IPL Highlights - Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rising Pune Supergiants: Virat Kohli Special Guides RCB to Victory Over RPS
Virat Kohli's second century in Twenty20s guided the Royal Challengers Bangalore to a crucial seven-wicket win in the Indian Premier League over Rising Pune Supergiants. Ajinkya Rahane and Saurabh Tiwary played brilliantly to guide RPS to 191/6 but Kohli's master class proved to be the bottomline in this match. Catch all highlights here.
Royal Challengers Bangalore rely heavily on their batting unit and Virat Kohli once again came good for the home team at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Kohli smashed a brilliant 108 not out off 58 balls to take RCB home against Rising Pune Supergiants. Catch all highlights here (SCORECARD | STREAMING | POINTS TABLE | FIXTURES | NEWS | PLAY FANTASY LEAGUE)
19:55 hrs IST: Ok folks that is it from us here. Hope you enjoyed that special knock from Virat Kohli. Simply... what a player!
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19:50 hrs IST: Virat Kohli has also completed 6000 runs T20s!
19:47 hrs IST: "I was pumped up for this match! This was a crunch game for us. We need to win 6 out of 7 matches to qualify for the knockouts. I was determined to play till the end," says man of the match Virat Kohli.
19:40 hrs IST: One must not forget the contribution from Lokesh Rahul and the fantastic cameo from Shane Watson.
Stylish flick to seal a memorable win! Kohli 108*, #RCB 195/3, win by 7 wickets!
- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 7, 2016
#RCBvRPS #PlayBold pic.twitter.com/zhTuiR5rWL
19:37 hrs IST: And Kohli finishes it off in style! A FOUR! 108 not out off 58 balls, the knock was studded with eight fours and seven sixes!
.@RCBTweets won by 7 wickets. Relive the match - https://t.co/MRklkrtXqV #RCBvRPS #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/HorbRyQpDd
- IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 7, 2016
19:34 hrs IST: 100!!!! Century No.2 of Virat Kohli. Two back to back SIXES! 4 needed off 6!
19:31 hrs IST: Kohli in 90s!
19:28 hrs IST: Kohli guiding RCB to the brink of victory. 22 needed off 12 with seven wickets in hand!
19:26 hrs IST: SIX again! Backed by a FOUR!
19:25 hrs IST: SIX!!! Kohli it is!
19:24 hrs IST: 40 needed off three overs!
19:23 hrs IST: Another interesting record created here. Kohli has become the first captain to score 500 runs in three different editions of IPL. He breaks Sachin Tendulkar's record who scored 500 twice!
19:21 hrs IST: RCB 145/3 after 16 overs. 47 needed off 24!
19:19 hrs IST: Alllllmooossssssst! If only George Bailey would have stood a bit up the boundary line Virat kohli would have been walking back to the pavilion. Difficult take but was possible.
19:16 hrs IST: But what a cameo from Watson. 36 off 13!
Watson earlier today #RCBvRPS #PlayBold pic.twitter.com/xinqZn9bbr
- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 7, 2016
19:15 hrs IST: Oh but Watson does not last long as he is OUT LBW by RP Singh!
19:14 hrs IST: Kohli and Watson have totally put this match in the favour of RCB.
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19:09 hrs IST: Another SIX! This is crazy hitting but all proper cricketing shots!
19:08 hrs IST: FOUR and then SIX! RCB are getting home closer!
19:06 hrs IST: 4, 4, 4, 0, 4, 4!!! That is how the 14th over went for Thisara Perera! 20 off it! All from the willow of the Australian all-rounder! Wow!
20 runs came off that @PereraThisara over. We need to move on and pick wickets now. Can't let the momentum shift. #RCBvRPS #DumKaNayaRang
- Pune Supergiants (@RPSupergiants) May 7, 2016
19:04 hrs IST: Watson is on fire! Three boundaries in a row from the Australian!
18:58 hrs IST: RCB 97/2 after 12 overs!
18:57 hrs IST: RPS are back in this! Two wickets in Adam Zampa's over! What a debut for the Australian!
Another wicket gone!!!! @zamps63 picks up the prized wicket of AB! Superman catch by @PereraThisara. Are we back into the game or what!
- Pune Supergiants (@RPSupergiants) May 7, 2016
18:56 hrs IST: OUT!!!!!! Big wicket! De Villiers is caught at long off! Lovely catch by Thisara Perera!
18:54 hrs IST: In comes AB de Villiers. The name is enough!
18:53 hrs IST: OUT!!!!! Finally a wicket for RPS. Lokesh Rahul gets out for 38 off 34 balls.
18:50 hrs IST: 50 for Virat Kohli and only off 31 balls! This is his 24th half-century in IPL. What a player!
18:47 hrs IST: Halfway stage reached. RCB 81 for no loss after 10 overs!
18:45 hrs IST: Six! This time from Lokesh Rahul over deep mid-wicket.
18:40 hrs IST: Virat Kohli hits two more lovely boundaries. They are really picking up pace, aren't they?
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18:38 hrs IST: End of 8 overs, RCB 59 for no loss!
18:36 hrs IST: Boom! That is a SIX straight down the ground from the willow of the RCB skipper.
18:31 hrs IST: RPS is correct. Dhoni introduces spin via Adam Zampa who is making in IPL today.
A costly start to @PereraThisara's spell. It's 46/0 at the end of Power Play. Will spin be introduced from both ends? #DumKaNayaRang
- Pune Supergiants (@RPSupergiants) May 7, 2016
18:29 hrs IST: Six overs have ended are RCB are batting at 46 and are yet to lose a wicket!
18:22 hrs IST: That over had quite a few chances but the RCB players got through.
18:19 hrs IST: End of 4 overs, RCB 25 for nos loss!
18:18 hrs IST: SIX!!! What a way to reply from Kohli! Lovely cricketing shot!
18:17 hrs IST: Run out chance and Kohli could have hurt himself! But he gets up the next moment! That hurt Kohli.
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18:16 hrs IST: SIX!!! Over extra cover for Lokesh Rahul!
18:13 hrs IST: RCB players are very cautious here against RPS bowlers Ashok Dinda and RP Singh!
18:06 hrs IST: Slow start for RCB as they are off to 7 for no loss after two overs.
18:00 hrs IST: And we are back for the second innings. Virat Kohli and Lokesh Rahul out there to chase down the total for RCB. Can they?
17:50 hrs IST: Take a breather. We will be back soon enough.
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17:47 hrs IST: But two brilliants innings' from Saurabh Tiwary and Ajinkya Rahane! Of course they rode on a lot of luck gifted to them by the RCB fielders.
A splendid knock by @ajinkyarahane88 & Saurabh Tiwary helps us post 191 runs at the end of 20 overs. #DumKaNayaRang pic.twitter.com/9D8Cho98Gt
- Pune Supergiants (@RPSupergiants) May 7, 2016
17:46 hrs IST: Two sixes to finish off the 20 overs. RPS are 191/6 after those midfields at the start of the game. Three wickets in six balls towards the end really slowed down the Rising Pune Supergiants. At one stage they looked like going well past the 200-run mark.
Poor fielding let Aaron down but Watson put #RCB up by holding #RPS to below 200. 192 to win! #RCBvRPS #PlayBold pic.twitter.com/gE5oSASoAt
- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 7, 2016
17:45 hrs IST: SIX!!! This time by Rajat Bhatia!ÂÂ
17:42 hrs IST: SIX!!!!! Big one from Ravichandran Ashwin!
17:41 hrs IST: Last over to go, RPS 175/1!
17:40 hrs IST: OUT!!! Superb over from Watson! Another wicket! And this time it is his compatriot George Bailey who gets out for a duck!
17:37 hrs IST: OUT!!!! Next ball -- the first one of the next over and Rahane is bowled while trying to go for the big shot! What an innings from him! 74 off just 48 balls which included eight fours and two sixes!
17:35 hrs IST: End of 18 overs, RPS 171/4.
17:32 hrs IST: OUT!!! Perera out for 14 off Chris Jordan! He accelerated quickly but perished fast too!
17:30 hrs IST: Thisara Perera and Ajinkya Rahane are turning this on!
17:26 hrs IST: 16 from the 17th over -- big one this! Two fours and a six!
17:24 hrs IST: RPS 146/3 after 16 overs.
17:21 hrs IST: OUT!!!! Dhoni is caught at thirdman! Goes back for 9!
17:17 hrs IST: The 14th over was the first over of the match when a boundary was not scored!
17:15 hrs IST: Captain Cool MS DHONI comes out to everyone's loud cheers!
The #SuperGiants Captain ? MSD has just walked in! #DumKaNayaRang #RCBvRPS
- Pune Supergiants (@RPSupergiants) May 7, 2016
17:13 hrs IST: OUT!!! A wicket falls finally. Saurabh Tiwary is stumped for 52 off 39! That was quite a knock! 105-run partnership really has set it up for the RPS!
17:10 hrs IST: 130/1 after 14! RPS should be looking for a big score in the next six overs! 104 this partnership.
17:03 hrs IST: Kudos to both! Partnership is worth 95!
Tiwary and Rahane bring up their fifties, #RPS 121/1 in 13 overs and we need this partnership broken #RCBvRPS #PlayBold
- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 7, 2016
17:02 hrs IST: Next ball Rahane scores his 23rd half-century off just 34 balls.
17:01 hrs IST: 50! Sixth half-century in the IPL for Saurabh Tiwary! Off just 37 deliveries!
17:00 hrs IST: RPS maintain it. One boundary every boundary so far in this match!
16:59 hrs IST: Consecutive fours to end the 12th over, RPS 110/1.
16:57 hrs IST: Stephen Fleming, RPS head coach, says they have been helped by the RCB fielding lapses. For sure!
16:55 hrs IST: The two droppers.
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16:49 hrs IST: End of 10 overs, RPS 89/1. Soap on the ball or butter?
The @RPSupergiants are having some luck today. I think there is some soap on the ball.
- Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) May 7, 2016
16:46 hrs IST: RPS have taken full advantage of all the luck they have had and have hit a boundary ever over so far, maintaining a strong run rate.
16:45 hrs IST: After 9 overs, RPS 83/1 or should it have been four down with a fewer runs!
16:43 hrs IST: Kohli almost about to pull his hair out due to frustration! How can RCB win this with so, so many errors?
16:42 hrs IST: WHAT IS HAPPENING TO RCB TODAY! MISSED CATCHES, STUMPING, MISFIELD. Where is the RCB fielding coach.
16:41 hrs IST: Stumping chance and oh no! Lokesh Rahul spills it!
Yuzi comes on to bowl the 9th over but our day in the field is just not going right!
- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 7, 2016
KL misses a stumping chance #RCBvRPS #PlayBold
16:39 hrs IST: FOUR!!! Misfield by Parvez Rasool and it is four!
16:38 hrs IST: Another one left to DROP! Confusion between Varun Aaron and Shane Watson. No one goes for the catch and it DROPS in between them!
16:33 hrs IST: End of Powerplay, RPS 60/1 after 6 overs!
16:32 hrs IST: What an over this was! Two consecutive drops and then to add salt to injury a six! RCB captain Virat Kohli can only get frustrated at this.
Stuart Binny and Sachin Baby spill chances off consecutive deliveries to get Saurabh Tiwary! Frustrating for Aaron :( #RCBvRPS #PlayBold
- Royal Challengers (@RCBTweets) May 7, 2016
16:31 hrs IST: SIX!!!!! By Rahane!
16:30 hrs IST: Dropped!!!! ANOTHER!!!! NEXT DELIVERY SAME BATSMAN SAME BOWLER BUT DIFFERENT POSITION! And this time it is Sachin Baby!
16:29 hrs IST: OUT!!! Oh NO DROPPED! Tiwary hit it straight to  Stuart Binny at cover who dropped a sitter!
16:24 hs IST: And the trent continues! Another couple of FOURS in the fifth over for the Dhoni led-team.
16: 23 hrs IST: RPS players have hit at least one boundary every over so far. This will help them maintain a  good run rate!
16:21 hrs IST: End of 4 overs, RPS 37/1.
16:15 hrs IST: In comes Saurabh Tiwary!
16:14 hrs IST: OUT!!!!!! Big mix up and Khawaja and Rahane are at the same end! Khawaja is run out for 16!
16:13 hrs IST: And look who is in the commentary box -- Champion Darren Sammy!
16:12 hrs IST: RPS 22 for no loss after 2 overs.
16:11 hrs IST: SIX!!! Khawaja gets into the act and it is the first six of the match! Crosses the boundary line down the long on boundary!
16:10 hrs IST: It looks like a batsman's paradise -- totally flat! But there is a greenish tinge the pitch too!
This is how the pitch looks like for @RCBTweets v @RPSupergiants match #RCBvRPS #VIVOIPLhttps://t.co/sXN1o70AhM
- IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 7, 2016
16:09 hrs IST: RCB introduce spin, Parvez Rasool in to roll over his arm!
16:07 hrs IST: Oh so the RCB players also indulged in football before the start of the match!
.@imVkohli and his boys are warming up ahead of their game against @RPSupergiants #RCBvRPS #VIVOIPLhttps://t.co/LzAg8MsbFf
- IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 7, 2016
16:06 hrs IST: First over is up, RPS 9 for no loss!
16:00 hrs IST: And it is action!
15:59 hrs IST: Ajinkya Rahan and Usman Khawaja have come out to bat. Stuart Binny to start proceedings for RCB!
15:55 hrs IST: There will two IPL debuts today in Bengaluru - Adam Zampa for Rising Pune Supergiants and Chris Jordan for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
15:50 hrs IST: Look at Dhoni turn from a cricketer to a footballer!
.@RPSupergiants are gearing-up for their game against @RCBTweets #RCBvRPS #VIVOIPLhttps://t.co/ABdsn1j8Fw
- IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 7, 2016
15:44 hrs IST: Here are the playing XIs:
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Lokesh Rahul(w), Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Shane Watson, Travis Head, Sachin Baby, Stuart Binny, Parvez Rasool, Chris Jordan, Varun Aaron, Yuzvendra Chahal
Rising Pune Supergiants: Ajinkya Rahane, Usman Khawaja, Saurabh Tiwary, MS Dhoni(w/c), Thisara Perera, George Bailey, Rajat Bhatia, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashok Dinda, RP Singh, Adam Zampa
15:35 hrs IST: Virat Kohli has won the toss and chose to bowl against MS Dhoni's Rising Pune Supergiants.
15:25 hrs IST: Chris Jordan has been handed his IPL cap so he will make his debut today. A lot will depend on his bowling performance.
15:24 hrs IST: Both teams have been ravaged by injuries. Rising Pune Supergiants have lost four of their overseas players, while Royal Challengers Bangalore have lost Samuel Badree and now, Adam Milne. These teams will know this league now as the Injury Premier League.
15:17 hrs IST: A warm welcome to a vital match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rising Pune Supergiants. These are desperate times for Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni and a loss for either team could significantly dent their chances of making it to the play-offs.
© BCCI
MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli's journey in the 2016 Indian Premier League have been similar. Both Royal Challengers Bangalore and Rising Pune Supergiants are at the bottom end of the table. Both teams have been ravaged by injuries. Both teams are low on confidence.
With Adam Milne ruled out for RCB due to a hamstring injury, the team's bowling, which has been heavily criticised by former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar, is under immense pressure. On the other hand, Dhoni's RPS are staying afloat in the campaign after a win over Delhi Daredevils in their previous match. However, a loss against RCB will significantly dim their chances of qualifying for the knock-outs.
RCB - Epic struggle in bowling
In all their seven games played in the 2016 IPL, they have not bowled out the opposition once. In every match played, their bowlers have conceeded over 170. No penetration and inability to control the flow of runs. Following their loss to Kolkata Knight Riders, skipper Kohli was at a loss of words to describe RCB's performance.
Their only ray of hope rests in Chris Jordan, England's pace bowler who has shown his ability to bowl well at the death. Jordan knows the task in hand, stating that every game is a must win for RCB. However, the team will be hoping that rain does not play spoilsport, as there are showers scheduled.
RPS - Inconsistency in all departments
A wash-out or no result could potentially signal the end of the road for RPS' intentions for the knock-outs. Already ravaged by injuries, Dhoni's team put in a spirited show against Delhi Daredevils and they will be hoping for the same again.
This is a perfect opportunity to avenge their loss to RCB in their previous match and keep their IPL campaign on track. With Usman Khawaja showing good form in his first IPL match, Dhoni will be satisfied with his batting but he will be aware that bowlers would need to step up on a ground with small boundaries and where the pitch is a batting paradise.