In a disappointing turn of events for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and their captain Virat Kohli, the team was eliminated from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 after suffering a defeat against the defending champions, Gujarat Titans. Despite Kohli’s exceptional performance of scoring his record 7th IPL century, RCB ended up on the losing side as Shubman Gill also notched up a century to secure a 6-wicket win for Gujarat Titans.
The match was a highly anticipated one as it would have been a rematch between Virat Kohli and Naveen-ul-Haq, the Lucknow Super Giants pacer, who had a heated altercation during a previous match between RCB and LSG in the league stage. However, RCB’s loss in this encounter meant that there would be no Round 2 between Kohli and Naveen.
Following RCB’s elimination, Naveen took to his Instagram story and posted a popular meme, which many fans interpreted as an attempt to mock Kohli. This gesture left several Kohli fans fuming, as they believed it was disrespectful considering RCB’s failure to qualify for the playoffs while Naveen’s team, LSG, did make it to the next stage.
Turning to the match itself, Shubman Gill’s unbeaten knock of 104 outshined Virat Kohli’s century, ultimately leading Gujarat Titans to knock RCB out of the IPL. Gill’s impressive innings came off just 52 balls and guided Gujarat to victory with five balls to spare. His century was the third of the day in the IPL, following Cameron Green’s match-winning century for Mumbai Indians and Kohli’s unbeaten 101.
Kohli’s century, which was his second in consecutive matches and seventh overall in the IPL, helped RCB set a challenging target of 197-5 after rain delayed the start of the match in Bengaluru. Despite Kohli’s exceptional form, RCB’s efforts were in vain, and Kohli’s quest for an elusive IPL title continues for yet another year.
The result of the match also had implications for the playoffs, as the victory for Gujarat Titans allowed the five-time champions, Mumbai Indians, to secure the fourth and final playoff spot. In the first match of the day, Mumbai Indians convincingly defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad by eight wickets.,
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s campaign in the IPL 2023 came to an end after they were defeated by Gujarat Titans. Despite Virat Kohli’s remarkable century, RCB could not secure a playoff spot, leading to disappointment for Kohli and his fans. The Instagram story posted by Naveen-ul-Haq, seemingly mocking Kohli, added fuel to the fire, further frustrating Kohli’s supporters. However, the focus now shifts to the upcoming playoffs, with Mumbai Indians securing the last spot and the pursuit of the IPL title continuing for the remaining teams.
