In a key moment of the contest, Avesh Khan delivered a decisive breakthrough to dismiss Virat Kohli for 49, halting what looked like a well-paced innings just one run shy of a half-century.
Kohli had been in fluent touch throughout his stay at the crease, striking the ball cleanly and keeping the scoreboard ticking with authority. His innings included a mix of elegant boundaries and controlled aggression, highlighted by one six and four fours off just 34 deliveries, as he looked set to bring up yet another IPL fifty.
However, the momentum shifted in the passage of play when Avesh Khan produced a sharp, fullish delivery at 133.1 kph. Kohli attempted to clear the infield by going aerial, bringing his bottom hand into the shot, but failed to generate
the required timing. The ball came off the inner half of the bat and ended up as a simple catch at long-on, where Nicholas Pooran completed the dismissal safely.
It was a moment of relief for the bowling side as Avesh picked up his second wicket of the innings, striking at a crucial stage and breaking a growing partnership. Replays suggested Kohli may have checked his shot at the last moment, adding a layer of frustration to an otherwise controlled knock.
The dismissal was especially significant as it marked the first time Kohli had been dismissed for 49 in the IPL, ending a promising innings in the most unfortunate fashion, just short of a half-century and at a pivotal moment in the match.
c Nicholas Pooran b Avesh Khan ☝️
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 15, 2026
Virat Kohli goes back for a fine 49(34) 👏#RCB need 55 runs from 54 deliveries
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RCB vs LSG: Full Squads
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Rajat Patidar (C), Virat Kohli, Phil Salt (WK), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Devdutt Padikkal, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Rasikh Salam, Jacob Bethell, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Jordan Cox (WK), Swapnil Singh, Suyash Sharma, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Kanishk Chouhan, Mangesh Yadav, Abhinandan Singh, Satvik Deswal, Yash Dayal.
Lucknow Super Giants
Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Nicholas Pooran (WK), Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Josh Inglis (WK), Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary (WK), Akshat Raghuwanshi, Himmat Singh, Arshin Kulkarni, Naman Tiwari, Digvesh Rathi, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar.
