Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had one of their best seasons in Indian Premier League history, and one player who will always be linked with the team is ace batsman Virat Kohli. Despite representing the franchise for 18 seasons and scoring the most runs in the event, Kohli has yet to enjoy success with the team.
Meanwhile, former cricketer Manoj Tiwary believes that Kohli, based on his contributions to the cash-rich event and individual accomplishments, deserves to win an IPL title this year. Tiwary also drew comparisons between RCB winning the IPL for Virat and India winning the ODI World Cup in 2011 as an homage to the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.
“With the Gujarat Titans falling to the Chennai Super Kings, RCB has a good opportunity of finishing among the top two teams. “It feels like everything is falling into place to help RCB end their trophy drought and win the IPL,” the Bengal cricketer told Odisha TV.
“Virat Kohli certainly deserves it after all these years. RCB deserves the trophy as well. Nobody deserves it more than Virat Kohli. When India won the World Cup in 2011, everyone wanted it for Sachin Tendulkar because of his enormous commitment to Indian cricket. “That victory was a tribute to him,” Tiwary explained.
RCB aiming for top-two finish.
This season, however, appears to be different, with RCB looking the most balanced side, not only on paper but also on the pitch. They have already qualified for the playoffs with eight victories in 13 games and a final league stage match against the Lucknow Super Giants. They do have the opportunity to compete in Qualifier 1, which includes the teams that finish first and second on the Points Table.
To accomplish so, they would not only need to defeat LSG, but also hope that Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings lose their remaining group stage games, which will strengthen their prospects. GT will play their final match against the Chennai Super Kings on Sunday, May 25, while PBKS will play the Delhi Capitals and the Mumbai Indians to conclude their separate league stage campaigns.
