Kohli's 113 goes in vain as Buttler's 100 puts Royals undefeated

Rajasthan Royals 189 for 4 (Buttler 100*, Samson 69) beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru 183 for 3 (Kohli 113*, du Plessis 44, Chahal 2-34) by six wickets

In a stunning display of skill and determination, Jos Buttler marked his 100th IPL match by delivering a remarkable century in just 58 balls. This outstanding performance not only helped him regain his form but also propelled the Rajasthan Royals to their fourth consecutive victory in the IPL 2024 season. With a six over midwicket to end unbeaten at 100, Buttler marked his milestone with flair. His 148-run partnership with Sanju Samson (69 in 42) for the second wicket set the stage for the chase.

They broke the mark established earlier in the day by Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, making their partnership the strongest of the season. In the first innings, Kohli showcased exceptional leadership skills by delivering a remarkable performance, scoring an impressive 113 runs. This was his eighth century in the IPL and his third in the last seven innings. However, it is worth noting that this century was achieved at a slower pace, taking him 67 balls to reach the milestone.

With only du Plessis making a significant contribution, the pressure fell on Kohli to elevate the Royal Challengers Bengaluru innings. He executed his role with precision, holding onto the bat until the very end. However, their final score of 183 was not enough to secure a victory, resulting in their fourth loss out of five games.

Buttler takes the lead, with Samson closely following behind

Buttler's recent scores of 11, 11, and 13 have left him in need of a change in fortunes as he enters the game. Especially notable was when he witnessed Yashasvi Jaiswal being dismissed for zero by Reece Topley. And in the fourth over, Buttler showcased his trademark scoop over wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, securing his first boundary of the night.

After saving that one, Buttler made it through a difficult catching opportunity on delivery number six. Despite that, it didn't hinder his progress. In a sixth over that saw 20 runs, he threw himself at left-arm spinner Mayank Dagar, hitting him for three fours and a six. Buttler showed great form, matching Samson shot for shot and reaching his first fifty of the season in the tenth over.

Buttler showcased exceptional prowess against the relatively inexperienced spinners Dagar and Himanshu Sharma. They often made mistakes with their lengths, and he would attack short balls by tugging over the side of the leg. To strike both spin and speed down the ground, he also broke the boundaries through the covers and sprinted down the pitch.

As the innings went on, his connections became stronger. This was evident in the 13th over when he picked off Dayal's slower ball, had to wait a long time for it to get to him, and still flat-batted him for six. Buttler's performance reached its climax in the 20th over as he confidently hit a six to secure his century and secure the victory.

Kohli's century results in a loss

When RCB was sent to bat, they needed some runs from their opening pair, but the opposition was averaging three powerplay wickets per game, so it was supposed to be a battle. Nevertheless, Trent Boult and Nandre Burger were unable to make the early breakthrough, and the du Plessis-Kkohli combination scored 53 runs during the powerplay.

For the first time this season, du Plessis survived the powerplay, and Kohli looked composed at his poorest IPL venue—he had previously averaged 21.90 in Jaipur—so the start seemed good for RCB. During their initial 125-run stand, Kohli was the main contributor with 72 against du Plessis's 44 before the latter was removed in the 14th over.

The finest bowler for the Royals, Yuzvendra Chahal, was blasted for two sixes by Kohli as he peppered boundaries off him on the leg side, particularly by flicking off his toes past midwicket. In the 16th over, he showcased his exceptional skills by hitting three fours through the off side against Avesh Khan. After hitting two fours in the 19th over to

take Burger for his ninth T20 century and eighth IPL century, Kohli went on to smash two more fours in the 20th over to end with a career-high IPL total of 113. In a total of 183 for 3, he was one of two hitters in the innings to reach double digits and provided 61.70% of the runs for the Royals.

Chahal and Ashwin showcase superior bowling skills compared to RCB's spinners

The bowling performance from the Royals was quite unconventional. It was the first game in which Boult did not bowl a third over during the powerplay since they failed to take a wicket during the powerplay.

Samson made a strategic move by turning to Ashwin and Chahal one after the other. In just eight overs, they managed to accumulate a total of 62 runs, resulting in an economy rate of 7.75. A well-prepared Kohli and others like du Plessis, Cameron Green, and Glenn Maxwell were kept quiet by their variety of techniques.

However, consider RCB's two rookie spinners, Himanshu and Dagar. Shahbaz Ahmed was acquired by Sunrisers in exchange for Dagar, and Himanshu is an RCB scout. In just four overs (two each), they gave away one more run than Ashwin and Chahal did in eight overs.

The team struggled with their accuracy, resulting in numerous missed opportunities. Samson and Buttler took full advantage of their opponents' mistakes. The Royals' impressive performance included hitting 11 boundaries out of their 24 balls, ultimately contributing to their victory with five balls remaining.