It looks like good times are yet to come for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Skipper Virat Kohli. RCB have lost their last five T20 matches and are now at the bottom of the points table.
Their most recent defeat came last night against Kolkata Knight Riders. Despite putting 205 runs on the scoreboard and terrific batting performance by Virat Kohli who scored 84 runs off 49 deliveries and AB de Villiers who scored 66 runs off 32 deliveries.
Chasing the mammoth target, KKR needed 66 runs off the last 24 deliveries, when Andre Russell smashed 48 runs off 13 deliveries. He hit seven sixes and snatched away the victory from the hands-off RCB. KKR chased the target with five balls to spare.
A fuming Virat Kohli said at the post-fight press conference that bowling in the last four overs was totally unacceptable.
“There is no guessing there (about where they lost), the last 4 four overs the way we bowled was just unacceptable. We needed to be more clever, nothing came off and we just cracked under pressure. If we bowl like that and don’t show composure in pressure moments, we deserve to be where we are in the table. No rocket science behind it. If we bowl with not enough bravery in the crunch moments then it’s always going to be difficult when you have power-hitters like Russell in the opposition,” said Virat Kohli in the post-match presentation ceremony.
“We needed to be more clever in the last four overs. One-dimensional in the end and nothing came off and we cracked under pressure. That’s been our story this season so far for us. If you can’t defend 75 in the last four overs, then I don’t know if you can defend 100.”
However, Virat Kohli said that he hopes that the fortunes of the team turn around in the next few matches.
“It’s been a disappointing season so far, but we are still optimistic about our chances. We just have to believe in ourselves that we can turn things around,” said the RCB captain.
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