A blazing 28-run assault in the 19th over flipped the script in Chennai, and turned Virat Kohli’s bowling chapter into a one-over wonder — for all the wrong reasons
It was a typical April evening in Chennai — sticky, electric, and deafeningly loud. The 2012 edition of the Indian Premier League was in full swing. Chennai Super Kings, the reigning champions, were hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore at Chepauk. Batting first, RCB meant business.
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Mayank Agarwal took off like a man with a train to catch. He blasted 45 off just 26 balls, peppering the offside with crisp strokes. Chris Gayle joined the party soon after, muscling his way to 68 off 35. However, Virat Kohli shaped the innings — his 57 came with finesse, timing, and confidence. Together, they posted 205/8. At the halfway mark, RCB looked safe. Perhaps too safe.
Chasing 206, CSK didn’t exactly ignite the stage. Faf du Plessis served as the early anchor, blending caution with class. MS Dhoni moved up to No. 4 — the crowd erupted in approval — but he couldn’t accelerate in time. As wickets fell and pressure mounted, even the most devoted CSK fans began to accept what seemed inevitable: defeat.
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By the 18th over, the score was 163/5. Chennai needed 43 runs off 12 balls. Then comes Albie Morkel, the big South African, known more for his cameo appearances than match-winning innings, joined by Dwayne Bravo. The RCB think tank — perhaps out of options, perhaps out of ideas — entrusted the 19th over to a part-timer: Virat Kohli.
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The first ball of the 19th over trickled away for a fortunate four off Morkel’s inside edge. The second was sent into the crowd — six runs, just like that. Kohli grimaced. The third ball took a thick outside edge and raced for another four. The tide had shifted. RCB was rattled.
The fourth delivery? Another six, this time more deliberate. Then came a double, followed by yet another towering six on the final ball. Albie Morkel had just hammered 28 runs off the over. Kohli stood still, his expression blank, perhaps trying to process what had happened.
With 15 runs needed off the final six balls, RCB still had a chance. Vinay Kumar came in for the 20th over. Morkel was caught on the second ball. Relief? Not quite. Dwayne Bravo stepped up, taking advantage of a no-ball and a full toss, reducing the equation to two runs off the final delivery.
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Then came Ravindra Jadeja. He swung, edged, and the ball raced away to the third-man boundary. CSK won by five wickets — on the very last ball. The Chennai crowd erupted; RCB fell apart.
That loss cost them dearly. Both teams finished with the same points at the end of the league stage, but CSK advanced on Net Run Rate. Bangalore’s dream died right there.
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Reflecting on it, Albie’s 28-run carnage remains one of the most brutal overs ever bowled in the IPL. For Virat Kohli, who has always worn his heart on his sleeve, it signified the beginning — and nearly the end — of his bowling exploits in T20 cricket. Throughout his IPL career, Kohli has bowled just 251 deliveries, conceded 368 runs, and taken four wickets.
Yet, it’s this one over that everyone remembers. A career filled with a million highs — and one unforgettable over with a low so profound, it still resonates thirteen years later.
