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Tag: Royal Challengers Bangalore

  • Clinical Kolkata Knight Riders outplay Royal Challengers Bangalore, win by nine wickets

    By PTI

    ABU DHABI: An authoritative Kolkata Knight Riders bossed Royal Challengers Bangalore from the beginning to the end to record a convincing nine-wicket win in their Indian Premier League match here on Monday.

    Showing serious intent after their mediocre outing in the first phase of the league earlier this year, the Knight Riders bowlers fired in unison to bundle out Royal Challengers Bangalore for a paltry 92.

    Then, the opening duo of Shubman Gill and debutant Venkatesh Iyer played some breathtaking shots and made light work of the chase of 93, completing the formality with as many as 10 overs to spare.

    The supremely-talented Gill got out for a 48 off 34 deliveries while Iyer, who could have been a successful management professional after finishing his MBA in finance and giving up a placement as a tax consultant, was looking good on a 27-ball 41 not out when the winning run was hit.

    The result will not just boost their morale immensely but also improve KKR’s net run rate going ahead.

    Opening the bowling, architect-turned-mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy (3/13) did the star turn with three wickets in an excellent four-over spell.

    Star all-rounder Andre Russell (3/9 in three overs) also bagged three wickets, including AB de Villiers’ golden duck, while there were two for Lockie Ferguson.

    Devdutt Padikkal was the highest scorer with 22 runs in a forgettable outing in skipper Virat Kohli’s 200th game for RCB.

    Bowling the day’s second over, right-arm medium pacer Prasidh Krishna dealt RCB a big blow when he had Virat Kohli trapped in front of wicket with his fourth delivery that jagged in and hit him above the knee-roll.

    Having completed a double century of matches for RCB, Kohli went for a review but the ball-tracking technology confirmed that it was going on to hit the stumps.

    This was immediately after Kohli sent a Krishna delivery in front of square on the off-side for a lovely four.

    New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson replaced Chakravarthy and the gifted Devdutt Padikkal smashed the pacer straight over his head to get things moving for RCB.

    Krishna bowled back-to-back no balls (one front foot and one beamer) in the next over and while debutant Srikar Bharat failed to break the shackles, Padikkal capitalised on the extra delivery with a boundary.

    KKR skipper Eoin Morgan made another bowling change by bringing in Sunil Narine and while the Trinidadian spinner could not get a breakthrough in his first over, Ferguson succeeded in his second when he had Padikkal caught behind when the batsman tried to play the ball fine past the keeper despite hardly getting any room to execute the ramp shot.

    Russell ended Bharat’s stay in the middle as the pressure mounted on the batsman.

    And then came the biggest blow for RCB when Russell bowled AB de Villiers for a first-ball duck with a top-notch yorker targeting the leg-stump.

    RCB were in all sorts of trouble at 52 for four in the ninth over and it became only worse for them with the departure of Glenn Maxwell, who brought his own downfall with a needless heave against Chakravarthy’s tossed-up delivery, and Wanindu Hasaranga, the team’s another debutant, getting out cheaply.

    Both the batsmen were dismissed off successive balls on a surface that was on the slower side, something that Kohli talked about after opting to bat at the toss.

  • RCB win toss, elect to bat against KKR in Virat Kohli’s 200th game

    By PTI

    ABU DHABI: Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat against Kolkata Knight Riders in their Indian Premier League match here on Monday.

    KS Bharat and Wanindu Hasaranga will make their debut for RCB, while Venkatesh Iyer is set to play his maiden IPL game for KKR.

    Kohli is playing in a landmark 200th match for RCB, a team that he has been a part of since the beginning of the lucrative league in 2008.

    “More special than the 200th game is this uniform: we promised that we would be playing for the Covid warriors, with these jerseys being auctioned for people,” Kohli said at the toss.

    The Teams: Kolkata Knight Riders: Eoin Morgan (capt), Shubman Gill, Nitish Rana, Rahul Tripathi, Andre Russell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Lockie Ferguson, Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna.

    Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli (capt), Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat, Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers (wk), Wanindu Hasaranga, Sachin Baby, Kyle Jamieson, Mohammed Siraj, Harshal Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal.

  • IPL 2021: Royal Challengers Bangalore look to regain momentum

    Express News Service

    BENGALURU: The pandemic hampered sporting events all around the world and IPL 2021 was no exception. Its suspension was no-brainer with the virus breaching the bio bubble.

    Did the halt, which was a must then, rob Royal Challengers Bangalore of a golden opportunity to win their maiden title?

    Truth be told, IPL is an unpredictable beast and it could have been anybody’s game despite their impressive start with five wins from seven games. However, when they resume their IPL campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders in Abu Dhabi on Monday, they will be expected to carry that momentum into the second leg in the UAE.

    Bangalore, who lie third on the table, need their heroes of the Indian leg to deliver once again. The new signings including Wanindu Hasaranga, Tim David, and others also need to contribute. The inclusion of the Lankan spinner in the UAE could be a trump card. There is no doubt Bangalore will be under pressure, especially after increasing hopes of ending their title duck with an impressive first leg, where many players delivered.

    ALSO READ | Virat Kohli to step down as RCB skipper after IPL 2021

    Maxwell looked in great form. He is the highest run-scorer for the team so far (223 from six innings). Their Achilles heel was also more or less sorted with Harshal Patel doing the job — the highest wicket-taker in the league with 17 scalps. At one point, it looked like whatever Kohli touched, turned into gold. The likes of AB de Villiers, Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Kyle Jamieson and Mohammed Siraj among others played their role to perfection. Suddenly, they were no longer a team dependent on Kohli and de Villiers only. Also, the opening pair of Kohli and Padikkal looked good. This ploy could hold even more importance in the UAE for the right-hander considering he will be up against the new ball, probably the best time to bat as the conditions could get tougher in the middle stages when the slower bowlers are in action. Also, there have been times when Kohli has not looked comfortable against the spinners in such conditions.

    Now, the big question remains if Bangalore can come up with a repeat performance. It is not going to be easy as the competition is only going to get intense with teams expected to go all out in the race to the play-offs. Despite their good start, Kohli is aware that no team can be taken for granted in this league.

    “Having played the game at this level for so long, you understand that whether you are seven wins in a row, you still have to start the eighth with the same kind of commitment and passion and professionalism. Whether you have no wins out of five, six games, like we have experienced as a team (in the past), you have to find that passion and motivation to change the result. You just cannot afford to take anything for granted – not wins, not losses. You should not be disheartened by losses and definitely not take wins for granted..,” said Kohli on Saturday.

    There will be newfound hunger for some of the players in the squad. Yuzvendra Chahal will have a thing to prove after his omission from the T20 World Cup, which will be Kohli’s last competition as captain in the shorter format. And winning a title like the IPL before his last jig as T20I captain would be a big statement.

  • Virat Kohli to step down as RCB skipper after IPL 2021

    By PTI

    DUBAI: Virat Kohli will step down as captain of his IPL team Royal Challengers Bangalore at the end of the ongoing season, the Indian batting maestro announced on Sunday, two days after deciding to quit national T20 captaincy following next month’s World Cup.

    The 32-year-old Kohli, one of the most decorated players of the franchise, will continue to be a part of the RCB squad.

    “This will be my last IPL as captain of RCB. I’ll continue to be an RCB player till I play my last IPL game. I thank all the RCB fans for believing in me and supporting me,” Kohli said in a statement issued by RCB.

    He added, “It has been a great and an inspiring journey, captaining a talented bunch of players in the RCB squad. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the RCB management, coaches, support staff, players, and the entire RCB family, who have been instrumental in the growth of the franchise over the years.

    “It wasn’t an easy decision but one that has been well thought of and in the best interest of this wonderful franchise.”

    Kohli of late hasn’t been at his peak as a batsman in Tests, a format which he adores.

    For close to two years now, Kohli hasn’t scored a long-form century and made 563 runs at 26.80 in 12 Tests during this period.

    While announcing his decision to quit national T20 captaincy, he had stated that he was taking the step to manage his workload better.”

  • Kohli and Royal Challengers Bangalore confident of carrying forward good IPL start

    Express News Service

    It has been a busy last couple of months for the Royal Challengers Bangalore management. 

    Around five players were unavailable for the tournament, increasing the necessity to find quality players for the second leg of the IPL, which resumes from Sunday. With Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Dushmantha Chameera being two of those replacements, they have found players who have the much-needed experience of playing in similar conditions as in the United Arab Emirates.  It is not only about the surface, which will have more wear and tear as the competition gets along, but it is also about the heat and humidity. 

    The Sri Lankan duo has been born and brought up, playing in such conditions, which is only going to assist Bangalore. More importantly, leggie Hasaranga comes into the season with 11 wickets in his last six T20I games, and is known for taking wickets. Chameera is someone, who can be relied on during the death overs as he possesses good pace, slower balls and effective yorkers. If need be, he could be a great fit with Harshal Patel at the death. 

    ALSO READ | Five players to watch as IPL rivalries are revived “We have got a few replacements… Hasaranga and Chameera are two guys who have played so much cricket in Sri Lanka, and they know how to play in pitches like these. Their skillsets will definitely be of a huge help to us, playing in Dubai (UAE), understanding how hot and humid conditions can be and how the pitches will play out,” said skipper Virat Kohli during the launch of the team’s blue jersey, which will be worn in their first game against Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday to pay tribute to Covid frontline warriors.   Kohli got out of quarantine on Friday and stepped out for some practice sessions and was pleased to see the energy, with players giving it their all during training. Bangalore, who have never won the IPL, played some good cricket that helped them stay in the top half of the table for the majority of the first leg. They are currently placed third and it remains to be seen how the players fare in the crucial phase now. 

    The core set of players, including AB de Villiers, Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Mohammed Siraj, Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal have already featured for the franchise in the UAE in the IPL 2020. So, they are aware of their roles. Glenn Maxwell, irrespective of the conditions, is a game-changer.  “We have had a good start in IPL 2021. That is certainly a motivating and driving factor, knowing that we can play a certain brand of cricket which we have shown in the first leg with strong consistent performances, every player chipping in somewhere or the other. The strength of the team is coming together in crunch moments, people standing up and making impact performances when needed for the team…” said Kohli. 

  • Royal Challengers Bangalore star AB de Villiers pleased after hitting century in warm-up game

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Ahead of the IPL 2021 resumption in UAE, Royal Challengers Bangalore had their first practice match in The Sevens Stadium on Tuesday evening to acclimatise to playing a full game in the hot and sultry conditions. The practice match turned into an edge-of-the-seat thriller with fantastic performances from both teams.

    RCB ‘A’ led by Harshal Patel won the toss and decided to bat against RCB ‘B’ — led by Devdutt Padikkal. The ‘A’ team put on a fantastic batting display and put up a total of 212 runs led by AB de Villiers, who ensured he continued his belligerent form. ABD plundered 104 off 46 deliveries, his knock laced with 7 boundaries and 10 sixes. The South Africa veteran was accompanied by Mohammed Azharudden, who smashed 66 off 43 balls, including 3 sixes and 4 boundaries.

    Speaking about his explosive century, AB de Villiers said on the latest episode of RCB ‘Bold Diaries’: “When we arrived and I got out off the bus, I thought it’s crazy that we’re trying to play a cricket game in the middle of the day. Luckily the breeze came up, I told my partner at the crease that it’s much better now and the pitch will get flatter. We had fun out there, I’m pleased with the runs on the board. It was very scratchy for the first 20 balls out there. I was very happy to get the runs. There’s nothing more valuable than just getting runs right in the middle.”

    The RCB ‘B’ team came out to chase a formidable total and performed exceptionally. KS Bharat led from the front and scored 95 runs to be the team’s leading scorer. Captain Padikkal complemented him well with a 21-ball 36. The contest turned interesting towards the end as Padikkal’s team required three runs off the final two deliveries. However, they finished the chase with a boundary and won the game by 7 wickets.

    Mike Hesson, Coach and Director of Cricket Operations was pleased to see the battle and expressed his views on RCB ‘Bold Diaries’, “Very good game. Some good performances from a number of guys. Both top orders played really well. The fact we got to see them put under pressure at the end was exactly what I wanted to see.”

    Batting consultant Sanjay Bangar was happy to see the explosive performances by both teams, “We were hoping it will be a close game, but we saw the magic of AB in the first innings and Azhar batted really well. The second innings effort was better than the first innings. Chasing down a score of 212 and that partnership between KS and Dev where they put up 70 runs in 6 overs. What was pleasing to see was that all of them were well-timed cricket shots. They weren’t looking to muscle the ball… A lot of positives from this game and I am pretty sure this will build their confidence going into the tournament.”

  • Replacement players have great skillsets, excited to see them with whole group: RCB skipper Virat Kohli

    By ANI

    DUBAI: India and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli feels the upcoming months are going to be important for the IPL side and Team India considering the T20 World Cup.

    Kohli and pacer Mohammed Siraj arrived in Dubai on Sunday after the Manchester Test against England was cancelled.

    The duo is undergoing six-day mandatory quarantine and then they both will join the team bubble in Dubai ahead of the resumption of the IPL 202.

    “Unfortunate how we ended up being here early but with COVID in place, things are very uncertain, so anything can happen at any time,” said Kohli in a video posted on RCB Twitter.

    “Hopefully, we are able to maintain a good strong, secure environment here and have a quality IPL and onto the World Cup. So now, heading into the T20 phase, I think it is going to be an exciting phase and a very important one for us at RCB and for the Indian team at the World Cup as well,” he added.

    RCB brought in Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga as a replacement for Australia’s Adam Zampa. Other replacements for RCB are Dushmantha Chameera for Daniel Sams, left-arm quick George Garton for Kane Richardson, and Tim David for New Zealand’s Finn Allen.

    Further speaking about the new addition in the squad, Kohli said, “The replacement players have great skillsets, especially in these conditions. Excited to see them with the whole group and to resume a very good season that we started last time around.”

    On the other hand, Siraj said, “I’m joining RCB family after so many days, really excited for the IPL. We are in a good position on the points table so it will be a lot of fun.”

    The 14th season, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on September 19 in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians.

    The action will then shift to Abu Dhabi where Kolkata Knight Riders will square off against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Chennai Super Kings. In all, 13 matches will be held in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah, and 8 in Abu Dhabi.

    The board has come up with a 46-page health advisory that lays down all the pointers that everyone associated with the IPL needs to follow in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the league.

  • RCB skipper Virat Kohli, pacer Mohammed Siraj arrive in Dubai, to undergo six-day quarantine

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli and pacer Mohammed Siraj arrived in Dubai on Sunday ahead of the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season.

    The duo will now undergo six-day mandatory quarantine and then they both will join the team bubble in Dubai.

    “The news you’ve all been waiting for: King Kohli and Miyan Magic have joined the team in Dubai,” the official handle of RCB tweeted on Sunday.

    Earlier, ANI had reported that RCB would be arranging a charter flight to get Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj into Dubai on Sunday morning, ahead of the resumption of the IPL 2021.

    “Yes, we have arranged a charter flight for Virat and Siraj, both of them will be flying out at 11:30 PM UK time on Saturday and they will reach Dubai early Sunday morning. The safe transit of players is the utmost priority for RCB. They will undergo 6-day quarantine there before joining the team bubble,” the source had said.

    The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed all franchises that every player coming in from the UK will have to undergo six days of hard quarantine before they can join the existing team bubbles in UAE for the resumption of the 2021 edition of the IPL.

    “The BCCI has informed us on Friday that every player coming in from UK to UAE will have to undergo six days of quarantine before they can join the team bubbles. Obviously the bubble to bubble transfer from UK to UAE no longer stands keeping in mind the current scenario,” the official said.

    With the final Test between India and England in Manchester cancelled, IPL franchises on Friday got in touch with charter companies to fly out their players from Manchester to UAE for the resumption of the cash-rich league.

    The 14th season, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on September 19 in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and defending champions Mumbai Indians.

    The action will then shift to Abu Dhabi where Kolkata Knight Riders will square off against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Chennai Super Kings. In all, 13 matches will be held in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah, and 8 in Abu Dhabi.

    The board has come up with a 46-page health advisory that lays down all the pointers that everyone associated with the IPL needs to follow in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the league.

  • Doesn’t feel like we have had long break, it’s about carrying momentum: RCB batsman Devdutt Padikkal

    By ANI

    DUBAI: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) opening batsman Devdutt Padikkal has said that it does not feel like that there has been a break and it will be just about carrying the momentum once the Indian Premier League (IPL) season resumes in the UAE.

    The IPL 2021 season will resume in the UAE on September 19 with Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) locking horns against each other.

    “It is almost like we are continuing the tournament again, it does not feel like that we have had a long break because we have had enough cricket. It does not feel like a huge break and it is just about continuing with the momentum we had in the first phase of the season,” said Padikkal in a video posted on the official Twitter account of RCB.

    “In India, cricket is a huge festival and it is a religion. There is a lot of attention you get outside the sport as well so it is important you try to focus on the game. It is very easy to drift away and get distracted, so what I have tried to do is to focus on the game and try not to look at the media because it is easy to get distracted by those things,” he added.

    When asked about whether this is the year for RCB to win the IPL, Padikkal said: “I would hope so. Everyone comes with the hope of winning the IPL, hopefully this is our year. We have a good squad and we have gotten good replacements as well so we look ready for the challenge.”

    In a big development, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is arranging a charter flight to get Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj into Dubai on Sunday morning, ahead of the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. They will undergo a 6-day quarantine period before joining the team bubble.

    Speaking to ANI, sources within the RCB franchise confirmed that Virat and Siraj will be flying out from Manchester in a charter flight on Saturday night and reach Dubai early on Sunday morning.

    “Yes, we have arranged a charter flight for Virat and Siraj, both of them will be flying out at 11:30 PM UK time on Saturday and they will reach Dubai early Sunday morning. Safe transit of players is the utmost priority for RCB. They will undergo 6-day quarantine there before joining the team bubble,” the source said.

    The 14th season of the IPL, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on September 19 in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.

    The action will then shift to Abu Dhabi where Kolkata Knight Riders will square off against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Chennai Super Kings.

    In all, 13 matches will be held in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah, and 8 in Abu Dhabi. The BCCI has decided to do away with contact tracing devices for the UAE leg, starting on September 19.

    The Indian board decided that Bubble Integrity Officers will do the necessary contact tracing if any player tests positive for COVID-19 in UAE. The board has come up with a 46-page health advisory that lays down all the pointers that everyone associated with the IPL needs to follow in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the league.

  • RCB arranges charter to fly Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj from Manchester to Dubai on Sunday

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: In a big development, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) is arranging a charter flight to get Virat Kohli and Mohammed Siraj into Dubai on Sunday morning, ahead of the resumption of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. They will undergo a 6-day quarantine period before joining the team bubble.

    Speaking to ANI, sources within the RCB franchise confirmed that Virat and Siraj will be flying out from Manchester in a charter flight on Saturday night and reach Dubai early on Sunday morning.

    “Yes, we have arranged a charter flight for Virat and Siraj, both of them will be flying out at 11:30 PM UK time on Saturday and they will reach Dubai early Sunday morning. Safe transit of players is the utmost priority for RCB. They will undergo 6-day quarantine there before joining the team bubble,” the source said.

    Earlier on Friday, the 5th Test match between England and India was cancelled in Manchester. The BCCI and ECB held several rounds of discussion to find a way to play the Test match, however, the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Indian team contingent forced the decision of calling off the game.

    The 14th season of the IPL, which was postponed in May this year in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, will resume on September 19 in Dubai with a blockbuster clash between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians.

    The action will then shift to Abu Dhabi where Kolkata Knight Riders will square off against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sharjah will host its first game on September 24 when Royal Challengers Bangalore take on Chennai Super Kings.

    In all, 13 matches will be held in Dubai, 10 in Sharjah, and 8 in Abu Dhabi. The BCCI has decided to do away with contact tracing devices for the UAE leg, starting on September 19.

    The Indian board decided that Bubble Integrity Officers will do the necessary contact tracing if any player tests positive for COVID-19 in UAE. The board has come up with a 46-page health advisory that lays down all the pointers that everyone associated with the IPL needs to follow in order to ensure the smooth functioning of the league.