Authorities in Bengaluru shouldn't have allowed mass celebrations if they weren't prepared, India coach Gautam Gambhir said Thursday, a day after 11 cricket fans were killed in a stampede.
"It's been 18 long years," an emotional Kohli, still with bloodshot eyes, told the broadcasters.
The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will have a new champion today, following the mouth-watering final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Shreyas Iyer led from the front with an unbeaten 87 as Punjab Kings beat Mumbai Indians by five wickets on Sunday to set up an IPL final against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Bengaluru chased down 228 to go second in the 10-team table in the last league match of this season and set up a meeting with table-toppers Punjab Kings on Thursday.
An incredible final over from Yash Dayal and Romario Shepherd's late batting blitz helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru scrape past Chennai Super Kings by two runs in an IPL thriller to move top of the table on Saturday.
Indian all-rounder Krunal Pandya starred with bat and ball as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Delhi Capitals by six wickets to top the Indian Premier League table on Sunday.
Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood starred with 4-33 in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's 11 run IPL win at home against Rajasthan Royals, who won the toss and chose to field first Thursday.
Chasing 158 for victory, Bengaluru were propelled by a 103-run second-wicket stand between Kohli, who made an unbeaten 73, and Padikkal to reach their target with seven balls to spare at Mullanpur, near Chandigarh.
Bengaluru, who moved to fifth, have mounted a late charge to make the play-offs but will need to win their last league match and other results to go in their favour to be in the top four.
Kohli's strike rate and his effectiveness against spin bowling had become a hot topic of debate in recent weeks.
Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar has slammed star batter Virat Kohli for his tirade on former cricketers and analysts over their criticism of the star batter’s low strike rate.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj produced a scintillating new-ball burst in Saturday's Indian Premier League (IPL) victory against Gujarat Titans to ease concerns over his form ahead of the T20 World Cup in June.
Jacks chalked up 10 sixes in his blitz as he put on an unbeaten stand of 166 with Virat Kohli, who hit 70 and remained in awe of his younger partner's hitting at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.
Du Plessis said getting their second win would give them a boost.
Kohli fell early in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's chase on Sunday after he was caught and bowled by Kolkata Knight Riders pace bowler Harshit Rana and his team went on to lose by one run at Kolkata's Eden Gardens.
In six innings, Karthik has racked up 226 runs at an average of 75.33 and a strike-rate of 205.45.Excelling in a finisher role for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Karthik has pushed his case for a call-up to the T20I squad with just over a month to go for the T20 World Cup.
The big-hitting all-rounder has scored just 32 with the bat in six games and skipped the defeat on Monday in a record run-fest against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell joked that it would be better if India do not pick his Indian Premier League (IPL) teammate Virat Kohli for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup in June.
