Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) star Virat Kohli looked in his usual form as stormed back to form against Gujarat Titans (GT) at the Wankhede Stadium. This is his second half-century of IPL 2022 in whatever has been an underwhelming season for the talismanic run-scorer.
Chasing 169 runs, Kohli and Faf du Plessis got off to a flying start. Virat Kohli, in particular, looked in exceptional touch while luck also seemed to favour him at the start of the innings. Once he got into the mojo, there was no stopping the RCB batter.
He took everyone on the bowlers hitting boundaries for fun. Virat Kohli reached the fifty-run landmark in just 33 balls with a brilliant six off Rashid Khan. Incidentally, both of his fifty have come against Gujarat this season. The 33-year-old batter also reached his 7000 IPL runs, the first batter to achieve the feat.
Meanwhile, from former cricketers to fans, everyone went gaga after Virat Kohli scored a quickfire fifty. The lauded Kohli as the long wait for the runs came to an end.
Here are some reactions:
Normalcy restored 🤞
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 19, 2022
A big knock was just around the corner and what better stage to bring it up for @imVkohli 👏 👏 #RCBvGT #IPL2022
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) May 19, 2022
What a shot to bring his 50 👏 #ViratKohli
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 19, 2022
https://twitter.com/kallol_ss/status/1527332464384827399?s=20&t=_UvHnbPR8Y6BZvcE_nOcIg
50 for Virat Kohli… he will be the player of the Play-offs! #IPL
— Shahid Hashmi (@hashmi_shahid) May 19, 2022
Heck yes! This is the Virat Kohli I stay up all night to watch! He’s is on FIRE! Good opening partnership too here from the boys. 🔥 #RCBvGT
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) May 19, 2022
Back in black!😎 #ViratKohli
— Abhinav Mukund (@mukundabhinav) May 19, 2022
KING FOR A REASON, KING OF ALL SEASONS.
Really happy to see our champ Virat Kohli is back in his ferocious form. #RCBvGT #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/leaQ9kzwzq
— Amit Mishra (@MishiAmit) May 19, 2022
‘Din aur raat logon ke hote honge, sheron ka zamana hota hai!’ 🔥💪🏼
There ain’t no sher like you, #ViratKohli! There just ain’t! #RCBvGT pic.twitter.com/evvKBKWMMY
— Tanay Tiwari (@Tanay_Tiwari) May 19, 2022
Kohli's best innings in this IPL. Have thoroughly enjoyed it. Had some luck today, but given the kind of rotten luck he has had in some time, he deserves every bit of it.
Hope this is a start of a turn around for him.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) May 19, 2022
An innings like this was due for Virat Kohli after the kind of net session he had yesterday. Spent the two best hours watching him bat from the best view possible and seeing him execute the same today was cherry on the cake. #RCBvGT
— Prajakta (@18prajakta) May 19, 2022
Bangalore's weather and Kohli's batting, both have seen some thunder this week
— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 19, 2022
This Kohli looks like a fine young bat; could be on that flight to Australia, I am telling you.
— El Chopernos (@El_Chopernos) May 19, 2022
Scared to say it, but this is Kohli being completely himself. Reminded of the innings where he took the notebook out against Kesrick Williams. Was in a similar sort of mood that day. Proper pumped up and pushing himself to fight. #RCBvGT #IPL2022
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) May 19, 2022
Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis added 115 runs for the first wicket to set the run chase. The RCB skipper got out after a well made 44 off 38 balls which saw the arrival of Glenn Maxwell. The Aussie all-rounder went hard after the bowlers from the very first ball to finish off the game quickly.
Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 68 propels GT to a decen total
Opting to bat first, Gujarat got off to a flying start thanks to Wriddhiman Saha, who has been consistently scoring runs this season. Despite losing Shubman Gill at the other end, Saha kept playing his shots to keep the scoreboard ticking.
Matthew Wade also walked back after getting a start before Hardik joined the veteran wicket-keeper and the duo played some shots before Saha was run out, leaving the Titans at 62/3.
The RCB spinners did an exceptional job of keeping things tight before David Miller provided some impetus to the innings. But Siddarth Kaul and Josh Hazlewood leaked some runs in the death overs. Hardik led the team from the front with an unbeaten 62, while Rashid Khan chipped in with a late six-ball 19-run cameo to end the innings on a high.
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