IPL 13: De Villiers is most impactful player of tournament, says Kohli
Oct 17, 2020
Dubai [UAE], October 17 : Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) skipper Virat Kohli lauded AB de Villiers for smashing 55 off 22 balls and said that he is the most impactful player of the tournament.
De Villiers knock guided the side to a seven-wicket triumph over Rajasthan Royals at Dubai International Stadium. Kohli smashed 43 off 32 as RCB scored 179/3 in 19.4 overs.
"To be honest, you're always tense in the chase because you're not sure how many balls AB is going to get. Credit to Gurkeerat as well, he stuck with AB, got that important boundary. It doesn't matter who the bowler is, he does what he does. AB has always been someone who's been ready to look at the situation and adapt his game accordingly. In my eyes he's the most impactful player in the IPL," Kohli told the host broadcaster Star Sports after at the post-match presentation.
"If he goes, the opposition know they have a slim chance and there's a good reason for that. It's purely because of the presence of someone like him that teams feel we are never out of the game," he added.
Kohli further heaped praises on his bowlers as they restricted RR to 177/6 in their 20 overs. Chris Morris returned with the figures of 4-26 in his four overs while Yuzvendra Chahal bagged two wickets.
"No our game pattern is very clear. Young Dev has batted beautifully, Finchy has played some impact innings. We understand the dynamics and we're sticking to our plans. The bowling has really stepped up this season. Looks we're gonna be put under pressure but the guys have come back strongly. Morris has been brilliant, just that energy he brings. Saini, Washy and Isuru as well, the bowling has come together well," Kohli said.
RCB are at the third spot with 12 points in nine games and will next take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi on October 21.