Kohli and Padikkal lead Bengaluru into IPL top two after beating Gujarat

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Virat Kohli smashed 81 after he was dropped off the first ball and Royal Challengers Bengaluru ran down Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the Indian Premier League on Friday.

Thanks to Kohli’s 44-ball knock and Devdutt Padikkal’s 55 in a whirlwind second-wicket stand of 115 runs off 59 balls, Bengaluru comfortably reached 206-5 in 18.5 overs.

Gujarat made 205-3 on the back of opener Sai Sudharsan’s even 100 off 58 balls, his third IPL century.

Sudharsan, in his 47th IPL game, became the quickest player to 2,000 IPL runs, eclipsing Chris Gayle’s record of 48 matches.

Kohli was dropped by Washington Sundar at mid-wicket in Mohammed Siraj’s first over and went on to crash eight boundaries and four sixes.

Padikkal and Kohli punished Gujarat’s two premium bowlers Kagiso Rabada (0-45) and Rashid Khan (2-49). Kohli welcomed Rashid with a straight six off the second delivery and Padikkal smashed Rabada for a six off the first ball he faced.

Padikkal was the aggressor of the two batters and completed his half-century from 20 balls with six sixes and two fours while Kohli raised his third fifty of the season from 30 balls.

Bengaluru was in sight of a big finish in front of its home fans chanting “R-C-B” before they lost four wickets in four overs. Rashid deceived Padikkal with a perfect googly while Kohli dragged jason Holder’s slower ball onto his stumps.

Bengaluru slipped to 173-5 in the 16th over but Krunal Pandya and Tim David, who have played more than 550 Twenty20s and scored more than 9,000, safely finished Bengaluru’s fifth win in seven games.

Earlier, Sudharsan dominated Gujarat’s batting — especially square of the wicket — as the left-hander shared a 128-run century opening stand with captain Shubman Gill (32).

Sudharsan’s solid hundred included 11 fours and five sixes, but he was dismissed next ball when he offered a simple return catch to Josh Hazlewood’s 143 kph short ball.

Bengaluru planned for the last over to be bowled by pacer Rasikh Salam, but he left the field due to cramps and Pandya bowled instead. Holder smashed two sixes and a four and Gujarat passed 200 runs.

Bengaluru was second in the table after its fourth home win. Gujarat was seventh on net run-rate.

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