Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore continue their struggle in this IPL after sinking to yet another defeat on Sunday. Delhi Capitals won the fixture 4 wickets, handing them their sixth straight loss of the season.
RCB batsmen found the going tough on a tough wicket afterbeing invited to bat first and could only manage 149 for 8 in the stipulated 20overs.
With the ball not coming onto the bat, Kohli scored almosta-run-a-ball before hitting two sixes late in his innings, consuming 33 ballsfor his 41. Had it not been for the skipper and Moeen Ali’s contributions, RCBwould have been in deep trouble. Ali hit a 18-ball 32.
South Africa paceman Kagiso Rabada (4/21) accounted for fourRCB batsmen to lead Delhi’s bowling attack, which also comprised Chris Morris(2/28), Axar Patel (1/22) and Sandeep Lamichhane (1/46).
Shreyas Iyer then played a captain’s knock, making a 50-ball67 to guide Delhi Capitals to a comfortable win, bringing their IPL campaignback on track.
Iyer anchored the chase with some crucial partnerships asDelhi overhauled the target with 10 balls to spare.
Iyer smashed eight fours and two sixes in his 50-ballinnings which helped Delhi grab the fifth place in the points table, snapping atwo-match losing streak where they lost to Kings XI Punjab and SunrisersHyderabad in the last two games.
Chasing 150 to win, Iyer forged a 68-run partnership withopener Prithvi Shaw (28) after Shikhar Dhawan was dismissed by Tim Southee inthe third ball of the innings.
In the 9th over, Pawan Negi removed Shaw after the batsmantop-edged a delivery and was caught at deep square leg by Akshdeep Nath.
Iyer then shared 39 runs with Colin Ingram (22), who blastedtwo fours and a six in his 21-ball stay before being trapped by Moeen Ali in the14th over while trying to play a shot over the leg side.
Rishabh Pant came out with intent, blasting a couple offours, while Iyer too smashed a six off Yuzvendra Chahal in the 17th over butthe skipper miscued a pull off Navdeep Saini and was caught at short cover byChahal.
With just five runs needed, Delhi survived some anxiousmoment after losing Chris Morris (0) and Pant — both trying to clear thein-field and perishing in the process.
Axar Patel then smashed a four to take Delhi home.
Earlier, Kohli played an uncharacteristic sedate knock.
Ishant Sharma was economical upfront, while Chris Morris wasa bit expensive though he sent back Parthiv Patel (9), who slogged hard at awidish delivery and found Sandeep Lamichhane on the boundary ropes.
Young Rabada was introduced to bowl the last over inPowerpay and he got his national teammate AB de Villiers (17).
Kohli was still there but the runs came only in one andtwos. In nine overs, RCB scored just 53. Marcus Stoinis hit only second six ofthe innings by lofting one from Lamichhane over long-on.
Stoinis went after Axar Patel too but ended up giving acatch to Rahul Tewatiya.
England all-rounder Ali came to the crease and suddenlybatting looked easy. He pulled and drove with ease. Ali spoilt Ishant’s figures,hitting him for a six and a four and also dispatched one from Lamichhane tolong-off.
The Nepalese spinner, though, had him stumped soon on agoogly.
Kohli smashed two sixes off Lamichhane, who bowled first one in slot and the second one very short. However, Rabada dismissed the rival captain, Akshdeep Nath and Pawan Negi in one over.