Kohli keeps slim RCB hopes alive

Dharamsala: Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar conjured up superlative fifties before the bowlers joined the party as Royal Challengers Bengaluru kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a huge 60-run win over Punjab Kings in the IPL here on Thursday.

Kohli's 47-ball 92 was the cornerstone of RCB's innings as he starred in two partnerships -- 72 off 32 balls with Patidar (55 off 23 balls) and 92 off 46 balls with Cameron Green (46 off 27 balls) to propel the team to 241/7.

In reply, Rilee Rossouw put up a show with a 27-ball 61-run knock but Karn Sharma's twin strike triggered a collapse as PBKS were all out for 181 in 17 overs.

This was a fourth successive win for RCB and it took them to 10 points, while PBKS (8) were knocked out of the playoff race as they can reach a maximum of 12 points from the remaining two games.

Swapnil Singh (2/28), Karn (2/36) and Lockie Ferguson (2/29) took two each, while Mohammed Siraj (3/43) claimed three wickets for RCB.

Chasing a stiff target, PBKS lost Prabhsimran Singh (6) early but Rossouw looked unstoppable as left-arm spinner Swapnil Singh was carted for two fours before Siraj was belted for three fours and a six.

Yash Dayal and Ferguson were then hit for 16 and 14 runs by Jonny Bairstow (27) and Rossouw as PBKS scored 75 runs in six overs. Once Bairstow was removed by Ferguson, Rossouw turned his attention on Green, blasting two fours and a six on way to his fifty off 21 balls.

Jitesh Sharma was then cleaned up by Karn, while Swapnil got rid of Liam Livingstone (0) as Punjab slipped to 126 for 5 in 12th over.

They couldn't recover from those blows and it was all over when Shashank Singh (37), Sam Curran (22) and Ashutosh Sharma (8) returned to the dugout. Earlier, Kohli, who was dropped on 0 and 10, timed the ball nicely, used his feet and wrists to bring up his sixth IPL fifty this season.

He reached his mark in 32 balls, before slamming another 40 in his next 15 balls. He cracked seven fours and six maximums. Patidar, who was also given two lives, provided the early momentum as he slammed six maximums and three fours during his 23-ball 55.

After Patidar's dismissal, Kohli and Green continued the onslaught to take RCB past the 200-mark. Green hit five fours and a six before being caught in the final ball as RCB scored 77 in last five overs.

Pacer Vidhwath Kaverappa (2/36) picked up two wickets in the powerplay on his IPL debut but his figures could have been much better had the fielders not dropped three catches off his bowling. Kohli was dropped in the third ball but Kaverappa dismissed Faf du Plessis (9) and removed Will Jacks (12) but PBKS couldn't create pressure as Sam Curran (1/50) and Harshal Patel (3/38) leaked runs.

Patel, who had dropped Patidar, conceded three boundaries in his first over as RCB scored 56 in the powerplay. (PTI)