Have no idea why RCB bowled Virat Kohli in the 19th over, recalls Albie Morkel

05/08/2020

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Albie Morkel has stated that he had no idea why RCB skipper Daniel Vettori gave the ball to the batsman Virat Kohli, in a crucial over in IPL 2012, a blunder which led to the team's defeat. Morkel also revealed that at one point, he felt the target was way out of his reach to be chased down.

One of the most painful defeats for Royal Challengers Bangalore in their history was their loss in the 2012 season against the Super Kings, a game where they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. With CSK needing 43 runs off the final two overs, RCB had the match in their hands, but a baffling decision from then-skipper Daniel Vettori proved fatal for the Bengaluru franchise.

Despite having the likes of Zaheer Khan in the shed, Vettori decided to bowl youngster Kohli in the 19th over of the innings. CSK’s all-rounder Albie Morkel accepted the invitation with both hands, latched onto Kohli's bowling and scored 28 runs off the over, tilting the game in the home side’s favour. Eventually, CSK went on to win the game, and 8 years on, Morkel recalled the incident and admitted that he was left bemused by Vettori's decision to bowl Kohli.

“Royal Challengers Bangalore had the game in their bag. I have no idea why they bowled Virat. All respect to him, he shouldn’t have bowled that over anyway. We lost a wicket in the last ball of the 18th over,” Albie Morkel was quoted as saying by India Today.

“The 19th and 20 were left. We needed 43 off 2. I walked in at No. 7. You look at the scoreboard and you’re like ‘oh no, 40-odd off 2, that’s impossible’. You walk in and then you see Virat’s bowling then I thought ‘if I can connect a few, maybe we can get close’,” he added.

However, the start was not so glorious for the southpaw, who edged one past his stumps. From then on, things took a dramatic turn, with every delivery getting the treatment from the middle of the Proteas’ star’s bat.

“I think I edged the 1st one for 4 that just missed my stumps. I edge another one just went over the short third man. I started hitting it straight and we eventually got 28 and ended up winning the match with Bravo hitting a couple in the next over,” he concluded.

Morkel was an integral part of CSK's dynasty in the early 2010s and was part of the side that won the IPL in both 2010 and 2011.