Weekday double header games are a rare sight, but that is what we got on Thursday. April 20th was the day and Mohali was the stadium as match number 27 in TATA IPL 2023 was played. The afternoon game was between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings. Both the teams came into the game on the back of mixed results as RCB had lost to Chennai in a high scoring game. Punjab on the other hand had beaten Lucknow by 2 wickets.
The story as it happened –
Fans were surprised when Virat Kohli came to the toss and told that he was standing in as the captain. Faf Du Plessis who had injured himself during the Chennai game will be batting and will be used as an impact player. Punjab won the toss and chose to bowl first as Nathan Ellis came in for Rabada, while Livingstone made his much awaited IPL comeback.
Sam Curran’s deadly beamer floors Du Plessis –
Shikhar Dhawan is still not back in the team, so Sam Curran was still the captain of the Punjab side. The 1st ball of the 16th over saw Sam Curran bowl to regular RCB skipper Faf DU Plessis. The Englishman bowled a head high beamer which caught Du Plessis by surprise and sent him to the floor. The umpire was quick to call it a no ball.
— David Beckham (@DavidBeckham800) April 20, 2023
Du Plessis and Kohli start strong –
Punjab Kings bowlers rued the fact that they did not bowl well to the plans for major part of the innings. Du Plessis and Kohli yet again put up a century plus stand as the RCB openers put on 137. Kohli scored 59 from 47 balls with 5 fours and a six before falling to Harpreet Brar.
RCB finish on 174 despite flurry of wickets falling –
Glenn Maxwell was out for a 1st ball duck to Brar, before Nathan Ellis got the big wicket of Du Plessis. The South African scored 84 off 59 balls with 5 fours and 5 sixes as he was caught by Sam Curran. Dinesh Karthik was out for 7, while Lomror scored 7 not out and Shahbaz Ahmed was not out on 5 as RCB scored 174.