GT VS RCB MATCH 45

Right then, a morale-boosting win for Bengaluru and they seem to have found a second wind here but still, they are well below in the points table and need to win all of their remaining games to have a shot at the playoffs. This was a big setback for Gujarat who continue to slip in the points table and the next game becomes a lot more crucial for them. Anyway, as it is a doubleheader Sunday, there is one more game coming your way as Chennai take on Hyderabad in a spicy battle at the Chepauk. Hyderabad have decided to bowl first in that game and you can simply switch tabs and catch our coverage with the game about to start just in a few minutes time. Cheers!

Will Jacks is the Player of the Match for his wonderful ton, which is also the fifth-fastest ton in the tournament's history. Jacks says that he is feeling amazing right now and he struggled after the openers got off to a good start but Virat Kohli kept him composed and once he started to fire, it all got pretty simple. Adds that he was over-hitting the ball early on but trusted himself a bit more and managed to get his timing correct. On Kohli, he says that he is a giant of the gamer and it a great learning curve and when he leaves this competition, this learning curve will help him. Reckons that he was a bit lucky today as not always one manages to kick on after being 17 off 17 balls.

The skipper of Bengaluru, Faf du Plessis says the wicket was really good. Adds that it feels like they have started making progress in both departments and the confidence is on the high for both batters and the bowlers. Mentions that the game has changed so much and it is not just looking at the scorecard and assuming what are the bowlers doing out there, for instance, the game against Kolkata where they conceded over 220 but it felt like the bowlers bowled the best in that game and such has the game become.

The presentation ceremony...

Earlier in the game, Faf du Plessis won the toss and decided to bowl first in an afternoon game and his side started off more than decently with the ball. Mohammed Siraj and Swapnil Singh struck early for Bengaluru and Gujarat were left reeling inside the Powerplay. However, Sai Sudharsan once again dug his side out of trouble with a well-composed knock and Shahrukh Khan who was sent up the order did a fine job in the middle overs as well. The duo stitched together 86 runs before Khan got out but Sai stayed on and along with David Miller got the side to 200 runs. Sai remained unbeaten on 86 runs and Gujarat had a big total on board. With the ball, Siraj, Swapnil and Yash Dayal were solid but the others couldn't quite keep the scoring rate in check.

Virat Kohli is now down for a chat. Kohli says that it was phenomenal from Will Jacksl and he (Jacks) was annoyed early on to not find his timing but the chat was to just keep going at it,. Adds that Jacks took on Mohit Sharma and from there, the roles changed and they thought they would chase it down in 19 overs but it just finished so quickly. Reckons that the wicket was good and with the air cooling down later in the evening, the ball came onto the bat well and he just tried to keep ahead of the required rate. On surpassing 500 runs this season, he says that about him it is just about winning the game for the team and the numbers are for those who are concerned with his strike rate and form against spin and it is just about muscle memory for him having done it for 15 years. Mentions that it is about self-respect and they have to be more aggressive as they haven't been at their best so far.

Shubman Gill, the captain of Gujarat reflects on the match. He says it was great hitting by the opposition batters and having said that they need to come up with better plans with the ball next time around. Adds that they thought it was a good enough total for them but this did not turn out to be that way. Mentions that they were not able to pick up wickets in the middle phase which has been their strength throughout and that cost them the game.

Gujarat will be gutted with that loss and will be wondering as to what happened out there. At one moment it looked like 200 was a few runs over par on this track but in the end, it proved to be nowhere near par as Gujarat were handed a thumping defeat with 24 balls still remaining. The frontline pacers made a decent start with the ball and Sai Kishore came in and got an early wicket as well but they couldn't really stem the flow of runs in the Powerplay. The middle phase was a big let down as Noor Ahmad seemed out of form and the likes of Rashid Khan and Mohit Sharma failed to make any impact. Towards the end, it was the experienced duo of Khan and Sharma that was put to the sword by Will Jacks with each bowler conceding 29 runs in a single over and Gujarat really need to bounce back after this performance.

BENGALURU ARE STILL ALIVE AND KICKING! Wow, that was some hitting from the Bengaluru batters and especially Will Jacks as he just killed the game in a span of two overs. Bengaluru were always on par or ahead of the required rate and to be honest, Gujarat have been well beaten here. Needing 201 runs to win on a pitch that definitely looked to be aiding the slower bowlers, Bengaluru have hardly broken a sweat in chasing the total down as they did it in 16 overs. Faf du Plessis was quick out of the blocks in the Powerplay and Virat Kohli too tried to keep going hard. Faf got out and then Kohli started to find his mojo and brought up a half-century. Jacks at the other end was 17 off 17 balls at one time but finished on 100 unbeaten off just 41 balls, truly a sensational knock by all means and the duo of Kohli and Jacks had an unbeaten stand of 166 runs.

SIX! CENTURY FOR Will Jacks! Will Jacks has taken Rashid Khan for 29 runs in this over and he has reached his century in the blink of an eye. From 17 off 17 to a century of 41 deliveries Will Jacks has grown in stature with such an innings. This was a tossed-up delivery wide of off, Will Jacks drags this from outside off for a maximum over the long on region. Bengaluru wins this by 9 wickets.

SIX! OH DEAR ME, STOP THAT Will Jacks! Fuller one in middle, Will Jacks clears the front leg yet again and slogs sweep this way behind the fence into the stands towards deep mid-wicket region for another maximum. This is sensational hitting.

FOUR! This time he finds the fence for four. Tossed up in middle, Will Jacks hammers this through the ground towards the gap at deep mid-wicket for a boundary. Rashid Khan has no answer to this onslaught from Will Jacks.

SIX! Back-to-back maximums for Will Jacks and he is shattering the reputation of Rashid Khan. Too short and in middle, Will Jacks clears his front leg goes back and pulls this over the fence towards deep mid-wicket for a maximum.

SIX! Will Jacks is dealing in maximums. Short of a length in middle, Will Jacks clears his front leg and hammered this 10 rows behind the fence for a maximum.

Short of a length in middle, Virat Kohli goes deep in his crease and pulls this towards deep mid-wicket for one.

Oh, a dot ball to end the over but 29 runs come off it and that seems to be game over for Gujarat. Full and wide, pace on as well and in the blockhole, Will Jacks reaches out to squeeze it away but toe-ends it straight to short third.

FOUR! Oh, that was so close to being another maximum. Bowled into the pitch a bit and over off stump, Will Jacks slogs it away a bit flat and well wide of long on. The replays show that the ball just hit the ropes on the half-volley and it will be four runs.