RCB continue to keep their playoff hopes alive and well. S Rajesh's scenarios piece will be up soon. Check it out to know how this result has impacted the standings of all the teams in contention. Sidharth Monga's match report is up as well. Thanks for tagging along. Goodbye from me Ekanth and our scorers, Chandan Duorah and K Vairavan.

Virat Kohli, POTM: Quite special considering the magnitude of the game. We saw the ball was gripping in the middle. We wanted a solid start but did not expect to be 172 for no loss. That's how well Faf and I have played, he's been on a different level. I had a quiet couple of games and wasn't hitting as well in the game as I was in the nets. My intent from ball 1 was to go after the bowlers. There was a dip but I wanted to take it up in the right time. Happy that it all came together nicely. I never look at my numbers. I don't give myself enough credit sometimes for playing impact knocks. I take pride to play the situation. I don't play fancy shots. We have to play 12 months of the year, so you can't play fancy shots and throw your wicket away. I try to stay true to my technique and take pride which helps my team. (On why Faf and him work) I think it's the tattoos. Very similar to how AB and me batting together. There's a good sense of where we are and how to take the game forward. It's been a beautiful transition. Blessed and grateful for the support. I told Faf that it was like a home game, cheering for RCB and taking my name as well. I feel you can't create this. I'm myself on the field and think it resonates with the people. Great to see people happy when I perform.

Faf du Plessis, RCB Captain: Amazing chase. We felt it was a good wicket walking off and that 200 was the par score despite Klaasen's ton. Not too many balls that spun or stuck on the wicket so we wanted to play positively. We were clinical with the bat today and ball last game. Kohli and I complement each other well, hit different areas and are good mates on and off well which works for us. Taking the momentum home is key. Away conditions are tough. Chinnaswamy will be amazing for another must-win game for us.

Mohit: "RCB vs GT will be a lot harder... MI will go hard against SRH to get their NRR up! exciting weekend"

Nick: "What an IPL it has been..! No dead rubber till last match. All remaining matches are important ...!"

Thomas: "Really feel for Klassen - what could have been the day when the world took notice of him, he gets outshone by the Kohli-Faf show"

SRH players and staff take a lap across the ground with a banner reading 'THANK YOU HYDERABAD' and the crowd is cheering along.

Aiden Markram, SRH Captain: I thought we batted pretty well but did not maximise. Maybe we left a few runs out there, in the powerplay. Can't be on the winning side for Heinrich, who batted brilliantly today. The support was awesome not just for us but for RCB as well. Pity we couldn't give them a win. But thanks to them. (Mindset coming into the last game) We are still sportsmen and hate losing, wanted to go away with a smile but they were much better. Faf and Kohli killed the game. We still hung in there and weren't too far off at the end. (On his bowling options) We had a look at few guys which is good for the future. Probably one less option in the powerplay but the guys tried their best but execution let them down here and there with Faf and Kohli in full flow. Someone like Nitish was very impressive even if the figures don't reflect it. Klaasen hasn't had the easiest path, he wouldn't have dreamt of it. Great knock for him personally even though it didn't end with a win.

11:01pm: Kohli century leads a clinical performance as RCB retain control over their fate for now. He took charge with scintillating strokeplay, it looked like approaching a slowdown but hit his way past it. Some of the cover drives and the whips were sensational. There were a quiet couple of overs but generally included a boundary each over. Faf was the aggressor in the powerplay and survived being dismissed by an athletic catch by Dagar because the second bouncer for the over was deemed to be a no-ball. Kohli wasn't shying away from playing attacking shots at all stages. Sunrisers' bowling couldn't apply consistent pressure, they weren't allowed to, and end their season at home.

19.2
2
Kartik Tyagi to Bracewell, 2 runs, Full ball is driven, mid-off half-stops it but it deflects into the outfield. Easy two and Klaasen looks up into the heavens as RCB win by eight wickets.
19.2
1w
Kartik Tyagi to Bracewell, 1 wide, Length ball down leg goes past the flick. Extra run scored though
19.1
0
Kartik Tyagi to Bracewell, no run, Driven, mid-off is in. Goes straight towards him, Maxwell tries to take off and runs back as the fielder runs in

Tyagi to close out. Bracewell on strike, three needed off six

END OF OVER:
19 | 12 Runs 1 Wkt | RCB: 184/2 (3 runs required from 6 balls, RR: 9.68, RRR: 3.00)

  • Glenn Maxwell5 (3b)
  • Michael Bracewell2 (2b)
  • T Natarajan4-0-34-1
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar4-0-48-1

Darshin: "Maxi should change his name to Maxrisky "

18.6
4
Natarajan to Maxwell, FOUR, Reverse laps it fine and in the gap. Took a step past the crease and redirected the ball with full control. Too fine for short third to stop.

Still run a ball needed.

18.5
1
Natarajan to Bracewell, 1 run, Low full toss is driven into the ground. Bowler ducked and tried to take it over the right shoulder but it went too fast

Jose George: "Not sure why everyone on the comments here are rooting for an RCB loss. Keep Calm, they'll lose in the eliminator"

18.4
1
Natarajan to Maxwell, 1 run, Full and slow on middle. Opens the face to guide the 123kph ball to deep-backward point

Rohit: "SRH one (Maxi) wicket away from a famous win!!"

18.3
1
Natarajan to Bracewell, 1 run, Back of length ball is pulled from middle and off to deep midwicket

Bracewell in

18.2
W
Natarajan to du Plessis, OUT, Slow and full, Faf tries to launch it away but holes out at long-off. He screamed in agony right after hitting it. Swiped across and saucered it high. Tripathi falls back on the ground with the ball nestled in front of his chest.

F du Plessis c Tripathi b Natarajan 71 (86m 47b 7x4 2x6) SR: 151.06

18.1
4
Natarajan to du Plessis, FOUR, Wide full toss is flapped over cover. Into the outfield, easy four
18.1
1w
Natarajan to du Plessis, 1 wide, Goes across and tries to paddle the full ball, angles down leg to beat the bat and leg stump

SidB: "Just because it's RCB, I am expecting a very tight finish now"

END OF OVER:
18 | 8 Runs 1 Wkt | RCB: 172/1 (15 runs required from 12 balls, RR: 9.55, RRR: 7.50)

  • Glenn Maxwell0 (1b)
  • Faf du Plessis67 (45b)
  • Bhuvneshwar Kumar4-0-48-1
  • T Natarajan3-0-22-0

KSG: "Still a great 18th over by Bhuvi"

17.6
0
Kumar to Maxwell, no run, Maxwell tries the reverse scoop first ball. The length ball on fourth stump may have deflected off the pad, seemed to have deflected inwards after passing the stumps
17.5
W
Kumar to Kohli, OUT, Hundred and out, Kohli's skied a pull and it's taken by Phillips at deep forward square. It was head-high bouncer that Kohli tried to launch in front of square. Phillips was well within the cushion. Kohli walks back with a smile into the dugout

V Kohli c Phillips b Kumar 100 (82m 63b 12x4 4x6) SR: 158.73

17.4
6
Kumar to Kohli, SIX, Whipped away over deep midwicket. Hundo for Kohli, who gets a bear hug from Faf, he raises his bat and goes on his knees. Crowd's roaring. Absolute scenes. It was very full and Kohli flicked it flat, hard, and long enough. Fielder was running back to the diagonal left but it sailed over
17.3
0
Kumar to Kohli, no run, Kohli walks down Matthew Hayden style and misses the pull. Smart from Bhuvi to go short and outside off at 132kph, it doesn't rise much
17.2
2
Kumar to Kohli, 2 runs, Risky second is run so quick that they make it without much trouble given there was no direct hit. Faf's heaving the breaths in. It was a yorker at the stumps that was jammed to mid-on. Long-on came in, looked like Brook, and it would have been out had there been a direct hit.
17.1
0
Kumar to Kohli, no run, Very full outside off at 131kph, pushed to cover

RCB need 23 off 18. Bhuvi to finish his quota

END OF OVER:
17 | 10 Runs | RCB: 164/0 (23 runs required from 18 balls, RR: 9.64, RRR: 7.66)

  • Virat Kohli92 (58b)
  • Faf du Plessis67 (45b)
  • T Natarajan3-0-22-0
  • Mayank Dagar4-0-25-0
16.6
1
Natarajan to Kohli, 1 run, Low full toss at 135kph is pushed from off stump to cover. Went off the toe of the bat

Kohli on 91*

16.5
1
Natarajan to du Plessis, 1 run, Another yorker. On leg and it's squeezed to deep fine leg
16.4
0
Natarajan to du Plessis, no run, Yorker has Faf tumble. He made room and was followed, tried to whip it away. Missed it, may have hit the ground and the ball went to the keeper
16.3
1
Natarajan to Kohli, 1 run, Length outside off, driven to deep cover
16.2
6
Natarajan to Kohli, SIX, Skiddy bouncer is pulled over midwicket. Kohli held onto a strong base and smoked it 77 metres far

RCB 2nd innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st172F du PlessisV Kohli
2nd5F du PlessisGJ Maxwell
3rd10GJ MaxwellMG Bracewell

Indian Premier League

TeamMWLPTNRR
GT14104200.809
CSK1485170.652
LSG1485170.284
MI148616-0.044
RR1477140.148
RCB1477140.135
KKR146812-0.239
PBKS146812-0.304
DC145910-0.808
SRH144108-0.59