singh 15* (9b) saved the day as RCB kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a four-wicket win achieved in the 14th over on Saturday. SIRAJ FINDS RHYTHM World Cup-bound Mohammed Siraj rediscovered his lengths (4-0-29-2) on a M Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch that had some life in the first half, for a change. Whether it was the effect of the pitch having been under covers due to rain, the grass on the pitch wasn’t just cosmetic. RCB bowlers made the most of the two-paced pitch, using short deliveries to peg back the visitors in the powerplay. Not for the first time, GT endured another poor powerplay with fewest runs – 23/3. Against Delhi Capitals at home, they had only managed 30/4. Even for a bowling-heavy side, GT’s middling performances with the bat have been piling on their agony. Wriddhiman Saha has been Siraj’s bunny and it took no time for the India pacer to catch Saha’s (1) outside edge. Soon, Shubman Gill cut a desolate figure after another failure, his waft on two against Siraj ending up in the hands of point. For a batter who plundered runs at will, 890 last edition, Gill’s indifferent season as captain will add to his misery. After the Hardik Pandya transfer, GT has been without a middle-overs insurance cover and more reliant on Gill than before. But he has been hesitant on which approach to take, leading to his undoing on quite a few occasions. Then Sai Sudharsan (6) fell to Cameron Green’s extra bounce and Shahrukh Khan (37) was run out by Kohli. GT could never truly recover. Rahul Tewatia did try and push the scoring rate, going particularly hard against leg-spinner Karn Sharma. With a 4-4-6-4, he took 19 runs off the 16th over. But the finishing kick never came as GT folded up for 147 in 19.3 overs. EXPENSIVE MOHIT There’s a fine line between trusting an old warhorse and being obsessive with that. For GT it was the experienced medium-pacer Mohit Sharma, who had gone for 19-runs-per-over in the last six overs he has bowled in the past two matches. Gill handed him the first over. Kohli and Faf du Plessis though were far too experienced and transferred the heat on Mohit. Kohli took the lead hitting two sixes, over long-off and mid-wicket. In Mohit’s next over, du Plessis plundered him around the park for four boundaries. Mohit had again gone for 16-an-over. Powered by du Plessis’ brisk 64 (23b), RCB batters stepped on the gas. Their decision to go into overdrive in the middle-overs almost cost them the match though. The day began with Sunil Gavaskar raising the heat, taking on Virat Kohli’s criticism of those who spoke ‘from the box’ questioning his strike-rate against spin. “If you have a strike of 118 and then you get out in the 14th or the 15th with a strike-rate of 118, I mean, if you want applause for that, that’s a little bit different,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports. “We don’t have agendas.” Kohli again showed good intent against GT’s spinners, although he couldn’t stay unbeaten. We may not have heard the last of Kohli and his batting strike rate.

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Faf Du Plessis Fifty, Bowlers Carry Royal Challengers Bengaluru To Four-Wicket Win Over Gujarat Titans

Faf Du Plessis Fifty, Bowlers Carry Royal Challengers Bengaluru To Four-Wicket Win Over Gujarat Titans

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru pressed the self-destruction button halfway but a blazing fifty by captain Faf du Plessis had enough torque in it to carry them to a four-wicket over Gujarat Titans in their IPL match in Bengaluru on Saturday. Du Plesiss (64, 23b, 10×4, 3×6) and Kohli (42, 27b, 2×4, 4×6), who added 92 runs in just 35 balls for the opening wicket, were in prime touch as Royal Challengers moved past a frail target of 148, braving some nervy moments, most of it their own creation. The win also lifted RCB to seventh place on the table with eight points from 11 matches, and kept their mathematical chances of making it to the play-offs alive. Du Plessis and Kohli dealt in boundaries as the home side racked in 92 runs in Power Play, that contained 10 fours and seven maximums. Both Du Plessis and Kohli were severe on all GT bowlers, as the latter began the butchering with two sixes off pacer Mohit Sharma in the first over. Du Plessis was in no mood to play the role of a sidekick as he waded into left-arm pacer Josh Little with a sequence of 4, 6, 4, 4 in the second over that produced a total of 20 runs. The Titans introduced IPL debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar in the hope of containing Kohli at least, but the ploy was foiled spectacularly. The RCB talisman showed his increasing comfort against spin, clobbering Suthar for two successive sixes. Du Plessis reserved his punitive blade for Mohit, whom he carted around for four fours in the fifth over, as the South African reached fifty in just 18 balls before falling to Little. RCB entered a phase of struggle from there as they lost last match centurion Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green between the sixth and 10th overs for just 20 runs. Little (4/45) and spinner Noor Ahmad (2/23) were the chief perpetrators as RCB slipped from 92 for 1 to 112 for five. Ahmad soon ousted Kohli as RCB were 117 for six but Dinesh Karthik (21 not out, 12b) was cool under pressure as RCB notched their overall fourth and third win in a row of this season. Before RCB batsmen joined the party, their bowlers came up with an immaculate effort on a supportive pitch to bowl GT to a modest 147. There were a couple of good partnerships – 61 between David Miller and Shahrukh Khan and 44 by Rahul Tewatia and Rashid Khan – but the Titans lacked that one big innings or a stand that could have given them a firmer grip on the match. In fact, they seemed distinctly incapable of accelerating even in the Power Play as their top-order batters struggled against RCB pacers, Mohammed Siraj (2/29) and Yash Dayal (2/21) who stuck to a wonderful length. That GT managed to strike just two fours in Power Play offered ample evidence to their struggle and RCB bowlers’ accuracy. The Gujarat side’s Power Play score of 23 for three was the lowest in the segment this season, and it was mainly due to Siraj’s domination upfront. He consumed an out-of-form Wriddhiman Saha with a fine outswinger which the GT opener wafted to Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps. Shubman Gill followed soon as his attempted swat to the on-side off Siraj took a leading edge and ended in the hands of Vysakh Vijayakumar at deep point. Green fetched the third wicket for RCB in the Power Play when he jettisoned in-form B Sai Sudharsan, whose feeble pull close to the body was snaffled by Kohli at mid-off. Miller (30, 20b) and Shahrukh (37, 24b) tried their best to drag GT out of the woods with a well-paced 61-run alliance off 37 balls for the fourth wicket. Miller, who was fortunate to get dropped on 23 off Green by Karn Sharma, played archetypal power shots. He punished leg-spinner Karn for a couple of sixes – a pull and a loft over extra cover – but fell to the same bowler when a miscued heave was grabbed by Maxwell at deep. But a bigger misfortune was in store for the visitors as Shahrukh, who backed up a tad too far to Rahul Tewatia’s soft drop, could not beat a throw from Kohli to the non-striker’s end. For the sixth-wicket, Tewatia (35, 21b) and Rashid (18, 14b) added 44 off 29 balls, but the latter’s desire to be innovative against Yash Dayal saw the ball crashing onto the stumps. Tewatia, who punished Karn for 18 runs (4, 6, 4, 4) in the 16th over, departed soon. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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'Had a cappuccino and thought I...': Dinesh Karthik sums up RCB's batting collapse | Cricket News

‘Had a cappuccino and thought I…’: Dinesh Karthik sums up RCB’s batting collapse | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s explosive start, led by Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, set the tone for a thrilling encounter. Du Plessis, in particular, showcased his aggressive intent, smashing the ball to all corners and registering the franchise’s second-fastest fifty off 18 balls against Gujarat Titans in the IPL match in Bengaluru.While du Plessis took on the aggressor role, Kohli provided crucial support, resulting in their highest Powerplay score of 92 in the history of the IPL.However, a dramatic turn of events saw Bengaluru lose momentum, slipping from 92/1 to 111/5. Kohli, undeterred by the falling wickets, anchored the innings, losing partners but holding one end firmly.Dinesh Karthik‘s arrival provided much-needed support, and despite Kohli’s dismissal, Karthik kept his calm and targeted Rashid Khan to get things back under control.With Swapnil Singh also contributing crucial runs, Bengaluru’s resilience shone through as they successfully chased down the 147-run target with 38 balls to spare, showcasing the team’s depth and determination in overcoming adversity.Veteran RCB batter Karthik, who hadn’t thought of coming to bat with the way their openers started the chase, gave full credit to Kohli and du Plessis for the four-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans.“I started with a cup of tea, then after four overs I had a cappuccino and thought I wouldn’t be batting.” Things happened, and then I had to have a bat,” Karthik said after the match.“[Approach] How to hit boundaries, basic cricketing skills come through. I backed myself to get the job done. The pitch was good to bowl on, having been under the covers there was a bit of moisture.Good toss to win but the bowlers did the job beautifully. The way Faf and Virat batted, I don’t think they would have played the same shots batting first! [Advice to Swapnil] Play for the one that comes in. If you feel sweep is a good option, back yourself to do it but commit to the shot, don’t be half-hearted,” Karthik added.

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