Highlights:
- RCB win the match against RR with 10 wickets in hand becoming the only team in IPL 2021 to win all 4 matches
- Maiden IPL century from Devdutt Padikkal with Virat Kohli’s half-century flattens RR
- Padikkal asks Kohli to seal the victory, Kohli asks him to get his century first
The 20 year old up and coming Indian cricketer Devdutt Padikkal managed to overshadow none other than the great Virat Kohli with his elegant hundred in Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)’s successful 178-run chase against Rajasthan Royals (RR), in Wankhede, in a virtual cakewalk of an IPL contest at the on April 22.
It is a rare occasion to see where someone as brilliant as Kohli, plays a second fiddle, allowing the talented left-hander to use his potential to caress the balls in all directions of the ground during a mind-blowing maiden IPL century, scoring an unbeaten 101 from just 52 deliveries.
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Even though RCB never looked in a hurry to chase the 178 run target, they managed to reach the target in just 16.3 overs with all 10 wickets in hand. Kohli, too, went on the offensive once Padikkal had ensured victory as his contribution was 72 not out of 47 deliveries in their unbroken opening stand of 181.
RCB continued their roll with their 4th victory in the IPL 2021 campaign, the only team to do so this year, whereas RR, a team which hardly inspires confidence, are again looking good for bringing up the rear.
The maximums that came from Padikkal’s bat were more about the perfect timing than the power invested in the. In his unbeaten inning, Padikkal hit 11 boundaries and 6 maximums.
Picking the length of ace international baller Mustafizur Rahaman’s short ball and getting into the shape to execute a perfect pull-shot for a six reconfirmed why experts are inclined that it is only a matter of time before he dons national colours.
Soon he followed an inside out chip off Riyan Parag over the extra cover to complete his half-century from just 27 27 balls making it amongst the fastest in the tournament, the sweep shots, the slash over backward point and the straight sixes with the economy of footwork, were all testimony to his solid technical foundation.
Once Padikkal was in his mid 80s, the RCB skipper also started opening up and hit a six over the extra cover off RR’s costliest buy Chris Morris.
Kohli’s 50 came off 34 deliveries and was followed by a personal milestone of 6000 runs in IPL, making him the only batsman in IPL to score 6000 runs, as RR surrendered way before the match officially ended.
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As the match was close to the finish line, Padikkal asked Kohli to seal the win for the team, however, Kohli had something else in mind. Kohli said, “We spoke about it (on the 100). He told me to finish it off, I told him to get to it first. He said many will come, I said yes you can say that after you get to the landmark. He deserved to get the three-figure mark”.
In the RR innings, Rahul Tewatia’s impressive death overs hitting ensured his side gets to a fighting 177 for 9 after yet another familiar top order no-show.
On a good surface like Wankhede, RR only managed a total which may be 25 runs short but credit for the decent score goes to the counter-attack from their all-rounder Shivam Dube who scored 46 from 32 balls followed by big-hits from Tewatia who scored 40 from 23 which helped them get past 177-run mark.