In the IPL 2023 match at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) got off to a blazing start thanks to Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, who were sent in to bat first after Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) won the toss and chose to bowl.
During the powerplay, the pair amassed 56 runs, with Kohli taking on the role of aggressor and Du Plessis supporting him perfectly. Both teams made some changes to their lineup, with LSG bringing Mark Wood back into their playing XI while Bangalore added Wayne Parnell to strengthen their bowling attack.
Despite suffering a heavy defeat in their previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders, RCB remains confident at home, having recently beaten Mumbai Indians by 8 wickets. LSG, on the other hand, has won two of their three matches so far, all at home, and will be looking to notch their first away win.
As the final over of the powerplay approaches, Faf du Plessis hands over the strike to Virat Kohli, who faces Mark Wood’s delivery for the first ball. Kohli wastes no time and smacks the ball for a boundary, and follows it up with a six off the very next delivery. Wood struggles to contain Kohli’s onslaught, as the Indian skipper continues to pile on the pressure, ultimately taking 14 runs off the over.
Kohli hits Wood for a magnificent six! His wrist action is truly impressive as he remains in his crease, anticipating the short delivery and elegantly whip-pulls it over deep mid-wicket. It’s a classic “stand and deliver” shot that puts both LSG and Wood on the back foot. With that six, RCB’s score reaches fifty.