IPL 2023: Netizens roar as Virat Kohli-Faf du Plessis show steers RCB past MI by 8 wickets
IPL 2023: Royal Challengers Bangalore put on a blazing performance with the bat to overpower Mumbai Indians by eight wickets on Sunday in Bengaluru, thanks to the superb batting by Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, while netizens roared.
FollowIt was a ruthless performance by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), as it punched former five-time champion Mumbai Indians (MI) by eight wickets in Match 5 of the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. Virat Kohli (80*) and Faf du Plessis's (73) fantastic batting display easily got the job done for RCB, leaving the netizens roaring.
Winning the toss, RCB skipper Faf du Plessis opted to bowl, while MI was off to a jittery start, losing three for 20 by the sixth over of the PowerPlay (PP). While it was down to 48/4 by the ninth, Tilak Varma (84*) and Nehal Wadhera (21) put on a 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket before the latter departed to leg-spinner Karn Sharma in the 14th.
Thereon, MI again lost some quick wickets and was 123/7 by the 18th. Nonetheless, as Varma brought up his third IPL half-century, he blasted some top strokes in the closing stages of the innings and tailored a 48-run stand with Arshad Khan (15*) as the side finished on an above-par total of 171/7.
For RCB, it was a consolidated bowling effort, with Karn taking a couple, whereas pacer Mohammed Siraj was economical. During the chase, MI replaced Yadav with Jason Behrendorff as its Impact Player (IP). As RCB began the pursuit, openers Kohli and du Plessis were comfortable right from the start, as they exploited the PP and continued with the same momentum until the 15th over, keeping the required rate under check.
ALSO WATCH:Â IPL 2023 - Day after KKR's loss to PBKS, injured Shreyas Iyer spotted at Mumbai airport
The two put on a massive 148-run opening partnership, with Kohli and du Plessis bringing up their 45th and 26th IPL 50s. While a dropped catch for Kohli favoured him, it was in the 15th when medium-pacer Arshad Khan dismissed the latter to put a slim halt to RCB's cruise, followed by Dinesh Karthik (0) a run later in the following over to fellow medium-pacer  Cameron Green.
Nevertheless, Kohli and Glenn Maxwell (12*) finished the job by the 17th, handing RCB a comfortable eight-wicket success. Besides Arshad and Green bagging a wicket each, veteran leg-spinner Piyush Chawla was heavily economical for MI. In the points table, RCB is placed third with this triumph, while former champion Rajasthan Royals (RR) takes the top spot for now.
