Salt and Kohli Power RCB to Nine-Wicket Victory Over Royals
Phil Salt’s explosive 33-ball 65 and Virat Kohli’s 100th T20 fifty guided Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to a dominant nine-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals in the IPL on Sunday.
RCB’s decision to bowl first proved effective on a pitch that stayed low and offered variable bounce. Rajasthan Royals managed to post 173/4, largely due to Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fluent 75 off 47 balls, while other batsmen struggled against RCB’s bowlers.
On a slow, tacky Sawai Mansingh Stadium pitch, where stroke-making was difficult, Salt’s aggressive approach stunned the Royals. He blasted six sixes and five fours, putting the hosts’ bowlers under immense pressure from the start. His fiery innings, along with Kohli’s composed 62 not out off 45 balls (4×4, 2×6), helped RCB chase down the target of 174 with ease, finishing the job in just 17.3 overs.
This marked RCB’s fourth win of the season, with all victories coming in away matches.
Salt set the tone early, top-edging Jofra Archer for a six in the opening over and surviving a close lbw shout. He constantly shuffled across the stumps to target the leg-side, racing to his second fifty of the season in just 28 balls, reducing the target to under 100 by the eighth over. Despite moments of fortune, including a dropped catch and missed run-out, Salt made Rajasthan Royals pay dearly.
Kohli, playing the role of anchor, started cautiously, scoring only seven off his first six balls. He too had an early reprieve, with Riyan Parag dropping a simple catch at mid-off. However, the RCB captain quickly settled in and formed a 92-run opening stand with Salt, with 65 runs coming in the powerplay, which shifted the momentum decisively in RCB’s favor.
Salt was dismissed for 65, bowled by Kumar Kartikeya, leaving RCB needing just 82 from 68 balls. From there, Kohli took charge, pacing his innings with 25 singles and picking boundaries with precision. He reached his 100th T20 fifty with a stylish loft over Wanindu Hasaranga’s head, bringing the equation down to 28 from 30 balls.
Kohli now has 100 fifties and nine centuries from 405 T20 matches.
Earlier, Rajasthan Royals’ Jaiswal was the standout performer with 75 runs, striking 10 fours and two sixes. He handled the sluggish pitch with poise while others struggled. After seeing off a disciplined spell from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Yash Dayal, Jaiswal began attacking in the fifth over, hitting a six and a four off Dayal. He reached his second fifty of the season in 35 balls and formed a 56-run stand with Riyan Parag (30 off 18).
Parag looked fluent but couldn’t capitalize on a life on 13 when Dayal dropped a regulation chance. He eventually fell to Dayal’s slower ball, miscuing it to Kohli at short cover. Sanju Samson (13 off 16) struggled, bogged down by dot balls and tight bowling. He survived a run-out chance early on but was stumped after misjudging a low delivery from Krunal Pandya.
Jaiswal continued to keep the scoreboard ticking with inventive strokes, including a lap and reverse sweep. He also scooped Hazlewood for a six over fine leg before falling to him in the same over, trapped plumb in front.
In the death overs, Dhruv Jurel (35* off 23) played a useful cameo but took time to get going, consuming several dot balls early.
