Scott Styris, the former New Zealand all-rounder, made a surprising appearance on the pre-match show for the clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), donning the RCB jersey, much to the astonishment of the panelists on Jio Cinema.
This unexpected move stemmed from a bet Styris lost against former South African captain and RCB icon AB de Villiers. Prior to Bengaluru’s previous game against the Punjab Kings, Styris had wagered with De Villiers that if the hosts emerged victorious, he would wear the RCB jersey for every subsequent pre-match show.
Had Punjab emerged triumphant, De Villiers would have been obliged to wear the jersey of Styris’ favorite IPL team, the Chennai Super Kings. However, Bengaluru’s victory ensured that Styris fulfilled his end of the bet by sporting the RCB jersey on Friday, March 29.
Despite his vocal dislike for RCB as a rival team, as evident in his post on X (formerly Twitter), where he vehemently denied wearing the jersey, Styris honored his commitment.
Never!!!! 🤬🤬🤬🤬 https://t.co/RR9oQ1jdwb
— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) March 29, 2024
On the field, Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 83 off 59 balls propelled the Royal Challengers to a competitive total of 182/6 in their allotted 20 overs. Although Bengaluru had a strong start with 61/1 during the powerplay, the pitch’s sluggish nature favored KKR, who steadily regained momentum.
Andre Russell’s adept use of slower deliveries and effective spin bowling applied pressure, leading to regular breakthroughs for the visitors. Despite KKR’s brisk start in the chase, the hosts must effectively utilize change of pace to regain control of the match.