Virat Gambhir Fight: Lucknow Super Giants and Royal Challengers Bangalore were involved in yet another eventful encounter and former RCB skipper Virat Kohli and LSG team mentor Gautam Gambhir had a go at each other post match as well.
There is certainly no love lost between former Delhi teammates Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir. The bad blood between the duo, which goes back 10 years in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Notably, Kohli and Gambhir were once again involved in a heated exchange after a low-scoring match, which RCB won by 18 runs. Both of them were subsequently fined 100 per cent of their match fees after admitting to Level 2 offences in IPL’s Code of Conduct.
WATCH: Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir involved in a heated fight in RCB vs LSG match
Royal Challengers Bangalore defended a low total against Lucknow Super Giants in their group stage encounter of the Indian Premier League on Monday. Chasing 127 to win, LSG were bundled out for just 108 runs as they could not even bat their allotted 20 overs. However, the real action started after the game as players from both the dugouts including the veterans Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir had a tussle as the game ended.
While the players were shaking hands after the game, there seemed to be words exchanged between LSG bowler Naveen-ul-Haq and Kohli. This was followed by Gambhir pulling away his side’s opening batter Kyle Mayers from a chat with Kohli.
All hell broke lose after that as Gambhir was seen approaching Kohli aggressively with his players, including the injured captain KL Rahul and Amit Mishra, restraining him. With the two facing off, Kohli was seen attempting to pacify Gambhir but rather than cooling off, the matter started to boil over before Amit Mishra stepped in and separated the duo.
Interestingly, Kohli had seemed extra animated throughout the fielding innings as RCB successfully defended 126 in an away match that had more crowd support for the visitors than the hosts.
He was seen gesturing to the crowd after taking a catch to dismiss Krunal Pandya, possibly in response to Gambhir’s gestures in the last match between the two side in Bengaluru which LSG won by 1 wicket.
It wasn’t the first heated instance involving Kohli and Gambhir in the IPL either. They had clashed in 2013 during a RCB-KKR match, when Gambhir skippered the latter.
RCB defends 126 at EKNA stadium
Owing to some good bowling by the Bangalore bowlers and mind numbing shot sections by the LSG team, the visitors were able to secure a very comfortable victory in a low scoring game.
It all started when Siraj once again claimed the priced wicket of Mayers in the very first over. And with KL Rahul out injured, the top order of LSG collapsed like house of cards.
Bhadoni who was asked to open along with Mayers could only add 4 runs. The stand-in skipper Krunal Pandya tried to steady the ship, but couldn’t hold on for long.
Lucknow Super Giants went from 19/2 in 3.3 overs to 38/5 by the end of 7th over. Krishnappa Gowtham showed some fight in the lower middle order to take the game to RCB. A lack of support however made him throw away his wicket in a frenzy as well.
Amit Mishra and Naveen ul-Haq played handy knocks of 19 and 13 respectively, but were unable to take their team over the line. As a result, RCB got one back on Lucknow Super Giants as they defeated them at EKNA Stadium by a margin of 18 runs.
All the Royal Challengers Bangalore bowlers did a fantastic job. Yet it was Hazlewood and Karn Sharma who stood out. Both of claimed 2 wickets each to win the game for their side by being economical at the same time.
Thank you for reading.
