Will Jacks unleashed a batting barrage at the Narendra Modi Stadium as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Gujarat Titans by nine wickets in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.
Jacks scored his maiden IPL hundred off 41 balls, finishing 100 not out, which included 10 sixes as Bengaluru chased down Gujarat’s 200-3 in 20 overs with 24 balls to spare.
Virat Kohli scored 70 not out off 44 balls at the other end as Bengaluru passed the victory target to reach 206-1 in 16 overs.
Chasing another high total to mathematically stay in contention for a knock-out spot, 10th placed Bengaluru made a hectic start. Kohli and opening partner Faf du Plessis (24) put on 40 off 23 balls.
Du Plessis holed out in the fourth over, marking the last wicket the Titans' attack would manage on the day.
Jacks started off slowly, allowing Kohli to take charge as he raced to 50 off 32 balls. It was the star batter’s fourth half-century in the IPL this year and he also crossed the 500-run mark for this season.
Kohli scored 20 more off the next 12 balls he faced, but he was a spectator at the non-striker’s end for much of this period.
Jacks took charge, smacking Mohit Sharma for 29 runs in the 15th over. He raced to 50 off 31 balls, and then accelerated further.
The next 50 came off only 10 balls, a span that included six sixes and two fours. Jacks plundered 29 runs off Rashid Khan’s 16th over to bring a very early end to the proceedings.
Bengaluru had needed 53 off 36 balls and managed to get there from just 12.
Earlier, Sai Sudharsan’s 84 not out off 49 balls had rescued the hosts from 45-2. Openers Wriddhiman Saha (5) and Shubman Gill (16) fell cheaply leaving the Titans stranded.
Sudharsan then managed an 86-run stand off 45 balls for the third wicket with Shahrukh Khan. Khan hit five sixes to score 58 off 30 balls for his maiden IPL half-century.
Scoring 50 off 34 balls, Sudharsan then added another 69 off the last six overs with David Miller (26 not out).
Gujarat Titans stay seventh after 10 games with only four wins. Bengaluru stay 10th with three wins from 10 games.
Afterwards, Kohli said of centurion Jacks: “Initially, when he came into bat he was a bit annoyed that he couldn’t strike the ball as he wanted to but we spoke in the middle and said keep backing yourself, keep committing.
"We know how explosive he can be and it all changed after he got that big over against Mohit. My role completely changed and for the good, I was really glad that I was watching that from the other end. To finish the game in 15 overs was an outstanding effort. I think it’s one of the better T20 hundreds anyone could ever see.”
Man-of the-match Jacks said: “Amazing feeling right now. I struggled early on but Virat kept his intensity up and gave me a chance to find my rhythm. I instantly gained some confidence once I hit that first six and then, once I got away, I took that on further."
Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill said: “It was great hitting by them but having said that I think we need to come up with better plans in the next match and practise to execute them.
“We thought that 200 was a good enough total for us to be able to have a good match and have a great fightback but unfortunately it didn’t turn out how we wanted it to.
“We were not able to pick up wickets in the middle over and I think that was the defining moment for us.”
