it was later
Hardik Pandya played a brilliant innings of 62 off 47 balls to level GT at 168 for five after opting to bat.
Kohli (73 off 54) and captain Fa du Plessis (44 off 38) shared a match-winning 115-run opening stand before Glenn Maxwell (40 not out off 18) took 18.4 overs to take the team home. Ballistics done.
With this win, RCB have moved up to the fourth position in the standings with 16 points but will have to wait for the Delhi Capitals-Mumbai Indians match on Saturday to know their luck. Delhi’s defeat will ensure RCB’s place in the playoffs.
As the ‘Kohli Kohli’ chants suggested, the entire Wankhede and perhaps the country wanted to see the former India captain back between runs and with a little luck, he was back playing the shot he is known for.
When Kohli hit Mohammed Shami for two boundaries over the bowler’s head and cover in the third over, it seemed like it would be his night. His next boundary was brilliant off Hardik, who bowled with the new ball.
The very next ball, Kohli was at his animated best as he smashed Hardik towards square leg and Rashid Khan missed a tough opportunity in the deep.
A sign of his growing confidence was Rashid’s aerial straight drive. Kohli was quick on his feet against both Rashid as well as fast bowlers. The Indian superstar completed his second half-century of the season by hitting a full ball from Rashid over deep midwicket.
With Kohli on the song, du Plessis played his part perfectly and kept rotating the strike apart from an odd boundary.
Maxwell joined Kohli after the captain was dismissed and went ballistic from the first ball. The Australian cameo included a reverse scoop shot from Hardik which went perfectly.
After hitting his second six off Rashid, Kohli tried hard and was stumped in the 17th over, but the job was well done by then.
Earlier, Hardik lifted the GT to a competitive total. Coming into the game with a low score, he warmed up well for the play-offs with a well-crafted half-century, even though he was not at his fluent best.
RCB reduced GT to 72 for three in 10 overs, largely due to his brilliance on the field despite Wriddhiman Saha (31 off 22) threatening to stay in the middle.
Saha got off to another quick start with clean hitting but his opening partner Shubman Gill lost cheaply. The right-hander poked a good length delivery and Maxwell stood at first slip and took a brilliant catch to his right.
Matthew Wade, who has not been at his best in the IPL, fell for a controversial call that also drew sympathy from Kohli. Wade was sure he hit a sweep shot off Maxwell and took no time to review the decision on the field, which was dismissed.
However, despite an apparent deviation in the ball’s trajectory before it was patted onto the pads, UltraEdge did not detect it and the TV umpire remained with the on-field umpire’s call. Wade had no choice but to go back to the dugout.
Saha, who hit four fours and a six, was hearty in the middle but after a mix-up with his captain, the wicketkeeper fell well below his crease when du Plessis hit a surprise straight from mid-off.
Hardik, who was dropped on 14, made it count along with David Miller (34 off 25), who continued his impressive run in the tournament.
Miller hit three sixes before Wanindu Hasaranga relieved him with a sharp comeback catch.
Rashid (19 not out in six) joined Hardik in the death overs and did what he has done during the season. The leg-spinner hit two sixes in the end to take the total to 160.
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