The much-anticipated clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday was expected to be a face-off between KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli.
Their first meeting since a heated exchange during a match in Lucknow last year had generated significant buzz. However, the two buried the hatchet with a hug during a timeout in the 16th over.
Footage of the incident at the Ekana Stadium, when Gambhir was mentor for the Lucknow Super Giants, had been shown repeatedly in the lead-up to the match, with experts offering commentary. Additionally, a KKR video from the practice session in Bengaluru appeared to show Kohli staring at Gambhir.
Watch video here:
But during the timeout, Kohli and Gambhir shared a warm hug and a brief conversation, ending with smiles on both faces. Kohli was talking with a teammate while drinking water when Gambhir approached and initiated the hug.
On the field, RCB, batting first, lost captain Faf du Plessis early to a slower delivery from KKR fast bowler Harshit Rana. Kohli then combined with Cameron Green for a 65-run stand for the second wicket. He was ably assisted by Glenn Maxwell in a 42-run stand before reaching his second fifty of the IPL 2024 season in 36 balls, with five boundaries.
This win is crucial for RCB, who have a 1-1 record in the tournament so far. They lost their season opener against Chennai Super Kings on March 22 but bounced back against Punjab Kings at the Chinnaswamy. RCB are now aiming for their first win against KKR at home since 2015.
