Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) went back on track by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 24 runs and regaining their winning ways. On Thursday, April 20, match 27 of the ongoing IPL 2023 took place at the Punjab Cricket Association’s (PCA) IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali.
Notably, Faf du Plessis‘s 84 runs and Virat Kohli’s 59 runs contributed to RCB’s total of 174. In response, PBKS received strikes at regular intervals, which ultimately cost them the match despite Jitesh Sharma’s valiant efforts.
Here are the major talking points of Punjab Kings vs. RCB:
Despite his ailment, Faf du Plessis excels at bat.
Despite suffering a rib injury in his previous match against CSK, Faf dominated against Punjab with the bat, putting on a sensational display. The flamboyant right-hander began delicately but ultimately gained momentum and produced numerous runs.
Faf du Plessis reached his fifty off 31 deliveries with the assistance of Virat Kohli, who reached his fifty off 40 balls. On a slow wicket, Faf dominated with the bat, scoring 84 runs off 56 deliveries at a strike rate of 150, with five sixes and the same number of fours. With this, RCB eventually tallied a respectable 174 runs in the first inning.
Jitesh Sharma struggles during pursuit.
RCB extended their dominance in response to the total by achieving breakthroughs at regular intervals to keep PBKS flailing in pursuit. Prabhsimran Singh put forth his best effort and scored 46 runs off 30 deliveries before being sent back to the dugout.
With batsmen falling in rapid succession, PBKS nearly lost control of the game. However, Jitesh Sharma played a blistering inning of 41 runs off 27 deliveries to help Punjab Kings regain the lead. In his brief cameo, he hit three sixes and two fours but ultimately succumbed to pressure to give the victory to RCB.
Mohammed Siraj’s four-wicket haul wreaks havoc.
Siraj was indispensable for RCB’s defense, as he not only made crucial breakthroughs but also helped limit the opponent’s scoring output. The pacer returned with four wickets and allowed just 21 runs in four overs. In addition, he got the crucial run out of Harpreet Singh in the middle in order to maintain RCB in the lead.
Sam Curran, the captain of the losing team, commented, “I thought we bowled exceptionally well as a group.” Faf and Virat performed effectively. I did not believe they evaded us excessively. We ultimately did not perform well enough. They also bowled fairly well, but we lost wickets. The conditions were also quite peculiar. At one point, we thought it would begin to rain due to the lightning and thunder. It was a very excellent wicket with decently sized boundaries; you want a level playing field for bat and ball. A few decisions with the bat that we may regret, but we moved on to Saturday. Therefore, the objective is to gain knowledge from this.
The winning captain, Virat Kohli, stated that this victory does not make us invincible, nor did our league standing before today make us a poor team. When you have just played five or six games, the table cannot define your mood. Maintaining our processes and remaining present. In the first half of the game, the weather changed drastically. Faf batted exceptionally well. We considered extending our partnership for as long as practicable in order to gain an additional 20 runs. After overs 7-8, when the ball began to be struck into the square, the ball became significantly dented.
Then, we altered our strategy to bat deeper. If we had remained in, we could have attempted 190–200. We thought 175 was a respectable score on this pitch. I informed them that was more than sufficient. We simply needed to be confident and keep the ball in our hands while attempting to take wickets. In Twenty20 cricket, taking wickets is how you win games. In the first six overs after the halfway point, the plan was to take the game to the opposition. We immediately opened up the game, and our fielding was also outstanding.
Mohammed Siraj, the man of the match, stated that the first ball was a bit short. I then attempted to bowl with a bit more force because I was getting in shape. When I take wickets during the opposition’s powerplay, I place the opposition under pressure. The confinement was essential for me. I was quite depressed prior to that because I used to be quite extravagant.
I focused on my gym workouts and bowling because I wanted to perform well. Even in ODIs, my cadence was strong and my confidence was high, and I have carried those qualities into this season of the IPL. I am a decent fielder; I just occasionally make a few errors (smiles). To remain a member of the team, I am constantly striving to improve in every area.
India
