RCB vs KKR Match 57 Results

7:35 PM IST That's a wrap from Raipur - This was the last game in Raipur, and we have witnessed two very entertaining matches at this venue, gift-wrapped with a Kohli special. Now then, the action moves back to the hills for another important clash. A very desperate Punjab Kings will host the Mumbai Indians, who are already knocked out of the playoff race. While MI will be playing for pride, they could very well spoil PBKS' party, who are already on a four-match losing slide. That should be a cracker of a game as well, and the first ball is scheduled to be bowled at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT), on Thursday, 14th May. But, as usual, our buildup begins well in advance, so mark your presence to catch all the pre-match analysis as well. Until then, we sign off. Take care, cheers.

7:26 PM IST RCB march ahead in their title defence - A very crucial win for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and now, all their home games are done. They will be on the road for their last two league games. They will now take a trip to Dharamsala for their next assignment against the Punjab Kings on Sunday, May 17. As for the Kolkata Knight Riders, while their playoff hopes have taken a bit of a hit with this defeat, they are pretty much alive in the race. They have three games left to play, and more importantly, their remaining three fixtures are at home. But crucially, winning all of those is a non-negotiable for them now. They face the Gujarat Titans at the Eden Gardens on Saturday, 16th May.

7:24 PM IST The captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Rajat Patidar says that he is feeling fine now, but cheekily calls Tyagi's bouncer a proper headshot. Adds that it feels good to be at the top, and they have played some really good cricket all season, but are taking one game at a time. Patidar mentions that the way they restricted KKR under 200 was a great effort from the bowlers. Says that, looking at how the pitch behaved in the last game, they went with four seamers. Rajat shares that he has no words for Virat Kohli, he is used to doing great things. Says that they have two more league games, both away from home. Next up is Dharamsala, and it is a good batting wicket there, so they are looking forward to it. Ends by saying that he is not exactly sure about Phil Salt's availability, but he will be back soon.

7:23 PM IST A reflection on the defeat - The captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders, Ajinkya Rahane​​​​​​, says that they thought 190-odd was a competitive score on this wicket. Adds that the batters who spent time in the middle believed that it was a challenging surface, especially when the ball got older. You can always say after the game that you are 10-15 runs short, but it was a good effort from the batting unit. Rahane mentions that in the last 3-4 games, their fielding has been really good, but when you are defending, you have to take any chance of Virat Kohli on a wicket that was a bit tricky. Says that Virat is always dangerous while chasing, but Devdutt Padikkal also batted well, and it was the partnership between those two that took the game away from them. Jinx shares that they have been winning the key moments in the previous games, but sometimes catches can go down, and it is part of the game. Reckons they knew that the ball would come on nicely onto the bat in the first six overs before slowing down. Their spinners have done well in the middle overs consistently, but Virat and Devdutt batted really well.  Ajinkya ends by saying that Tyagi has been outstanding for them. He's working really hard, and what stands out is the clarity that he has about his plans and execution, which is a big positive for a young bowler.

7:22 PM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - For his outstanding 105*(60), Virat Kohli collects the award, which is met with a big cheer from the crowd. Kohli says his hundred celebration was not too animated because of the importance of the two points at this stage of the tournament. He adds that there is a conscious effort from him to contribute more consistently towards the team's cause. Virat believes that the longer he bats, the better the team’s chances of winning become. Opines that whether he gets to three figures or not is secondary, with finishing the game for the side being the bigger priority. On handling pressure, Kohli says pressure is actually a privilege. He feels it keeps players humble, focused and constantly looking to improve. According to him, good pressure pushes cricketers to work harder on their game in the nets. VK shares he was particularly pleased with how clear his approach felt during the chase. Adds that being able to trust and back his natural game while playing risk-free cricket was especially satisfying for him. Kohli speaks passionately about his love for batting and calls it an honour to still be performing at this level. He says cricket is all he has done throughout his life and that he wants to make the most of every single day he gets on the field.

7:08 PM IST Raghuvanshi powered KKR to a fighting score - No single batter dominated, but almost every KKR batter contributed. Finn Allen teed off early before falling short of a prolonged stay in the Powerplay, and Ajinkya Rahane chipped in at the top as well. The innings truly found its footing when Cameron Green and Angkrish Raghuvanshi came together. Raghuvanshi was the standout, striking a quality half-century and finishing with 71* off 46, holding firm at one end while never allowing the rate to slip. Green provided the initial impetus alongside him, before Rinku Singh applied the finishing touches.  For RCB, nobody ran riot, and nobody got carted around the park either. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was metronomic as ever, finishing with the best economy in the attack and a wicket for good measure. Hazlewood and Rasikh Salam made their presence felt with one scalp apiece on a two-paced wicket.