RCB vs GT highlights IPL 2023: Kohli hundred in vain as Gill-powered Gujarat knocks out Bangalore

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Eight needed of the last over. Parnell goes way wide. Umpre gives it a wide. Gill reviews for a no ball and is rewarded with a waist-high no ball. Freehit. Another wide from Parnell. In the slot for Gill and it is pumped over long on for a six. Win for Titans, century for Gill and elimination for RCB.

Harshal Patel with the penultimate. Tewatia tucks one away for a single. Harshal tries to zoom in on Gill’s pads. Gives away a wide. Next up is a low full toss which is picked away for a six. He moves to 98.

Gill up against Siraj. Good length on to the body and Gill employs his trademark short arm jab to elevate it to the stands. 1063th six of this IPL, most in a season.

Siraj beats Miller to get a dot ball by going wide. He sticks to the line and Miller goes after it. The connection wasn’t neat and it is skied. Prabhudesai is underneath at it again and he completes a catch right at the edge of the boundary. This game keeps swinging back and forth.

Siraj goes short and Gill responds with a ferocious pull shot, for a flat six!!!

43 needed of the last four. Vyshak with the over as the pressure continues to mount. Couple of singles to start, before Vyshak gives away a wide. Miller hits one to long off for a single. Gill tries to go big, doesn’t middle it. But it was running away to deep midwicket fence, before Maxwell intervenes. to keep it down to two. Another double from Gill.

Harshal Patel with the 16th. Shanaka tries to go big straight away. Scuffed the shot and Prabhudesai completes the catch at deep. David Miller is the new batter. Short and into the body first ball and Miller pulls it away for for a four.

Vyshak with a slow bouncer to Shankar, who waits for the ball to get to him, before ramping it over the keeper.

Vyshak goes full next up and Shankar lifts it over the bowler for a four. He goes one better next one. Again full and Shankar clears his front foot before laucnhing it almost out of the stadium. 106m six there. But Shankar’s innings comes to an end next ball, courtesy of diving catch by Kohli at deep mid wicket.

Siraj is back into the attack. RCB badly needs a wicket, ideally that of Gill. Siraj gives away only four singles from the first four balls. Siraj squares up Shankar with a searing yorker. But it goes flying off his edge for a four. Siraj is furious at how that transpired.

Finally RCB brings Bracewell in. A couple of doubles to start the over for the Kiwi. He goes into Gill’s pads and it is smoked away for a huge six. Bracewell corrects his line, but it is still too full. IT GOES FLYING IINTO THE SECOND TIER!!! The chase is on.

Harshal up against Gill, who is on 49. Hits it, almost over the umpire, for a single to get to his fifty. Fifth 50 of the season for Gill. Just seven runs from the over as RCB tightens to screw.

Himanshu onto his third. Shankar lifts it over extra cover for a single. Gill gives the strike back with a single. Shankar on strike and he goes over mid wicket. Long on can’t get there and it is another boundary.

Himanshu offers width for Gill and he responds with a flowing drive which races to the fence.

Harshal Patel into the attack. He has his sights on a struggling Shankar. He responds with an elegant cut shot which rocketed past the fielder at point. FOURR!!

Harshal responds with a yorker and Shankar digs it away for a single.

Himanshu Sharma gets his second over. Strong start from him. Just two runs off the first three balls. Gill dances down the track, but can only slice at it. Runs past third man for for a streaky four. Next ball, he steps out again, this time connecting it much better. ZOOMS INTO THE STANDS OVER DEEP MID WICKET!!!

Vyshak with the eighth over. Titans have started steadily, but they need to step it up a notch. They have a lot of batting left in their tank to hunt this total down.

Shankar attempts a wild hoick. It goes off his edge and lands safely on the off. Vyshak goes full next ball and Gill latches on to it. Flew into the sight screen.

Impact player Himanshu Sharma into the attack. Gill, Shankar start with singles against the leg spinner. Pushes a faster one, which bounces sharply. Beats Shankar and the keeper. Runs away for a four.

Parnell gets his third over. Gill starts the over with an edged four through the off-side. Shankar hits through the line after Parnell offered a full length one into his hitting zone. SIXX!! Another edged four follows. This over has helped GT over the 50-run mark.

Vyshak is the new bowler for RCB. Gill smacks it almost into the hands of the bowler. Gets away with it. Couple of runs there. Just three singles folllow as Vyshak resufes to provide Shankar and Gill any room to work with.

Wayne Parnell continues. Gill on strike. He drives it through off and Faf had to put in a diving stop to prevent a boundary. Vijay Shankar is the new batter and he gets going with an edged four.

Siraj continues and he continues to cramp up Saha. Two dot balls to start with. Saha gets the third one over covers for a couple. Siraj swings one in sharply and it strikes Saha on the pad. The ball races away to the fence, but Siraj demands a review. Looked too high and it is. Saha continues to attack. He advances, but can only slice it to Parnell at point cover.

Wayne Parnell with the second over for RCB. Wide from Parnell and Saha flashes at it. Gets an edge and it flies over third man for the first four of the innings. Parnell goes short Gill pulls it away for a four. Parnell overpitches the next ball and Gill clears the infield and it goes to the fence for a one-bounce four.

Siraj with the first over. Starts with a wide down the off. Saha edges the first ball. But it falls short of the keeper. Defends the next one to cover. Plays and misses the next. Siraj getting more swing than GT pacers and it is troubling Saha, considerably. Takes a single after four balls.

Mohit with the ball. Kohli taps it to long on first ball to get to his seventh hundred. Rawat and Kohli exchange singles. Kohli was demanding to go for a risky double, but Rawat denies. Rawat shows why he did so by picking a Mohit low full toss and slashing it over mid wicket fence. A misfield from Shanaka gifts Rawat another four. RCB finishes on 197/5.

Shami starts the penultimate over with a low full toss on pads and Kohli flicks it away with confidence. Zips away to the fence. Two singles follow. Kohli back on strike. Length ball into Kohli’s thighs and it is put away for another four. 98 now. Single taken and he is now on 99. Rawat on strike last ball. Attempts a risky double and Shanaka hits the stump. But Kohli dives in on time.

Rawat takes a single to bring Kohli on strike. Yash goes length and Kohli whacks it, cross-bat, over the mid wicket for a six. MAGNIFICIENT SHOT FROM KOHLI!!

On the pads from Yash and Kohli clips it away, almost casually, past short fine leg for a four. 88 for Kohli now.

Rashid Khan with his last over. Kohli and Rawat trades singles in the first four balls. Kohli hits one on the leg side and it required a diving effort from Noor to save a boundary there. Still, a succesful over for GT.

Mohit Sharma starts the 16th over with a wide. He goes wide and Kohli thumps it to the fence. RCB’s hopes hinge a lot on how Kohli go ahead from here. Another one on the off and Kohli slashes it past point for another four.

Dinesh Karthik is the new batter for RCB. He starts off against Yash Dayal. A bouncer to start with and Karthik attempts a hook shot. Can only get a top edge and it nestles in the gloves off Saha. Anuj Rawat is the new batter for RCB. Good over for GT, just four runs from it.

Shami back into the attack. He has changed his attacking strategy, going much fuller. Raps Bracewell on the pad. Titans go up for a review, more in hope than conviction. Missing off stump. Shami goes fuller. It is a low full toss and Bracewell can only top edge it. Shami completes an easy catch.

Mohit Sharma with the 13th. Offers width and bounce for Kohli and it is duly smacked away over extra cover. He is looking in ominous touch today. Mohit goes back of a length against Bracewell, who guides it past point for another four. RCB back on track.

Noor with his last. He offers a freebie on the off and Bracewell crashes it away for a four. A single brings Kohli on strike. He takes a couple of go at get his 50. Two dot balls later, he drives one on the off for a couple of runs. Seventh 50+ score of this season for Kohli.

Mohit Sharma into the attack. He starts well, gets a few dot balls in. Fourth ball, goes wide and Bracewell crashes it through extra cover for a four. Mohit attempts to go fuller and Bracewell chips it over mid on for another four. RCB regaining momentum!!

Noor too gets another over. Starts with a wide. Kohli takes a single to give strike to new batter Lomror. Noor loops one in and Lomror loses his footing and is stumped. Smart work by Saha behind the stumps there.

Wide and full from Noor and Kohli thumps it straight back for a four. No chance for long off. Bracewell is the new batter and he gets off the mark with a single.

Rashid gets another over as Titans look for another breakthrough. And they are rewarded duly. Rashid cuts Maxwell in half with a googly. Maxwell is caught in the crease. The ball crashes into the stumps and Maxwell falls.

Hardik persists with Noor. First ball, Faf looks to make some room to go big. But it kisses his bottom edge, ricochets off Saha’s pads and lands in the hands of Tewatia. Titans appeal and the umpire gives it out. And we have a wicket out of nowhere!!

Maxwell is the new batter and he starts with a single. Kohli taps one to the off to give him the strike back. Noor pushes one through and Maxwell smashes it over long on for the first six of the innings. Noor goes wide and Maxwell creams it through covers for a four.

Rashid continues. Starts by giving away a couple of dot balls. Rashid is bowling much faster and straighter, not allowing Faf or Virat much room to work with. Just five runs from the over.

Spin from both ends now. Noor Ahmed into the attack. He keeps it thing tight. Third ball, Noor surprises Kohli with one that spun away. The bounce took the top edge, but luckily for Kohli, it fell in no man’s land. Noor offers width and Kohli slices it away for a four through the covers. END TO A SUCCESFUL POWERPLAY FOR RCB.

Rashid Khan into the attack. Kohli starts by thumping him past extra cover for another four. WOW!! Rashid reins it in for the rest over. But RCB openers keep rotating the strike with ease. 50 up for RCB meanwhile.

Yash starts his second over by offering one on the leg stump for Kohli and it is dispatched away with disdain. Yash goes shorter next ball and Kohli pulls it away for another four. It is Kohli’s turn to get a hat-trick of boundaries. He repeats the pull shot and it flies to the fence. This is an electric start from the RCB openers.

Shami with his trademark hard length. Faf advances and tries to muscle it. The timing wasn’t good, but it still clears the infield for a four. Shami angles it in further and Faf goes leg side this time. Same result. Make that three fours in a row. On the pads from Shami and Faf slices it away. Noor Ahmad can’t keep it out at the fence. Faf has one more in stock, clears mid on, barely, to score another boundary. Shami taken to the cleaners.

Yash Dayal with Starts with a dot ball against Virat Kohli. Second ball, Kohli steps out, before playing and missing an outswinger. One more dot bal follows, as Dayal sticks to fifth stump line. Fourth ball, Kohli gets off the strike. Faf taps one back past Yash for a single. Last ball, on the pads, and Kohli clips it away for a couple.

Mohammed Shami starts the proceedings with the new ball for Gujarat. He starts with a full-length ball targeting the line of the stumps as Virat Kohli defends it confidently. Shami follows it up with another fuller-length ball and Kohli plays it at mid-off this time, the second dot ball. WIDE, an error in the line from Shami as the ball went way down the leg, first runs through extra. Shami to Kohli, FOUR! Smacked. Shami bowls a short one and Kohli whips it over covers to get off the mark in some style. Kohli takes a single to give the strike to Faf. Shami ends with a dot ball.

After a 23-minute delay, the umpires walk out for the game.

Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Hardik Pandya(c), Dasun Shanaka, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Yash Dayal

Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis(c), Michael Bracewell, Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik(w), Harshal Patel, Wayne Parnell, Mohammed Siraj, Vijaykumar Vyshak

Hardik Pandya calls it right and Titans, who are unchanged, will bowl first.

Once change for RCB - Himanshu Sharma comes in for Karn Sharma.

Toss will happen at 7:45 PM and the match will start at 8:00 PM.

Mumbai Indians has set the ‘target’ for RCB. Rohit Sharma’s men has beaten Sunrisers Hyderabad, quite convincingly. That means, RCB has to win, by any margin, to progress to the playoffs.

PS - MI’s win means Rajasthan Royals is out of contention.

The covers are coming off. The drizzle has almost stopped.

The players are out practising and so is the super sopper.

It’s still drizzling at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Covers are still on and match is not expected to start at least until 8 PM.

I started from my house, which is 14 kms away, at 4.20 pm. Reached the stadium at 7 pm. That’s how bad the traffic is in the city.

News from the ground - Toss delayed due to rain.

It wins the match against GT. Even if MI wins its game against SRH, the Net Run Rate (NRR) gap is too huge for the Rohit Sharma-led side to hope for a rescue act. It will also qualify if it suffers a defeat by less than six runs if GT scores 180 or GT takes more than 19.3 overs to chase the same.

Royal Challengers Bangalore Predicted XI

RCB Predicted XI (batting first): Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell, Mahipal Lomror, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahmed, Wayne Parnell, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj

RCB predicted XI (bowling first): Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Anuj Rawat (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell, Mahipal Lomror, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Wayne Parnell, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj

RCB Impact Player options: Dinesh Karthik, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, V Vyshak, Suyash Prabhudessai

Gujarat Titans Predicted XI

GT Predicted XI (batting first): Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Josh Little, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami,

GT predicted XI (bowling first): Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Abhinav Manohar, Vijay Shankar, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Josh Little, Noor Ahmad, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma.

GT Impact Player options: Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Mohit Sharma, Dasun Shanaka, KS Bharat.

Wicketkeeper: Wriddhiman Saha

Batters: Faf du Plessis (vc), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, David Miller

All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell

Bowlers: Mohammed Siraj, Mohammad Shami, Rashid Khan (c), Mohit Sharma

Royal Challengers BangaloreSquad: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis(c), Glenn Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror, Michael Bracewell, Anuj Rawat(w), Shahbaz Ahmed, Wayne Parnell, Harshal Patel, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Dinesh Karthik, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Himanshu Sharma, Suyash Prabhudessai, Kedar Jadhav, Siddarth Kaul, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood, Finn Allen, Manoj Bhandage, Akash Deep, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, Sonu Yadav.

Gujarat Titans Squad: Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya(c), David Miller, Dasun Shanaka, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Mohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Noor Ahmad, Yash Dayal, Srikar Bharat, Vijay Shankar, Darshan Nalkande, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Shivam Mavi, Matthew Wade, Alzarri Joseph, Abhinav Manohar, Odean Smith, Jayant Yadav, Pradeep Sangwan, Urvil Patel, Josh Little.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has a fairly straightforward path to the Indian Premier League play-offs. A win in the final game on Sunday, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, will more or less secure a place in the top-four.

Mumbai Indians (MI) can upset the apple cart, but it has to bridge a NRR gap of 0.308 with RCB. Even here, RCB has an advantage in that MI would have finished its match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) earlier and Faf du Plessis and his men will know exactly what is required.

Two impediments however remain for RCB. Its final opponent is Gujarat Titans (GT), the defending IPL champion and the stand-out team in this year’s edition. There is also the weather. Bengaluru saw widespread evening thunderstorms on Saturday and more is expected on matchday.