It was supposed to be a day of celebrations, but Virat Kohli’s 200th IPL game ended in disappointment on Monday.
The India captain had a poor game and his Royal Challengers Bangalore suffered a humiliating nine-wicket defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL 2021 phase-2 game at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.
Kohli, who steps down as captain of both Bangalore and India at the end of the IPL 2021 and T20 World Cup in the UAE this year, was dismissed for five and his team dismantled for 92.
Chasing the modest target, the Kolkata openers Shubman Gill (48) and Venkatesh Iyer (41 not out) made batting look easy, as they added 82 in 55 balls in what was the opening match at the venue.
Kolkata raced home with 10 overs to spare and moved three places to fifth in the eight-team league.
Andre Russell and Varun Chakravarthy did most of the damage by taking three wickets apiece to dismiss Bangalore cheaply after Kohli elected to take first lease of the wicket.
Kohli was first to depart in the 10th ball of the innings, trapped in front to Prasidh Krishna's delivery that nipped back.
The Bangalore captain reviewed the decision but the replay confirmed the ball hitting the stumps.
Lockie Ferguson then sent Devdutt Padikkal back before the double strike from Russell that left Kohli’s side reeling at 52-4.
The West Indian quick had KS Bharat caught at mid-wicket by Gill and then had the big wicket of AB de Villiers with a full length delivery that crashed into the stumps.
Chakravarthy, who bowled a fine first over, returned to take two wickets in two deliveries. The leg-spinner knocked back Glen Maxwell’s leg stump and had Sri Lankan Wanindu Hasaranga trapped in front.
Jameson denied him a hat-trick but Royal Challengers were 63-6 in 12 overs and never recovered.
