Phil Salt and Virat Kohli Lead RCB to a Commanding Victory Over Rajasthan Royals
RCB's Dominant Performance in Jaipur
Jaipur: In a thrilling IPL match on Sunday, Phil Salt's explosive innings of 65 runs off just 33 balls, combined with Virat Kohli's milestone 100th T20 fifty, propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a convincing nine-wicket victory against Rajasthan Royals.
Choosing to bowl first proved advantageous for RCB on a pitch that exhibited low bounce and variable conditions. Despite a commendable 75 runs from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rajasthan could only muster a total of 173/4.
Salt's aggressive batting style caught the Royals off guard, as he hit six sixes and five fours, putting immense pressure on the bowling attack right from the start.
His fiery performance, along with Kohli's composed 62 not out off 45 balls, allowed RCB to chase down the target in just 17.3 overs, marking their fourth consecutive win of the season, all achieved away from home.
Salt made his intentions clear early on, hitting a six off Jofra Archer in the first over and surviving a close lbw appeal. He quickly reached his fifty in just 28 balls, significantly reducing the target.
Throughout his innings, he benefited from a few lucky breaks, including a dropped catch by Jaiswal and a missed run-out opportunity.
Kohli, initially playing a supporting role, gradually found his rhythm after a slow start. He too had a moment of fortune when a catch was dropped off Sandeep Sharma's slower delivery.
The duo formed a formidable partnership, scoring 92 runs for the first wicket, with 65 of those runs coming during the powerplay, which set the tone for RCB's dominance.
Salt was eventually dismissed by Kumar Kartikeya, but by then, RCB only needed 82 runs from 68 balls.
Kohli took charge from there, meticulously accumulating runs and reaching his 100th T20 fifty with a stylish boundary off Wanindu Hasaranga, bringing the required runs down to 28 off 30 balls.
With this innings, Kohli now boasts 100 fifties and nine centuries in 405 T20 matches.
Earlier in the match, Jaiswal's impressive 75 runs included 10 fours and two sixes, showcasing his skill on a challenging pitch while his teammates struggled.
After overcoming a disciplined bowling attack, Jaiswal began to accelerate, forming a 56-run partnership with Riyan Parag, who contributed 30 runs off 18 balls.
Parag's innings was cut short by a clever slower ball from Yash Dayal, while Sanju Samson's performance was lackluster, leading to his stumping after misjudging a delivery.
Jaiswal's inventive strokeplay kept the scoreboard moving until he was eventually dismissed by Hazlewood, who trapped him in front.
In the final overs, Dhruv Jurel added a valuable 35 runs off 23 balls, but took time to settle in, resulting in several dot balls.