“Haven’t Won IPL Yet, But…” – Virat Kohli’s Pep Talk For Smriti Mandhana-led RCB Is Viral. Watch | Cricket News

Indian cricket team star Virat Kohli gave a pep talk to the Royal Challengers Bangalore women’s team after a horrible start to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season. RCB lost their first five matches in the tournament with their first win coming against UP Warriorz. In a video released by the franchise on social media, Kohli was caught talking about his own struggles in the Indian Premier League as a part of the team. “I’ve been playing IPL for 15 years. And I haven’t won it yet. But that doesn’t stop me from being excited every year. That’s all I can do. That’s the effort I can put into every game and every tournament that I play,” he said.

Virat Kohli’s pep talk to the RCB Women’s Team

King came. He spoke. He inspired. He’d be proud watching the girls play the way they did last night. Watch @imVkohli‘s pre-match chat in the team room on Bold Diaries.#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #WPL2023 pic.twitter.com/fz1rxZnID2

— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) March 16, 2023

“If we win, great. If we don’t, then I am not going to go to my grave thinking that if only I had won an IPL, I would be a happy man. It doesn’t happen like that. So always think about the opportunity that you have rather than how bad it is right now. There is always a flip side to it, and it could always be worse than this. And the fact that we haven’t won the IPL, but I still feel that we have the best fans in the world. Only because we were always committed to every game that we played for RCB. That has been the most special thing for our fans. There’s no guarantee of giving you a cup every year, but there’s a guarantee of giving your 110% every year, and that’s all you can strive to do,” Kohli told the team in the video.

Allrounder Kanika Ahuja said that it was the discussion with Kohli which fired her up as she blasted a rapid 46 to help Royal Challengers Bangalore finally end their losing streak.

The 20-year-old from Punjab smashed 46 off 30 balls, the highest score by an uncapped player in the WPL so far, as RCB chased down a tricky 136 to secure a five-wicket win against UP Warriorz on Wednesday.

“Virat sir told us there is nothing about pressure here, it is all about the pleasure,” Ahuja told media during the first press conference of her career.

Kohli did not attend Indian team’s optional training session on Wednesday and instead met the RCB’s squad which is competing in the WPL here in Mumbai.

“He told us to not put ourselves in pressure when we are out there in the middle. He said it is a matter of pleasure that we are getting to play here, not everyone gets the similar opportunity,” said Ahuja, who wants to bat 360 degrees like Suryakumar Yadav.

The RCB side were left in familiar doldrums when they were reduced to 60 for four, with top players — Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine and Ellyse Perry — all back to the pavillion.

Ahuja then took charge of the proceedings and hammered eight fours and a six during her knock, adding 60 runs for the fifth wicket with Richa Ghosh (31) to help her side record their first win in six matches.

“The thing I had in my mind was that come whatever may, we have to win. The target was also low, hence there was time for us to take our time and play accordingly. We waited for loose balls to capitalise,” she said.

(With PTI inputs)