The IPL 2024 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru was billed as the face-off between KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli. This was their first meeting since that infamous night in Lucknow last year, where they had an ugly spat over a match situation, leaving cricket world in quite a shock. However, the two buried the hatchet on Friday with an internet-breaking hug during the RCB-KKR match.
In the lead-up to the match, footages of that incident at the Ekana Stadium, when Gambhir was the mentor for Lucknow Super Giants, was shown repeatedly with experts having their say on it. Moreover, an KKR video from the practice session in Bengaluru showed an Kohli with an icy-cold stare at Gambhir.
However, during the timeout after the end of the 16th over, Kohli and Gambhir shared a warm hug and a short chat, before exchanging smiles as well. Kohli was having water as he chatted with his teammate as Gambhir walked past him and then hugged him. Kohli smiled throughout the small chat before the India legend walked back to the KKR dugout.
Put to bat first at home on Friday, RCB lost their skipper Faf du Plessis early in the match, with KKR fast bowler Harshit Rana deceiving the opener with a slower delivery. Kohli then combined with Cameron Green in a 65-run stand for the second wicket before being ably assisted by Glenn Maxwell in a 42-run stand. En route to the second big partnership, Kohli reached his half-century knock in 36 balls, laced with two boundaries and three huge sixes.
This was Kohli’s second half-century score in the ongoing IPL 2024, having smashed 77 off 49 against Punjab Kings last week at the very same venue.
RCB have so far managed to win one and lose one in the tournament. They lost their season opener at the Chepauk against Chennai Super Kings on March 22, but bounced back strongly against PBKS at the Chinnaswamy to record a win. RCB are now aiming for a first win against KKR at home since 2015.
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