It was a tale of two centuries as Vira Kohli and Shubman Gill reached the triple-digit scores for their respective teams in the last league game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Gujarat Titans. Despite having secured their spot in the playoffs, GT showed no mercy to the Bengaluru franchise who had to win the match in order to continue in the tournament. Kohli thought he had done enough with the record 7th century in the T20 league but Gill's second successive ton powered GT to a 6-wicket win. After RCB's defeat, Virat Kohli was understandably frustrated and his reaction said all about what he was feeling.
After Kohli scored a 61-ball 101 in Royal Challengers Bangalore's 197 for five, it looked like the best effort on the day but Gill, who will be the torchbearer of Indian batting for the next 10 years, showed that he is better than the best.
What Kohli did well, Gill did better as his unbeaten 104 off 52 balls saw Titans chase down the target with ease. Like former India captain Kohli, this was Gill's second successive hundred. Here's how Kohli reacted after RCB crashed out of the tournament:
— ChhalRaheHainMujhe (@ChhalRahaHuMain) May 22, 2023
— ChhalRaheHainMujhe (@ChhalRahaHuMain) May 22, 2023
Most painful picture of the IPL.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 21, 2023
King Kohli gave his absolute best, scored back to back centuries for RCB, but RCB are knocked out. You gotta feel for Virat! pic.twitter.com/ofzcxPdlHB
The season ends for RCB!
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 21, 2023
Started with high hopes like 15 previous years, but results remain the same. They fought really hard throughout, especially Faf Du Plessis and Virat Kohli who gave their best. pic.twitter.com/ICW4Ee5ZB8
Titans thus finished the league engagements with 20 points while CSK ended second with 17 points ahead of Lucknow Super Giants due to better net run-rate. Mumbai Indians, after their eight-wicket win against SRH, were back in the last four with 16 points.
With 34 needed off three overs, Gill's short-arm half-jab, half-pull off Mohammed Siraj was the killer blow, and then he hit him for another six to kill the contest as Kohli knocked his head in disbelief in the dugout.
RCB had their fate in their own hands but poor execution while defending a healthy total became their undoing.
Gill was outstanding in his touch-play against pacers with that extra split second to play his shots while the regal footwork against leg-spinner Himanshu Sharma was a connoisseur's delight.
The pick-up flick behind square off Michael Bracewell's off-break was easily the shot of the night, which was followed by a monster hit over long-on.
Gill had an able ally in Vijay Shankar (53 off 35 balls). The duo added 123 runs for the second wicket as Gujarat Titans didn't let the intensity down for even one moment.
The difference between Gill's match-winning knock and Kohli's effort was the support at the other end. While Kohli was left to do all the heavy-lifting, Gill found support at the other end.
With PTI inputs
from NDTV Sports-Cricket https://ift.tt/PMpRyF6
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