Cricket IPL

Virat Kohli Becomes First Indian Cricketer To Achieve Major IPL Feat

Virat Kohli Major IPL Feat

Published on April 3rd, 2023

On Sunday, Virat Kohli led Royal Challengers Bangalore to victory over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with a superb half-century. Kohli scored 82 off just 49 deliveries, hitting six fours and five sixes.

He achieved a major IPL feat by becoming the first Indian cricketer to score 50 50-plus scores in the tournament.

The overall record for most 50-plus scores in IPL is held by David Warner of Delhi Capitals with 60, while Punjab Kings’ skipper Shikhar Dhawan is third on the list with 49. Kohli currently has 45 fifties and 5 hundreds to his name.

In an outstanding start to their IPL campaign, RCB secured a comprehensive eight-wicket victory with a phenomenal 148-run opening partnership by Kohli and Faf du Plessis, who displayed exceptional chasing skills.

MI was sent into bat and Tilak Varma played an exceptional innings of 84 off 46 balls, leading the team to a total of 171 for seven. However, RCB’s Kohli and du Plessis put on an exhibition of sublime stroke-making and made a mockery of the target. They scored twin fifties and helped their team win with 22 balls to spare.

During their exceptional partnership of 89 balls, Kohli (82 not out) and Du Plessis (73) showcased their outstanding stroke-making abilities, hitting 10 boundaries and an equal number of maximums.

MI suffered their 11th consecutive defeat in their first match of the season as Kohli completed the job after du Plessis’ dismissal, hitting a four and six off Arshad Khan to knock off the winning runs.

MI’s decision to replace Suryakumar Yadav with Jason Behrendorff as their impact player failed to pay off as both Behrendorff and his new-ball partner Arshad Khan were hit hard by Kohli and du Plessis, who amassed 30 runs in just three overs.

Despite being dropped by Jofra Archer in the first ball, Kohli showed no mercy as he hit a four and six off Archer. Meanwhile, du Plessis continued his attack and hit successive sixes off Behrendorff.

Virat Kohli Royal Challengers Bangalore

Credit: flickr.com/royalchallengers

When veteran spinner Piyush Chawla was brought into the attack, he was taken to the cleaners by du Plessis, who hit a boundary across the extra cover. Kohli also joined in the fun, pulling one across the midwicket off Archer, as RCB piled on 53 runs in just six overs.

After du Plessis punished Cameron Green with two fours and a maximum, he repeated the treatment to Hrithik Shokeen to reach his fifty. Kohli joined in the fun by hitting Chawla over long-on to bring up RCB’s team hundred before reaching his individual fifty in the 12th over. Behrendorff then conceded 16 runs in the next over, with du Plessis hitting a six and a four. Kohli followed suit by pulling Archer over deep square leg as RCB kept scoring quickly. MI managed to dismiss du Plessis and Dinesh Kartik towards the end, but it was too late as Kohli and Glenn Maxwell (12 not out off 3 balls) finished off things in style.

Before Varma’s sensational knock, MI had a poor start. However, Varma, who had a successful last season, held the innings together.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore‘s bowlers initially managed to limit the Mumbai Indians to a score of 20 for three in just 5.2 overs. However, thanks to Devdutt Varma’s impressive partnerships with Nehal Wadhera (21) and Arshad Khan (15 not out), the Mumbai Indians were able to add 50 and 48 runs respectively for the fifth and eighth wickets.

During his innings, the 20-year-old Varma hit an impressive nine boundaries and four sixes.

Ishan Kishan managed to hit two fours before being taken out by Mohammed Siraj’s outswinger. Additionally, Cameron Green was dismissed by Recce Topley, who achieved his first IPL wicket.

In the fifth over, Rohit Sharma received a lifeline after Siraj and Dinesh Kartik collided while trying to catch the ball. However, despite the opportunity, the Indian captain was not able to capitalize on the mistake and was caught out by Akash Deep, reducing the Mumbai Indians to 20 for three in just 5.2 overs.

It was then that Varma came to bat and hit a powerful shot over long-on, taking the Mumbai Indians to 29 for three during the powerplay.

During the eighth over, Recce Topley sustained a shoulder injury while attempting to prevent a boundary off Varma’s bat and had to leave the field.

Suryakumar Yadav, who had been struggling with poor form, was unable to capitalize on his start and was caught by Shahbaz Ahmed.

Despite this setback, Varma continued to bat with confidence and even managed to hit a reverse-sweep off Michael Bracewell for a four, before adding six and four runs off Glenn Maxwell during the 12th over.

Pepsi IPL - Match 70 RCB v CSK

Credit: flickr.com/photos/royalchallengers

Nehal Wadhera hit back-to-back sixes off Karn Sharma but was caught by Kohli, bringing Mumbai Indians to 99 for five.

Despite high hopes for Tim David, he was bowled out by Karn Sharma when he tried to hit a big shot.

Hrithik Shokeen was caught by Faf du Plessis, thanks to a superb catch, as Harshal Patel secured his first wicket of the season, leaving Mumbai Indians at 123 for seven in 17.1 overs.

Varma, however, showed impressive temperament and reached his half-century by smashing Akash Deep over deep square leg for another maximum.

Siraj, who had 1 wicket for just 5 runs from his 3 overs, bowled the 19th over but unfortunately, he conceded 5 wides, allowing Varma to hit two fours as Mumbai Indians reached a total of 149 for seven, following a 16-run over.

In the final over, Varma hit two sixes and a four off Harshal Patel, scoring an impressive 48 runs from the last 17 balls.

Image Source: flickr.com