Nitish Rana:
Last three-four matches, I have been saying if we start performing as a collective, we will get the results. We have enough character in the dressing room to not give up the belief despite being where we were at the table. Today we wanted to put up a total and hope for a spin to come in. We thought it was dry and it would turn. As such it didn’t quite turn but our bowlers turned up. Suyash has always been the first to put his hand up and say I will do it for you. We hope to keep repeating what we did today.
Virat Kohli:
To be honest we handed over the game to them. We deserved to lose. We weren’t professional enough. We bowled well but fielding was not up to standard. This was a freebie handed over to them. In the field, we dropped two chances, that cost us 25-30 runs. When batting, we set us ourselves up very well, but then four-five soft dismissals. Not wicket-taking balls but we hit straight to the fielders. Even while chasing, after losing wickets, one partnership brought us back into the game. We were one partnership short. We need to stay switched on, and not give away soft plays.
Andre Russell:
We really needed that victory. We have been under the pump. We know once we get a good total – and anything above 200 was a good total – we can impart pressure. Once I get the ball, I try to do my best. I try to contribute in whatever way. Still confident with the bat. Got a very good Yorker tonight from Siraj. Part of the game. We just got to take it day by day. Recovery is very important for me. The older I get the smarter I get with my body.
CV Varun is the Player of the Match:
That’s how the game of cricket is. Last match I went for 49, today I get this award. My focus is on my accuracy, not adding variations. I have been working a lot. I would like to thank AC Prathiban and Abhishek Nayar. I would like to dedicate this to my newborn son and my wife. I will see him after the IPL.
Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders Highlights today, Wednesday 26-4-2023. 36th Match (N), Indian Premier League 2023, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
Toss: Royal Challengers Bangalore, elected to field first.
Royal Challengers Bangalore team: V Kohli*, Shahbaz Ahmed, GJ Maxwell, MK Lomror, KD Karthik†, SS Prabhudessai, PWH de Silva, DJ Willey, V Vyshak, HV Patel, Mohammed Siraj
Kolkata Knight Riders team: VR Iyer, N Jagadeesan†, JJ Roy, SP Narine, N Rana*, AD Russell, RK Singh, D Wiese, VG Arora, UT Yadav, CV Varun
Head to Head In T20’s: 32
Royal Challengers Bangalore Won: 14
Kolkata Knight Riders Won: 18
Form guide
(last five completed Matches, most recent first)
Royal Challengers Bangalore WWLWL
Kolkata Knight Riders LLLLW
Match Timings: 2:00 PM GMT | 7:30 PM Local
Umpires – KN Ananthapadmanabhan, Rohan Pandit
TV Umpire – Michael Gough
Match Referee – Amit Sharma
Reserve Umpire – Abhijit Bhattacharya
Match number – IPL 2023 – 36th Match
IPL Points Table
Pitch and weather: Another easy-paced hit-through-the-line Chinnaswamy track is on the cards. The ball could swing early in the evening, especially if the overhead conditions are cloudy, and skid onto the bat later under lights.
