IPL 2021: Royal Challengers Bangalore became the 3rd team to qualify for the play-offs. Captain Virat Kohli said RCB will look to finish in the top 2 and have an extra shot at the final. IPL 2021: Feels amazing: Virat Kohli elated as RCB confirm play-offs berth with 2 games to spare (Courtesy of BCCI)HIGHLIGHTSVirat Kohli elated as RCB seal play-offs berth in IPL 2021RCB got to 16 points, confirming a berth in the final 4 with 2 games to spareVirat Kohli said RCB will look to finish in the top 2 at the end of the group stagesVirat Kohli on Sunday promised more fearless cricket from Royal Challengers Bangalore after they became the third team to qualify for IPL 2021 play-offs. Kohli said it feels amazing to have sealed the play-offs berth with 2 games to go in the group stages of the ongoing season.
Royal Challengers Bangalore joined Chennai Super Kings and Delhi Capitals in the play-offs after hammering Punjab Kings by 6 runs in Sharjah. RCB got to 16 points from 12 matches with 4 teams still in the battle for the lone remaining spot.It was in contrast to their road to the play-offs from last year as RCB had to depend on other teams to confirm their place on the final matchday of the group-stages.IPL 2021: Points Table | Full CoverageIt did not go well for RCB as they lost the eliminator and crashed out of the competition following 5 straight defeats in the UAE in IPL 2020. Kohli said RCB will look to gather momentum and an early play-offs confirmation will only give them the licence to be more aggressive in their next two matches.RCB take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on October 6 and Delhi Capitals on October 8, on which there will be two matches played simultaneously.”Feels amazing. After 2011, we haven’t done it with games to spare. Eight wins out of 12 games is a great campaign. We have two more opportunities to finish in the top two. Should give us the motivation to play even more fearlessly,” Kohli said.It was an all-round show from RCB on Sunday as they fired with both the bat and the ball. While Virat Kohli and Devduitt Padikkal gave them a fine start with the bat, Glenn Maxwell hit a quickfire fifty and AB de Villiers found a bit of form with a quickfire 23.With the ball, RCB were consistent as usual with the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal, Harshal Patel and Mohammed Siraj stepping up. Left-arm pacer George Carton stepped up, picking up a wicket and giving away only 27 runs in his 4-over spell.Expressing delight at the bowlers’ performance, Kohli added: “The resurgence of Siraj, ever since he has done well in Test cricket. Harshal’s inclusion has been outstanding. Yuzi has chipped in, as has Shahbaz. Garton has come in. If the players don’t step up, then the campaign goes off track.”Click here for our site’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.
