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Kohli keeps Royal Challengers Bengaluru alive in playoffs race; Punjab Kings knocked out
Virat Kohli’s breakneck 92 off 47, plus his spectacular direct hit to run Shabank Singh out, were the basis of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB’s) fourth consecutive win, this time against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Dharamsala. The result kept RCB’s hopes of making the IPL 2024 playoffs alive if only just, but knocked PBKS out of contention.
RCB batted first and blasted their way to 241 for 7, with Rajat Patidar smashing 55 off 23, and Cameron Green hitting 46 off 27. Both had productive partnerships with Kohli, worth 76 off 32 and 92 off 46 respectively.
In response, PBKS started strong, but RCB’s spinners – Karn Sharma and Swapnil Singh – were effective through the early middle overs, dismissing Rilee Rossouw in the ninth, Jitesh Sharma in the 11th, and Liam Livingstone in the 12th.
With the required rate now high above the run rate, it was curtains for PBKS. They ended 181 all out after 17 overs.
Kohli anyway started the match as the IPL’s highest run-scorer. But having been reprieved on zero, he went on to play one of his best innings of a stellar season, finding boundaries through the covers, through midwicket, and down the ground – his footwork often immaculate.
Though he opened the batting, he didn’t have a lot of the strike, facing only 14 balls in the powerplay. But before long he was striking at well over 150, as he found capable partners in Patidar (who was the more aggressive partner in their stand), and then Green.
It was a vintage Kohli innings, full of powerful wristy flicks and hard running, though towards the end he also got his six-hitting game going, finishing with six maximums overall.
He seemed poised to make his second triple-figure score of the season, but sliced a wide Arshdeep Singh delivery and was caught at deep cover in the 18th over.
Kohli’s wild gesticulations, it turns out, are not the only expenditure of his energy on the field.
Fourth ball of the 14th over into the PBKS innings, they needed 92 runs off 39 balls, and as long as Shashank was at the crease, they had an outside chance. But that’s when Sam Curran dropped one towards midwicket and called for two, and that was when Kohli took off from deep midwicket, speeding towards the ball, swooping on it, and skidding it mid-dive towards the one wicket he had to aim at, and found his target.
Shashank was not as committed to the run as Kohli was to this piece of fielding, and Shashank was centimetres short of his ground, not having put in a dive. He was out for 39 off 19 balls, leaving PBKS 151 for 6. They would end up losing their last five wickets for 30 runs.
Before that Kohli run out, however, legspinner Karn and left-arm spinner Swapnil had made vital strikes as well. Swapnil removed Prabhsimran Singh in the first over of the innings, before coming back in the middle overs to get Liam Livingstone tamely offer a leading edge into the covers.
Karn took two big wickets too. He first had the opposition’s best batter Rossouw caught at long-on in the ninth over, and then bowled a big, juicy legbreak that clattered into Jitesh’s stumps in the 11th over.
Although they would fall well short, PBKS did look capable of chasing down 242 at the start. They made 75 in the powerplay, thanks largely to Rossouw, who had clobbered seven fours and a six while the fielding restrictions were in place.
Rossouw continued to blast RCB’s seam bowlers in particular, motoring his way to a 21-ball half-century, before Karn eventually got him. Jonny Bairstow’s 27 off 16, and Shashank’s knock were the other serious contributors.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 241/7 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 92, Rajat Patidar 55, Cameron Green 46; Harshal Patel 3-38, Vidwath Kaverappa 2-36, Arshdeep Singh 1-41, Sam Curran 1-50, ) beat Punjab Kings 181 in 17 overs (Rilee Rossouw 61, Shashank Singh 37, Jonny Bairstow 27, Sam Curran 22; Mohammed Siraj 3-37, Swapnil Singh 2-28, Lockie Ferguson 2-29, Karn Sharma 2-36) by 60 runs
Building on its success in seizing major narcotic stocks in 2025, the Navy continued to support the “A Nation United” National Mission in 2026. In continuation of these efforts, during an
operation conducted on the high seas south of Sri Lanka, the Navy apprehended eleven (11) suspects aboard two local multi-day fishing trawlers suspected of drug smuggling.
Based on shared information, by the Sri Lanka Navy and Police, this special operation was conducted off the southern coast, deploying the Navy‟s Offshore Patrol Vessels. The operation
resulted in the interception of a multi-day fishing trawler suspected of smuggling narcotics, and the apprehension of five (05) suspects on board.
During further operations in the same area, naval units seized another multi-day fishing trawler (01), along with communication equipment and six (06) additional suspects, also believed to be involved in drug smuggling.
This morning (25 Jan 26), the two intercepted fishing trawlers, along with fourteen (14) sacks laden with suspected narcotics and the suspects, were brought to the Dikovita Fisheries Harbour.
An expert examination by the Police Narcotic Bureau confirmed that the fourteen (14) sacks contained more than 184 kilograms of heroin and over 112 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (crystal methamphetamine).
The Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara, the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, and the Inspector General of Police, Priyantha Weerasuriya, inspected the narcotics at the Dikovita harbour.
The Deputy Minister of Defence said that the current administration has initiated several projects for national development. As a flagship initiative, under the directives and guidance of the President, and under the supervision of the
Ministry of Defence, well-coordinated anti-narcotic raids have been launched.
This effort, part of “A Nation United” National Mission, involves the tri-forces, police, and all intelligence agencies working together under a coordinated plan to ensure that drug smugglers have no opportunity to bring narcotics into the country, he opined. He further stated that despite the national disaster situation, the state machinery, including the tri-forces, the police, and the public at large, remains united in rebuilding the nation, no room will be left for drug trafficking, which poses a severe threat to national security and public safety. Those
who engage in or support drug trafficking, under the cover of fishing activities, will find no escape, he added.
The Deputy Minister also reaffirmed that the tri-forces, police, and all law enforcement agencies are fully committed to their duty of suppressing this menace.
The Deputy Minister of Defence reported that, throughout 2025, a series of highly successful operations were conducted leading to numerous arrests. This was achieved through close coordination and mutual cooperation among the tri-services, the police, the Special Task Force, Police Narcotics Bureau, local law enforcement and international agencies. He noted that this
same spirit of cooperation and commitment has continued into 2026, resulting in the seizure of a large stockpile of drugs.
On behalf of the Honourable President, he extended gratitude to all who contributed to these efforts, specifically acknowledging the Commander of the Navy, the Inspector General of Police, the Police Narcotic Bureau, and the crews of the Navy’s Offshore
Patrol Vessels.
Moreover, the Deputy Minister declared that drug smuggling has become a national crisis, fueled by youth involvement and social crime. With borders secured under the “Nation United” National Mission, he warned traffickers to cease operations and urged users to abandon the destructive habit.
The Deputy Minister urged the public to report suspected drug smugglers to law enforcement via the hotlines 1818 or 1997 and also commended the role of media institutions and journalists in raising public awareness about the dangers of narcotics through responsible reporting.
Meanwhile, the two (02) multi-day fishing trawlers, along with a haul of narcotics, eleven (11) suspects, and communication equipment, were handed over to the Police Narcotic Bureau for
further investigation and legal proceedings.
Tanzania 131 in 38.3 overs (Acrey Pascal 55; Nihar Parmar 4-30, Nikhil Pol 3-23) lost to Japan 136/1 in 28.2 overs (Nihar Parmar 53*, Taylor Waugh 47) by nine wickets
[Cricbuzz]
New Zealand 135 in 36.2 overs (RS Ambrish 4-29, Henil Patel 3-23) lost to India 130/3 in 13.3 overs (Vaibhav Suryavanshi 40, Ayush Mhatre 53) by 7 wickets [DLS Method]
[Cricbuzz]
Three arrested with narcotics valued at Rs123 million at BIA
Navy intercepts 02 narcotics-laden trawlers with 11 suspects in southern seas
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