Captain Faf du Plessis, Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell struck blistering half-centuries to energy Royal Challengers Bangalore to an imposing 212 for 2 in opposition to Lucknow Super Giants in an Indian Premier League match in Bengaluru on Monday. While Du Plessis made an unbeaten 79 off 46 balls, Kohli took the centre stage initially along with his 44-ball 61-run knock, because the duo shared 96 runs for the opening wicket after being despatched into bat.

After a sedate begin, Kohli smashed Avesh Khan for a six and 4 in consecutive deliveries within the second over to up the tempo.

Avesh was once more on the receiving finish of Kohli’s wrath as the previous India captain clobbered the bowler for 3 boundaries within the fourth over.

High on confidence, Kohli then pulled Krunal Pandya over the fence within the subsequent over.

Kohli was at his greatest as he hit straight over Mark Wood‘s head for a boundary after which pulled the bowler over deep midwicket for a most.

Kohli introduced up his fifty with a single off Ravi Bishnoi within the ninth over.

RCB skipper Faf du Plessis, on the hand, performed the second fiddle and took his time. While Kohli went hammer and tongs, the South African performed sensibly, hitting the unhealthy deliveries to the fence.

Kohli lastly departed within the twelfth over when he pulled Amit Mishra to Marcus Stoinis at sq. leg.

While Du Plessis struggled to get going initially, Glenn Maxwell (59 off 29 balls) introduced his arrival on the crease with a 4 and 6 off Mishra.

Du Plessis opened up with three big hits over the fence off Bishnoi within the fifteenth over as RCB raced to 137 for one. One of the sixes, which occurred on the fourth ball of that over, went for an enormous 115m.

In the slot and BOOM

When @faf1307 hits it, it stays hit

200 up for @RCBTweets! #TATAIPL | #RCBvLSG

Describe these two sixes with an emoji pic.twitter.com/fg9twXiDXl

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 10, 2023

pic.twitter.com/44nYalIcW5

— Main Dheet Hoon (@MainDheetHoon69) April 10, 2023

Du Plessis, who was sluggish to begin with, introduced up his fifty with a implausible lofted shot over Wood’s head.

Maxwell confirmed his value as he went after the bowlers from the phrase go. But it was Du Plessis who went hammer and tongs in the direction of the tip, clobbering each LSG bowler out of the park.

It was raining sixes and fours from Du Plessis’ bat because the 18th over from Jaydev Unadkat fetched RCB 23 runs.

Maxwell matched stroke for stroke, punishing Avesh for back-to-back maximums to deliver up his fifty off simply 24 balls. Such was the onslaught that the duo introduced up their century partnership in simply 44 deliveries.

Maxwell departed within the penultimate supply of the innings, cleaned up by Wood because the batter went for heave.