'How Many Can Say They've Stepped Down to Jofra Archer,' Dinesh Karthik Lauds Virat Kohli
Jofra Archer went for 0/33 vs RCB (AP Photo)
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) celebrated have made a great start to their IPL 2023 campaign with a resounding win against Mumbai Indians in their season opener. Led by Faf du Plessis, RCB thumped the five-time champions Mumbai by 8 wickets at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Chasing a target of 172 runs, opening duo Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis went all guns blazing to stitch together a partnership of 148 runs. Du Plessis scored 73 runs, while Kohli remained unbeaten on 82 runs that took RCB home in just 16.2 runs.
Kohli smashed 6 fours and 5 sixes in his innings and batted at a strike rate of 167.35. Kohli scored 28 runs against Jofra Archer, which is the most by a batter against an English bowler in a T20 game.
"Not many people can say that they have stepped down & hit Archer over covers, that is Virat Kohli for you, he sees the big guy in the opponent & realises that he wants to take him on, he makes a statement," Kohli's RCB teammate Dinesh Karthik said.
Kohli returned to form in international cricket in 2022 and has a century in every format since, including his maiden T20I hundred. Fans are expecting a big season from Kohli this year, and we could be in for something similar to what he did in 2016, scoring nearly 1000 runs in a single IPL season.
RCB have their next game against Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday (6th April) at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.