IPL 2025 Virat Kohli : Head coach Ricky Ponting was disappointed with the batting performance of Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Maharaja Yadvindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Sunday. The team scored 157 runs. But the pitch was better than that, he said. Chasing a target of 158 runs set by Punjab, RCB captain Virat Kohli scored an unbeaten 73 runs while Devdutt Padikkal scored 61 runs to lead the team to victory. The victory was achieved with seven balls to spare.
IPL 2025 : Virat Kohli
“I think the wicket was good. Our batsmen who came in as openers gave a good start. But they didn’t continue it. That is crucial in T20 cricket. Especially the openers have to score good runs. That made the difference,” Ponting told a press conference after the match.
Ponting urged his team to learn how Kohli made the most of the start.
“Virat led his team to victory today by batting and we were not good enough to capitalise on the good start. By the end of the power play we were 62 for 1. But, that didn’t continue,” he said.
“The team should have scored more than 180. If the middle order had batted well, it could have taken it to 200. But, we have been losing wickets in a row. This is not the first time in the tournament,” he said.
Ponting praised RCB spinners Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya, saying Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood bowled brilliantly between 17 and 20 overs.
“Their spinners bowled well and their death bowling at the end was exceptional. Bhuvi and Hazlewood did not concede runs in the four overs they bowled at the end. Initially, we thought we could get close to 180. But, their death bowling was very good and we struggled to score 157 runs,” he said.
