Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured a thrilling 8-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the 65th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. The gripping encounter, which saw RCB chase a total of 187 runs with 4 balls remaining, unfolded on May 18 at Hyderabad.
The Sunrisers innings was a story of individual brilliance, with Heinrich Klaasen smashing a quick-fire 104 off 51 balls, hitting 8 boundaries and 6 sixes. Harry Brook and skipper Aiden Markram chipped in with a healthy contribution, helping SRH put a challenging total of 186/5 in 20 overs.
For the Royal Challengers, the heroics of Virat Kohli, who struck a century, were the highlight of the chase. His knock of 100 runs from 63 balls, featuring 12 fours and 4 sixes, set the foundation for a successful chase. Supporting Kohli’s performance, Faf du Plessis, RCB’s captain, played an aggressive innings of 71 off 47 deliveries, hitting 7 fours and 2 sixes.
The RCB’s opening partnership amassed 172 runs in under 18 overs, setting a strong platform for the successful chase. Despite the fall of Kohli and du Plessis’s wickets in quick succession, the Royal Challengers managed to maintain their nerve, with Glenn Maxwell and Michael Bracewell steering the team to the finish line.
In the bowling department, Michael Bracewell and Harshal Patel were the main contributors for RCB, taking two and one wicket, respectively. On the Sunrisers side, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and T Natarajan picked up a wicket each, although they failed to stem the tide of the RCB’s aggressive batting.
In a match where batsmen ruled the roost, the teams went on a boundary-hitting spree. The powerplay for the RCB innings saw a substantial 64 runs scored without the loss of a wicket. Kohli and du Plessis took the attack to the Sunrisers bowlers, reaching their half-century partnership in just 26 balls.
With this victory, RCB moved up in the standings, holding the fourth spot in the points table with seven wins from their thirteen matches.