Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Gujarat Titans, 70th Match, IPL-2023
Gujarat Titans defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 6 wickets in the last league match of IPL-2023. With this defeat, the journey of Faf du Plessis-led RCB has come to an end in the ongoing tournament. With Bangalore’s defeat, Mumbai Indians have become the fourth team to qualify for the IPL 2023 playoffs. Earlier the teams of Gujarat Titans, Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants have qualified. In the 70th match of IPL 2023, Royal Challengers Bangalore scored 197 runs losing 5 wickets in 20 overs thanks to Virat Kohli’s century. In response, Gujarat Titans won the match by scoring 198 for 4 in 19.1 overs thanks to Shubman Gill’s unbeaten century. Qualifier 1 of IPL 2023 will be played between Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday (May 23) while the Eliminator will take place between Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians on Wednesday (May 24).
Chasing a target of 198 runs, Gujarat got their first blow in the third over. Saha got out after scoring 12 runs. After this, Shubman Gill shared a century partnership for the second wicket with Vijay Shankar. Vijay Shankar got out after scoring 53 runs in 35 balls. In his innings, he hit 7 fours and two sixes. Shanaka could not even open an account. Miller scored 6 runs. Shubman Gill continued to bat from one end and hit a six in the last over to win the team and scored his second consecutive century in the ongoing season. Earlier, in-form Virat Kohli scored his second consecutive IPL century and seventh in total as Royal Challengers Bangalore posted 197 for five against Gujarat Titans despite wickets falling at the other end. Kohli, who scored a century in the last match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, scored an unbeaten 101 off 61 balls which included 13 fours and a six. With this, he also made the record of scoring most centuries in IPL leaving behind Chris Gayle. He became the third batsman to score a century in consecutive matches in this T20 league.
Put in to bat after losing the toss in a game that was delayed by almost an hour due to rain, RCB got off to a slow start, scoring only 10 runs in the first two overs. Faf du Plessis hit Mohammed Shami for four fours and Kohli hit Yash Dayal for three consecutive fours to enthuse the crowd at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB scored 62 runs without loss in the power play. Duplesey, however, could not play a big innings and returned to the pavilion after scoring 28 runs off 19 balls, caught by Noor Ahmed (2 for 39). Glenn Maxwell (11) hit a six and a four in Ahmed’s over but Rashid Khan (1 for 24) stunned the spectators in the next over by scattering his wickets. Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha stumped Mahipal Lomror (one) off Noor Ahmed’s wide ball to reduce RCB’s score to 85 for three.
Kohli stood firm at the other end despite RCB losing three wickets within 18 runs. He completed his fifty off 35 balls. Michael Bracewell scored 26 off 16 balls. Dinesh Karthik failed again and could not even open the account. Yash Dayal caught him behind the wicket. Kohli hit Yash Dayal for his first six in the 18th over of the innings and completed his century in 60 balls. He shared an unbroken 64-run partnership for the sixth wicket with Anuj Rawat (23 not out). Before Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan and Jos Buttler had scored centuries in consecutive matches in IPL.