Virat Kohli’s magical century propels RCB to crucial win against SRH

They say cometh the hour, cometh the man and what would have been a better time for Virat Kohli to rise to the occasion than in a crunch match as the Royal Challengers Bangalore trumped over the Sunrisers Hyderabad in absolutely crackling fashion, clinching a win with eight wickets and four balls to spare in a high-profile run-chase. Kohli starred for RCB with a 63-ball 100 to fuel the chase on a day when SRH, riding on a century from Heinrich Klaasen, set RCB a target of 187 to win. 

Winning the toss, RCB skipper Faf du Plessis opted to field first, indicating the presence of dew on the track and how they felt it could disturb the SRH bowlers in the chase. The RCB bowlers were quick to find their stride as Mohammed Siraj’s economical spell combined with Michael Bracewell’s early double whammy left the hosts in significant discomfort.

Albeit the early infractions, RCB lost a bit of steam midway as the seasoned pair of Aiden Markram and Klaasen dragged the Orange Army out of the ordeal and steered them to safety. The SRH skipper was happy to play anchor while Klaasen put on a show and the pair knitted together a crucial 76-run stand before Shahbaz Ahamad removed Markram. 

However, that would do very little to deter the spirits of SRH as an incoming Harry Brook looked in good touch and lent a helping hand to Klaasen, who had no intentions of laxing his truculence as the runs flowed like cascade through a blighted dam. Another extravagant partnership of 74 runs allowed SRH to tot up a humongous 186 on the board as Heinrich Klaasen knitted a 51-ball-104, a knock featuring eight fours and six sixes.

Chasing 187, the partnership of Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli would rev up the engines early in the innings as the boundaries started flowing at regular intervals. The pair shared an impeccable chemistry to motor along at perfect speed as the Orange Army started running short of armament.

No matter the various avenues of attacks that Markram introduced to keep Kohli and Faf in check, they were simply blunted and eventually decimated by the hard-hitting opening duo. Kohli took on the onus of smashing the cherry around while Faf meted out his signature brand of justice to the poor gentry of bowling from SRH.

Albeit granted a lifeline where the umpire believed a second bouncer was hurled at him, du Plessis ensured that he was making great use of the opportunity and started amping up the run-flow alongside an already effusive Kohli.

The two would knit together 172 runs for the opening partnership which is the highest stand in IPL 2023 for any wicket before Kohli eventually fell just after hitting Bhuvneshwar Kumar over deep mid-wicket, his first century since 2019. Pulling off a dead ringer to the shot that took him to the hallowed milestone, he would end up thrusting the ball down the throat of Glenn Phillips, departing for 100 from 63 balls, a knock that comprised 12 fours and four humongous sixes.

Faf du Plessis fell shortly after as T Natarajan would force a miscued hit with Rahul Tripathi taking a fine catch to send the skipper packing for a 47-ball-71. A chase that never looked like SRH had a say in turned slightly tricky towards the end but it was just a matter of moments before Glenn Maxwell and Bracewell joined forces and took RCB over the line.