Ahmedabad: Will Jacks 41-ball unbeaten blistering 100 propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to an emphatic nine wicket win over in an Indian Premier League 2024 match at the Narendra Modi Stadium here.
Put into bat, Gujarat Titans posted a challenging 200 for 3 on the board as they rode on Sai Sudharsan's uneaten 84 off just 49 balls and Shahrukh Khan's 30-ball 58. But it was Will Jacks who was the cynosure of eyes at the Narendra Modi Stadium as he took on the opposition attack with gusto.
Kohli (70 not out off 44 balls) , the Orange Cap holder, and Jacks added 160 runs for the unbroken second wicket as they won with as many as four overs to spare. While Jacks hammered 10 sixes and five boundaries, Kohli struck six boundaries and three sixes.
The unbroken partnership between Kohli and Jacks is now the highest against Gujarat Titans and they surpassed the record held by Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag, who had added 130 runs in Jaipur in 2024.
Despite the win, RCB is still at the bottom of the table with six points. Gujarat Titans are on the seventh spot with eight points.
Updates from second innings
- Over 7-16 (206/1)
It was a batting masterclass from Virat Kohli and Will Jacks in the middle as both of the them smashed the opposition bowlers to all parts of the ground. Kohli racked up unbeaten 70 runs from 44 deliveries while the English batter completed his century in just 41 balls. It was a sheer carnage from Jacks in the middle and so RCB have chased down the target with nine wickets in hand and four overs to spare.
- Over 0-6 (64/1)
Faf du Plessis is playing his strokes from one end while Virat Kohli is playing second fiddle to his South African batting partner. Du Plessis gathered 17 runs from the third over bowled by Azmatullah Omarzai and it included some brilliant stroke play as well as inventive shot-making. However, he was dismissed by R Sai Kishore with a short delivery as the batter tried to pull it but ended up giving a catch at deep mid-wicket.
Virat Kohli also switched the gears in the sixth over from R Sai Kishore and amassed 15 runs of the spinner which included a couple of sixes.
Updates from first innings
- Over 16-20 (200/3)
Miller provided some hits to the GT’s innings but Sudharsan was the main lead as he produced some pyrotechnics to take the team towards the 200-run mark. The duo collected 18 runs in total from the 16th and 17th over but the last three overs of the innings turned out to be decisive as the duo scored 44 runs from them.
- Over 11-15 (138/3)
The move to promote Shahrukh Khan in the batting unit has worked quite well for the batting side as he amassed 54 runs from just 26 deliveries before being dismissed by Mohammed Siraj. The right-handed batter notched up 17 runs from the 13th over. However, Siraj bowled a brilliant delivery shaping back into the right-handed batter that disturbed his furniture. The onus to aggravate the run rate will be upon the shoulders of Sudharsan now and David Miller has entered at the crease with the aim to provide a final flourish to the innings.
- Over 7-10 (82/2)
Glenn Maxwell provided a crucial breakthrough for his side in the seventh over he bowled a tossed up delivery outside off on the fourth delivery of the over and batter tried to loft it over long-on. However, Green put in a brilliant effort to take the catch and play a role in dismissing the batter. GT have promoted Shahrukh Khan in the batting order and it will be interesting to see how the move folds out.
Shahrukh is fulfilling his role perfectly as he first hit a six and a four in the ninth over of the innings. He then also hit a six on the first delivery of the next over towards long-off for a flat six.
- Over 0-6 (42/1)
The run-scoring isn’t very easy at the venue due to its slow nature and so the batters have adopted a cautious approach to steer the innings. Wridhiman Saha was dismissed early in the innings by Swapnil Singh as he deceived the batter with a loopy delivery outside off and Saha ended up giving a catch at third-man where Karn Sharma was stationed. After the dismissal the duo of Gill and Saha steadied the innings but they need to steer the scoreboard as soon as possible.
- Playing XI
Gujarat Titans: Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, David Miller, Azmatullah Omarzai, Rahul Tewatia, Shahrukh Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Noor Ahmad, Mohit Sharma
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis(c), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik(w), Swapnil Singh, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal
- Toss
RCB won the toss and chose to bat first
