Incredible Kohli demolishes dire KXIP

Cricket365
May 28, 2016

Royal Challengers Bangalore put forth a devastating display with bat and ball on Wednesday when they beat the Kings XI Punjab by 82 runs (D/L method), with Virat Kohli scoring a century in less than 50 balls.

Kohli's 113 came off 50 deliveries, with the ton in 47, as the Bangalore side recorded 211 for three in just 15 overs. The game had been reduced by five overs per side by rain, and Punjab only managed 120/9 in the chase.

Punjab won the toss and chose to field, a bizarre choice given they were playing in run-filled Bangalore, with the M. Chinnaswamy stadium proving fruitful for the home side all season.

They soon saw the error of their ways, as Kohli and Chris Gayle smashed the bowling to all corners, putting on a stand of 147 in just 11 overs. Gayle scored 73 of those runs off just 32 balls, including eight sixes.

Kohli also scored eight big hits, but stroked 12 fours as well. He lost regular partner AB de Villiers to a duck, but KL Rahul kept pace after that. He recorded 16 not out off six balls.

Kohli was out with one over to go, caught by David Miller off Sandeep Sharma, but the damage had been done already, leaving Punjab, one of the two worst teams this year, with an impossible task.

They were never going to reach the target once they started losing regular wickets, and were soon four down for 54 runs. Miller's horror season continued as he was out for three, and was one of De Villiers' three catches in the game.

Yuzvindra Chahal was the star for the home side's bowling ttack, taking four wickets at a touch over eight to the over. The runs didn't matter though, as KXIP only barely reached triple figures.

As a result, RCB's incredible resurgence continued as they jumped from the seventh place they were on the table a few days ago to second spot, leading a long list of sides on 14 points thanks to their superior run rate.