Virat Kohli remark on air forces Ian Bishop to apologise to fans

Former West Indian cricket legend Ian Bishop publicly apologized for overhyping Virat Kohli's half-century during a recent match in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Ian Bishop acknowledged his mistake in word choice while praising Virat Kohli for reaching the milestone.

Virat Kohli scored his eighth century in the history of the tournament, but it came in a losing cause. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) suffered a six-wicket defeat in their recent match against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Saturday, April 6.

The Bengaluru-based team got off to a good start with the bat after losing the toss. The visiting team scored 53 runs in the powerplay without losing any wickets. Virat Kohli scored 32 runs off 25 deliveries, while Faf du Plessis added 14 runs off 11 balls by the end of the sixth over.

The 35-year-old batter slowed down after the powerplay, taking 39 balls to reach his half-century before accelerating. His next milestone was achieved in just 28 balls, resulting in a century off 67 deliveries in Jaipur. He became the first batter to score a century in the IPL 2024 season.

The century was among the slowest in IPL history, disappointing some fans as RCB posted only 183 runs in their allotted overs. The Rajasthan Royals successfully chased down the target with five balls to spare, securing a six-wicket victory and handing RCB their fourth loss of the season.

My Insertion Of That Word Was Inaccurate - Ian Bishop

During the commentary, Ian Bishop noted Virat Kohli's slower start, mentioning that he reached fifty off just 39 balls. Bishop later apologized on Twitter, acknowledging imprecise language and committing to refining his commentary for T20 matches.

“I take an “L” on that one. I am very aware of what T20 batting entails, and my insertion of that word was inaccurate. My choice of words and language in keeping with the format of the game needs to be more accurate, and it will be going forward. Apologies,” Bishop replied to X (formerly known as Twitter).

I take an “L” on that one. I am very aware of what T20 batting entails, and my insertion of that word was inaccurate. My choice of words and language in keeping with the format of the game needs to be more accurate and it will be going forward. Apologies.

— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) A<!---->p<!---->r<!---->i<!---->l<!----> <!---->6<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->4

After the innings, Virat Kohli stated that the pitch seemed sluggish, a sentiment contradicted by the Rajasthan Royals’ Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler, who effortlessly attacked the RCB bowlers. They chased down the target in 19.1 overs, with Buttler smashing a spectacular century.

Virat Kohli Played Well Towards The End - Faf du Plessis

Reflecting on the loss, RCB captain Faf du Plessis remarked that they could have capitalized more towards the end of the match. He noted the challenge posed by the opposition spinners, highlighting the difficulty of the low bounce.

"We could have maximised towards the end but the way their spinners bowlers, it was staying low and getting difficult. Now in hindsight, we feel we should have pushed a bit more towards the end. Obviously, Virat played really well towards the end. We had wickets in hand but me and Virat wanted to squeeze as much as we can as there were big boys waiting in the dugout."

Faf du Plessis' team has won only one of their five matches, securing just two points so far. Their next challenge is against the Mumbai Indians on Thursday, April 11, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

Also read: "Virat Kohli left runs.."- Former Mumbai all-rounder's sensational verdict