Dubai: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli didn’t have a memorable day against Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League on Thursday (September 24). Kohli was at fault on two occasions when he dropped KL Rahul twice while also not contributing much with the willow. He was fined Rs12 lakh for a slow-over rate against KXIP.
When Kohli came out to bat he was dismissed for just 1 by Sheldon Cottrell as RCB were bowled out for 109 in 17 overs. Kohli’s two drop catches proved costly as Rahul went on to slam a record-breaking hundred at Dubai International Stadium and RCB eventually lost the game by a margin of 97 runs.
It was the first offense of the season under the Code of Conduct relating to minimum over-rate made by Kohli’s team. Reacting to his lapses in the ground, Kohli said he is ready to take the brunt front on. “I have to stand in front and take the brunt of it, not the best day in the office. A couple of important chances of KL when he was set and that cost us 35-40 runs at a later stage,” Kohli said.
“Maybe if we restricted them 180 then we wouldn’t have been under pressure from ball one of the chase. We know exactly where we went wrong and I have to put my hand up and say should have led from the front and taken those two chances,” he said after a post-match presentation.
