After a string of low scores including two golden ducks, Kohli hit 58 off 53 balls to guide Bangalore to 170 for 6 against Gujarat Titans at Wankhede Stadium.
Gujarat were in trouble at 95/4 in 12.5 overs when David Miller (39) and Rahul Tewatia (43) put on an unbeaten stand of 79 to power their team home with three balls and six wickets to spare.
The left-hand batting pair took on the Bangalore bowlers with a flurry of boundaries and Tewatia, called ice-man by the commentators for his finishing abilities, hit the winning six. Gujarat, one of the two new teams to join the world’s most valuable cricket tournament, consolidated their position at the top of the 10-team table with eight wins off nine matches.
“We started well with the ball but they played under pressure really well as they are in the tournament,” Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis said after the loss. On Kohli’s performance, Du Plessis called it “a huge step in the right direction to get a solid 50”. “You want one of your top four to get the 70s in the future, so it’s good,” he said.
Kohli opened Bangalore’s innings for the second time and got going with two boundaries off fast bowler Mohammed Shami after Du Plessis elected to bat first due to intense summer heat. Du Plessis got out for nought but Kohli then got going with Rajat Patidar, who made 52, to put on 99 runs for the second wicket and take the attack to the opposition.
BRIEF SCORES
BANGALORE 170/6 (Kohli 58 off 53, Patidar 52 off 32, Maxwell 33 off 18; Sangwan 2/19) lost to GUJARAT 174/4 in 19.3 overs (Tewatia 43* off 25, Miller 39 off 24, Gill 31 off 28, Saha 29 off 22; Shahbaz 2/26, Hasaranga 2/28) by 6 wickets
