After being named Player of the Match, Virat Kohli was quick to shift the spotlight onto his teammate Devdutt Padikkal, praising the youngster for his match-winning fifty and expressing surprise at receiving the award himself.
“I thought Dev made a difference today—this award should go to him. I don’t know why they’ve given it to me,” Kohli said at the post-match presentation.
Chasing a modest target, RCB lost Phil Salt early in the innings. But Kohli, opening the batting, found a dependable partner in Padikkal, who came in as an impact substitute. The pair stitched together a commanding 103-run partnership that took the game away from Punjab Kings (PBKS). While Padikkal led the charge with an attacking 61, Kohli anchored the innings with a composed 73* as RCB sealed the chase in 18.5 overs.
Padikkal’s aggressive intent never let PBKS settle into the game, as the southpaw continued to take calculated risks and pile pressure on the bowlers. Kohli, playing second fiddle, ensured stability at one end.
“There’s always a temptation to keep going the same way, but I try to stay there and accelerate later. One good partnership is often enough in a T20 chase. I try to understand the strengths of others and play accordingly—holding one end up is working well for us,” Kohli added, reflecting on the team’s approach.
With this knock, Kohli also etched his name into the IPL record books yet again, registering his 67th 50-plus score, surpassing David Warner’s previous record of 66.