Looking to seal a playoffs berth – Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore – locked horns on Thursday in a high-intense game in Abu Dhabi. During the match, RCB skipper Virat Kohli lost his cool and resorted to sledging MI batsman Suryakumar Yadav – who hit a brilliant 79* off 43 balls to take the defending champions into the playoffs and MI became the first team to do so.
The episode when Kohli decided to engage Surya into a banter started in the 13th over of the chase when the RCB skipper picked up the ball and walked to the batsman and said a few words. The tactic from Kohli did not bother Suryakumar at all as he held his cool and played a match-winning wrong and in the process prove a point to the selectors who did not pick him for the Australian tour.
MI beat RCB by five wickets as they chased 165 in 19.1 overs. Surya’s knock also earned him the player of the match.With the win, MI becomes the first team to make the playoffs. RCB and Delhi Capitals need a win to make it to the last four as Kolkata and Punjab are engaged in a tough fight for a top-four finish.
Virat Kohli slammed by fans:
As if the defeat and the failure with the bat were not enough, Virat Kohli is being also slammed by the fans for his on-field behaviour during the game. The RCB skipper is facing the heat for the incident that took place in the 13th over of MI’s innings when he tried to get under the skin of Suryakumar Yadav.
