Virat Kohli record IPL century keeps RCB in the Playoffs race | Cricket News

HYDERABAD: The equation was simple for Royal Challengers Bangalore. They needed to win the final two games to boost their playoff chances. Sunrisers Hyderabad looked like a potential banana peel halfway through. But if the hosts entertained hopes of a rare win after Heinrich Klaasen’s brilliant 104 (51b, 8×4, 6×6) counter-attacking saw them through 186/5, they were firmly shown in their place by the duo opening of the RCB.
The crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium enjoyed all the action but made no secret of their support for Virat Kohli and RCB after Faf du Plessis put the hosts on Thursday.

The crowd got their money’s worth thanks to Kohli’s chic 100 (63b, 12×4, 4×6), which he picked up with a six from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. It was the first time that batsmen from two teams had scored a century in the same IPL game.
With chants of “Kohli, Kohli” and “RCB, RCB” echoing through the stadium, the RCB duo must have felt at home as they made it an open and closed affair. Kohli and du Plessis’ opening partnership of 172 runs from 108 deliveries helped them finish the game at 187/2 and the clinical victory by eight wickets took them to fourth in the table.

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Du Plessis (71; 47b, 7×4, 2×6) has been in prolific contact this season and his rich vein of form continued as he eclipsed fellow South African Klaasen, who not only restarted SRH innings more early in the day but hitting over 200 wreaked havoc on the rivals offense.

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Klaasen was involved in two good partnerships – 76 for third (50b) with skipper Aiden Markram and 74 for fourth (36b) with Harry Brook – but they fell short on a night when the RCB duo reduced the target with their calculated attack . .
They went 64 unbeaten on the power play and Glenn Phillips will regret the reprieve he gave du Plessis against Kartik Tyagi – playing only his second game this season – when the RCB skipper was on eight.

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The race for playoff spots is still tight with teams clustered in the middle and there’s a good chance the net run rate will come into play soon.

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Show IPL: Kohli, du Plessis show keep the RCB in the hunt for the play-offs

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