KKR vs RCB, 36th Match at Bengaluru, IPL, Apr 26 2023 - Match Result

A touching moment in the end as CV Varun so emotionally spoke about missing the birth of his son. AC Prathiban that he spoke about has played just two first-class matches and one List A game. He played in the TNPL for Trichy Warriors. He has worked on Varun's bowling a lot. That interview is what we end this coverage with. Do join us tomorrow. Cheers.

11.35pm CV Varun is the Player of the Match. He says, and this is not verbatim: That's how the game of cricket is. Last match I went for 49, today I get this award. My focus is on my accuracy, not to add variations. I have been working a lot. I would like to thank AC Prathiban and Abhishek Nayar. I would like to dedicate this to my newborn son and my wife. I will see him after the IPL.

11.30pm Nitish Rana says, and this is a translation from Hindi: Last three-four matches, I have been saying if we start performing as a collective, we will get the results. We have enough character in the dressing room for not giving up the belief despite being where we were in the table. Today we wanted to put up a total and hope for spin to come in. We thought it was dry and it would turn. As such it didn't quite turn but our bowlers turned up. Suyash has always been the first to out his hand up and say I will do it for you. We hope to keep repeating what we did today.

11.20pm Andre Russell says, and this is not verbatim: We really needed that victory. We have been under the pump. We know once we get a good total - and anything above 200 was a good total - we can impart pressure. Once I get the ball, I try to do my best. I try to contribute in whatever way. Still confident with the bat. Got a very good yorker tonight from Siraj. Part of the game. We just got to take it day by day. Recovery is very important for me. The older I get the smarter I get with my body.

11.15pm Virat Kohli says, and this is not verbatim: To be honest we handed over the game to them. We deserved to lose. We weren't professional enough. We bowled well but fielding was not up to standard. This was a freebie handed over to them. In the field, we dropped two chances, that cost us 25-30 runs. When batting, we set us ourselves up very well, but then four-five soft dismissals. Not wicket-taking balls but we hit straight to the fielders. Even while chasing, after losing wickets, one partnership brought us back in the game. We were one partnership short. We need to stay switched on, and not give away soft plays.

11.11pm With that, KKR end their losing run of four matches pretty convincingly. They wanted to bat first, they expected the pitch to slow down, and despite a slowdown in the middle overs, they got to 200 through Roy and Rana. RCB got off to flier, but the spinners pulled them back. For a brief while, there seemed to be someone from outside the big three doing the job, but once Mahipal Lormor fell, a slide began.

Around the wicket now

Last over coming up, 35 to get. Vaibhav Arora will bowl

Kamal: "The way Nitish Rana adjusted and rotated his bowlers was great. He did not give pace on the ball from Umesh and Vaibhav. "

Two overs, 44 required, two wickets in hand. Can RCB soften the blow by getting at least 30 from here? Russell to bowl now

Over three a ball required, and two wickets in hand. This still has potential to give RCB a NRR blow. Here is Vyshak to bat

Varun to bowl out now. Sixteen an over now

David Willey is the new batter in. It is beyond 2.5 a ball now