After the completion of the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League 2024, former India speedster Zaheer Khan spoke about the banter between Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma on Sunday. RCB continued with their second-half surge, making it five wins in five matches and climbing up to the fifth spot with a 47-run win over DC at their home ground of M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. After losing seven of the first eight league games, RCB has turned their season around with five successive wins to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The former cricketer asserted that Kohli and Ishant’s moments rarely happen on the field.
“When things are slipping out of your hands, you have to back yourself to take the wicket of a big player. It was the first time he’d dismissed him, so that was a great moment, especially their banter. Winning and losing is a part of the game. Sometimes you will be hit for runs and sometimes, you will take a wicket, and that oversaw both of those things. You rarely get to see moments like these, even their banter, especially from Virat Kohli. They are good friends and that’s why we got such a great moment, it’s part of the game,” Zaheer said on Jio Cinema.
Coming to the match, DC opted to bowl first after winning the toss. Knocks from Rajat Patidar (52 in 32 balls), Will Jacks (41 in 29 balls,), Cameron Green (32* in 24 balls, with one four and two sixes) and Virat Kohli (27) took RCB to 187/9 in their 20 overs.
Rasikh Salam (2/23) and Khaleel Ahmed (2/31) were the pick of the bowlers for DC.
In the run-chase of 188 runs, Delhi was restricted to 30/4 at one point. A partnership of 56 runs between Shai Hope (29 in 23 balls) and Axar Patel helped DC back into the game. Stand-in captain, Axar scored his second half-century of the season, making 57 in 39 balls to keep his side alive. However, RCB bowlers kept the run flow in control and bundled out DC for 140 runs in 19.1 overs, winning by 47 runs.
Yash Dayal (3/20) and Lockie Ferguson (2/23) were among the top bowlers for RCB.
Cameron Green secured the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his knock of 32*, figures of 1/19 in four overs and a run-out of in-form Tristan Stubbs.
RCB’s fifth consecutive win has catapulted them to fifth place on the points table, a position that appeared practically unattainable three weeks ago when they fell by a run to KKR, their sixth defeat in a row. They currently have 12 points, with a potential to reach 14 when they play CSK in their final league game. The Men in Yellow have 14 points. A win in this game might offer them a chance to enter the playoffs, but only if other outcomes go their way since SRH and LSG (two games left for each side, both have 12 points) can both advance to 16 points and knock RCB out.
During the match, both teams had several moments of lighthearted banter.
Virat Kohli hit Ishant Sharma for a boundary and a six in his second over, creating a brief exchange of words between the fast bowler and the batter. However, Ishant got the final word when Kohli left for 27 runs after nicking a wide ball to the wicketkeeper two deliveries later. Ishant exclaimed with delight before engaging in a cordial exchange with Ishant Sharma. The bowler then came to a halt in front of Kohli, giving him a tug in jubilation.
Later in the match, when the Delhi Capitals lost wickets at regular intervals in their quest of 188 runs, Ishant Sharma joined the crease at number 11, and the two exchanged light-hearted banter.