Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli (second right) celebrates with team-mates after the dismissal of Punjab Kings’ captain Shreyas Iyer during the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala, India. (AFP)
Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer struck half-centuries to help defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru become the first team to qualify for the IPL play-offs with a 23-run win over Punjab Kings on Sunday.
In-form Kohli struck 58 off 37 balls before Venkatesh hit an unbeaten 73 to steer the team to 222-4 after being invited to bat first in the Himalayan hill town of Dharamsala. The bowlers, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, then restricted Punjab to 199-8 despite a late batting charge by Marcus Stoinis, who hit 37, and Shashank Singh, who made 56.
Bengaluru, who won their first IPL title in 18 attempts last year, consolidated top spot in the points table and secured their place in the play-offs. Runners-up last year, Punjab, who started the season with six victories and one no-result, suffered their sixth successive defeat and are no longer in control of their fate.
The top four teams at the end of the league stage will make the playoffs in the 10-team tournament. Kohli, who blasted an unbeaten 105 in his team’s previous win, kept up his form as he hit four fours and three sixes to lay the foundation for Bengaluru’s total after losing his opening partner Jacob Bethell for 11.
He then put on 78 with the left-handed Devdutt Padikkal, who made 45, to rebuild the innings and hit back. Kohli raised his fourth fifty of the season and 67th in the IPL before he finally fell to leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Venkatesh kept up the pace to reach his fifty as he clobbered the bowlers and put on an attacking fourth-wicket stand with Tim David, who made 28.
In reply, Punjab lost openers Priyansh Arya, for a duck, and Prabhsimran Singh, for two — both falling to Kumar’s seam bowling. Punjab slipped further to 93-5 after skipper Shreyas Iyer (1), Cooper Connolly (37) and Suryansh Shedge (37) departed.
Impact substitute Stoinis and Shashank attempted to raise Punjab’s hopes in their partnership of 67 but disciplined bowling ensured a ninth win in 13 matches for Bengaluru. Rasikh Salam took two wickets in the final over to return figures of 3-36.
Brief scores
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 222/4 in 20 overs [Venkatesh Iyer 73* (40), Virat Kohli 58 (37); Harpreet Brar 2-35] beat Punjab Kings 199/8 in 20 overs [Shashank Singh 56 (27); Rasikh Dar 3-36, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-39)] by 23 runs
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