“Virat Kohli Speaks Out on RCB’s Second Defeat in Three IPL 2024 Matches”

After Star Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered a defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at Chinnnaswamy Stadium, batter Virat Kohli was awarded the dressing room’s “Player of the Match” despite the loss. Despite Kohli’s impressive innings of 83* off 59 balls, including four boundaries and four sixes, RCB could only post 182/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Kohli received a gift hamper from his teammate Glenn Maxwell. However, KKR’s Sunil Narine and Venkatesh Iyer’s explosive batting ensured a comfortable victory for KKR, chasing down the target with seven wickets in hand and 19 balls to spare.

After receiving the award, Virat remarked in a video posted by RCB’s official handle, “We had a challenging night, as we all know. However, we believe in our abilities and our team’s strength. It’s crucial to acknowledge our setbacks and move forward with resilience and confidence. That’s the mindset we need to maintain going forward.”

Virat, currently leading the run charts in IPL 2023 with 181 runs in three innings at an impressive average and strike rate, played a crucial role in RCB’s recent match. Despite losing their skipper early, Virat formed partnerships with Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell, ultimately scoring an unbeaten 83 runs off 59 balls, leading RCB to a total of 182/6 alongside Dinesh Karthik.

In the chase, Phil Salt and Sunil Narine provided a strong start for KKR with a rapid 86-run partnership. Despite some setbacks, Venkatesh Iyer and Shreyas Iyer guided KKR to a comfortable seven-wicket victory with 19 balls remaining.

Sunil Narine was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ for his all-round performance in his 500th match, scoring 47 runs and claiming a wicket.

RCB currently stands sixth in the points table with one win and two losses, while KKR holds the second position with two wins and four points from two games.