Bethell plays as Kohli seals RCB win over Gujarat

England batter Jacob Bethell had previously not appeared for RCB in this year's IPL [Reuters]Indian Premier League, Bengaluru

>Gujarat Titans 205-3 (20 overs): Sudharsan 100 (58), Gill 32 (24)

>Royal Challengers Bengaluru 206-5 (18.5 overs): Kohli 81 (44), Padikkal 55 (27)

>Royal Challengers won by five wickets

>Scorecard. Table

>Jacob Bethell made his first appearance in this season's Indian Premier League but it was team-mate Virat Kohli who starred for Royal Challengers Bengaluru as they defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets to go second in the table.

>England's Bethell was brought in as a forced change, after an injury to compatriot Phil Salt, and introduced as an impact substitute as RCB looked to chase down Gujarat's205-3 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

>The 22-year-old, whose participation in the IPL was defended by Kevin Pietersen amid criticism from Sir Alastair Cook over a lack of playing time, opened the batting alongside Kohli and struck three boundaries before falling to Mohammed Siraj for 14 from 10 balls.

>Kohli himself was dropped by Washington Sundar on zero and made Gujarat pay with a superb 81 to ensure Sai Sudharsan's century was in vain.

>With support from Devdutt Padikkal, who hit 55 from 27 balls, Kohli kept the home side firmly in the chase.

>When Kohli finally fell to Jason Holder, they needed just 52 runs from 38 balls and Krunal Pandya's 12-ball 23 took them home with seven balls to spare.

>Earlier, Sudharsan had scored a sublime 100 from 58 balls as he became the fastest player to reach 2,000 runs in the IPL - doing so in just 47 matches.

>Shubman Gill provided support as they reached 128 without loss in the 13th over before the Gujarat captain was dismissed by Suyash Sharma for 32 from 24 balls.

>But Gujarat's inability to accelerate in the second half of their innings proved costly again, leaving them seventh in the table with three wins from seven matches.

>Meanwhile, RCB are second with a fifth win from seven games and sit one point behind leaders Punjab Kings, who have a game in hand.

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