Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals have both sailed through to the IPL 2020 playoffs despite losing at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Delhi sailed past 154 runs posted by Virat Kohli & Co after batting first.
Chasing a moderate total, Delhi Capitals were always in control in the run chase. Shikhar Dhawan and Ajinkya Rahane dominated the proceedings to lead the chase with individual fifties. The spinners – Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Washington Sundar took the game deep.
Although Shahbaz removed Shreyas Iyer and Ajinkya Rahane, but Delhi Capitals went past the target to cruise through the IPL 2020 playoffs.
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Earlier in the day, Kagiso Rabada shrugged off his PowerPlay blues and gave Delhi Capitals the opening by scalping Josh Philippe in the fifth over. Devdutt Padikkal played some stylish strokes but didn’t really get support at the other end. Virat Kohli struggled as Delhi’s spinners applied the choke after the 10 overs.
RCB’s captain couldn’t capitalize on the drop catch by Anrich Nortje as he fell sooner to Ravichandran Ashwin. The pitch slowed down as well to make the life of RCB’s batters difficult. Once Devdutt was dismissed after completing his fifty, AB de Villiers and Shivam Dube made their presence felt with some lusty hits but they lost steam towards the end to post only 153 runs on the board.
We deserve to be in the playoffs – Virat Kohli
Speaking at the end of the game, Virat Kohli stated that they have deservedly qualified for the playoffs. He also hailed the slower bowlers who controlled the game to take it deep and helped RCB qualify.
“It’s a mixed bag. you come to games to try and get a result your way. Through probably the 11th over, the 17.3 mark was informed by the management. Even if the game was drifting away, we controlled the middle overs well enough. I think we’ve played good enough cricket in this tournament to qualify,” Virat Kohli said.
Furthermore, Virat Kohli admitted that they need to play brave cricket at the back end of the game and back their strengths in the powerplays. With two games remaining, RCB will look to aim for their maiden IPL trophy.
“We have two games to the final now. We can be more brave in the back end, probably be better in the powerplay (with the ball) which has been our strength. You take what you can with these games,” Virat Kohli concluded.
