Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan (Image Agency) A small but telling moment involving Virat Kohli and Sarfaraz Khan caught the eye during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s dominant win over Chennai Super Kings at Chinnaswamy.When Sarfaraz returned after a sharp knock, Kohli called out to him amid the din of the crowd. As the CSK batsman turned around, Kohli applauded him and gave him a thumbs up, acknowledging the innings that briefly breathed life into an otherwise struggling chase.Sarfaraz took charge when CSK were in deep trouble. Reduced to 30 for 3 in the first three overs chasing 251, the visitors were staring at an early collapse. That was when he attacked with purpose, consistently finding boundaries and racing to a 25-ball fifty. His efforts helped CSK reach 77 at the end of the over, offering a glimmer of hope.However, the boom did not last long. Sarfaraz was dismissed on the very first ball of the over, bowled by Krunal Pandya Jitesh Sharma, ending the decisive stand just when CSK needed it to go on.Earlier in the evening, RCB prepared the match with a commanding bat. Kohli and Phil Salt gave them a steady start before Devdutt Padikkal took charge with a smooth half-century. The innings then exploded at the death, with skipper Rajat Patidar and Tim David unleashing a relentless onslaught, adding 99 runs in just 35 balls to propel RCB to 250 for 3.
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In response, CSK never fully recovered from the early strikes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jacob Duffy. Contributions from Prashant Veer and Jamie Overton helped them clear the 200 mark but the target remained well out of reach as they were bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs to slump to their third straight defeat.While RCB sealed a comprehensive 43-run win, it was Kohli’s gesture towards Sarfaraz that stood out, a moment of appreciation in the midst of a high-intensity match.
