Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya came up with a brilliant gesture following Virat Kohli's back-to-back IPL hundreds for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Sunday's game. The swashbuckling all-rounder embraced the star batter as he reached the magical three-figure mark in the 20th over of the innings at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Kohli reached his record seventh hundred in IPL history with a single off Mohit Sharma to take over Chris Gayle's tally of six tons. The right-handed batter hit the gaps excellently and ran relentlessly to thwart the Titans' much-vaunted bowling attack. His unbeaten 101 off 61 deliveries set the defending champions 198 for victory.
Pandya, who has played a lot alongside Kohli for the Indian team, couldn't contain himself and walked up to the RCB captain to embrace him. The star batter's wife Anushka Sharma, was also present at the stadium and in awe of her husband's prolific run in IPL 2023.
Hardik Pandya praises Virat Kohli's special innings:
Although Shubman Gill's unbeaten 104 trumped Kohli's 101, Pandya heaped praise on Kohli. The Baroda-born cricketer underlined that they wanted to finish on a high ahead of the playoffs, but admitted the lack of bite in their bowling.
"We wanted the momentum going, and wanted to finish on a high. As a bowler, Gill doesn't give you a chance. Other batters also get confidence from it. We would have taken 197 at the start. We should have bowled good balls. Special innings from Virat as well. I can't ask for anything better. Last year, everything went our way. This year, we were expecting people to challenge us. A lot of credit goes to all the boys," he said at the post-match presentation.
Titans' eight-wicket win knocked RCB out of the competition and gave Mumbai Indians a playoffs berth. Hardik Pandya and co. will face the Chennai Super Kings in the first qualifier on Tuesday.
