Kagiso Rabada takes revenge on Virat Kohli; smartly plots dismissal after being hit for 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 during GT vs RCB
After leaking 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 in his opening over, Kagiso Rabada turned the tables in style and dismissed Virat Kohli early in the innings.
The IPL 2026 clash between the Gujarat Titans (GT) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday (April 30) kicked off with pure fireworks. Kagiso Rabada, bowling for the Titans, came face-to-face with Virat Kohli right at the start of his spell. What followed was something straight out of a highlight reel. Kohli smashed five boundaries in a row off the South African speedster.
Virat Kohli smashes five fours in an over
It all began with a short ball that Virat Kohli pulled powerfully over mid-wicket. The next delivery was lofted cleanly over wide mid-off. Kohli kept the momentum going, carving the third ball late to the deep point fence. He then adjusted beautifully to send the fourth to the left of the square third-man fielder. The fifth four came off a pitched-up ball, driven elegantly through covers. Fans inside the stadium and across the country were on their feet as King Kohli looked unstoppable.
Kagiso Rabada delivers the perfect reply
Kagiso Rabada did not let the punishment rattle him. Coming back in his next over, the pacer stuck to a smart plan. On the second ball of the fourth over, he bowled a sharp short delivery around middle and leg. Kohli stepped out to attack again, but this time the extra pace and bounce hurried him. He lost his shape while trying to flick it across the line, and the top edge flew straight into the hands of Rashid Khan at mid-wicket.
Rabada roared in celebration the moment the catch was taken. He stared down the departing batsman, clearly enjoying the sweet comeback. Virat Kohli got dismissed after scoring 28 off 13 balls.
Why this battle stole the show in IPL 2026
The Rabada versus Kohli duel once again reminded everyone why these two are among the biggest stars in T20 cricket. Kohli’s fearless start showed his hunger to take the attack to the opposition from ball one. On the other side, Rabada’s ability to bounce back highlighted his world-class temperament and skill.
For RCB fans, it was a tough moment as their talisman walked back after a blazing start. For Gujarat Titans supporters, it was the perfect lift in what looked like a high-scoring thriller.
GT vs RCB Playing XIs
Gujarat Titans Playing XI: Shubman Gill(c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler(w), Jason Holder, Shahrukh Khan, Washington Sundar, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Mohammed Siraj, Manav Suthar
GT Impact subs: Rahul Tewatia, Glenn Phillips, Anuj Rawat, Nishant Sindhu, Kulwant Khejroliya
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood
RCB Impact subs: Rasikh Salam Dar, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Venkatesh Iyer
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
Wait for it…
Oops! Looks like you have exceeded the limit to bookmark the image. Remove some to bookmark this image.