Kohli’s landmark fifty powers Bengaluru to massive IPL win

JAIPUR: Batting great Virat Kohli struck his 100th half-century in T20 cricket to steer Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a thumping nine-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.

England’s Phil Salt set up Bengaluru’s chase of 174 with his 33-ball 65 before fellow opener Kohli took charge to anchor the chase with an unbeaten 62 at Rajasthan’s home in Jaipur.

The in-form Kohli smashed his third half-ton of this season and 66th in the T20 tournament to go level with Australia’s David Warner.

Warner leads the fifty count in the T20 format with 108 half-centuries and Kohli second with 100 in 401 matches. Pakistan’s Babar Azam is third with 90.

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Salt set the tone of chase by clubbing Rajasthan pace bowler and England teammate Jofra Archer for a four and a six in the opening over.

Salt hit a 28-ball fifty and put on 92 with Kohli before drilling spinner Kumar Kartikeya to Yashasvi Jaiswal at midwicket, but the wicket was only a blip in the chase.

Kohli then shared an unbeaten stand of 83 with left-hander Devdutt Padikkal, who hit 40, to steer the team home with 15 balls to spare.

It is their fourth win in six matches and sends them into the top four of the 10-team table.

Inaugural champions Rajasthan have slumped to their fourth defeat in six outings.

Rajasthan opener Jaiswal top-scored with 75 to guide the team to 173-4 after being invited to bat first.

The left-handed Jaiswal started cautiously on a sluggish pitch but kept up the flow of runs with regular boundaries.

He added 49 for the first wicket with fellow opener Sanju Samson and then 56 with Riyan Parag, who hit 30.

Bengaluru spinner Krunal Pandya struck first when he got Samson stumped for 15 on a delivery that kept low outside the off stump.

Yash Dayal cut short Parag’s knock and Bengaluru had their tails up when Australia pace bowler Josh Hazlewood sent back Jaiswal in the 16th over.

Dhruv Jurel stood firm and after an early reprieve, when Kohli dropped him at long-off, hit back with a brisk 35 not out to help the team finish strongly.