LONDON: Royal Challengers Bangalore were handed a third straight defeat in the Indian Premier League on Sunday at Sunrisers Hyderabad, who hammered the visitors by 118 runs.
The heavy defeat prompted Bangalore captain Virat Kohli to call the result “probably our worst loss ever.”
Kohli might have won the toss, but Hyderabad openers Jonny Bairstow along with Australian David Warner soon made him regret his decision to put the hosts into bat.
The writing was on the wall for the away side after Warner and Bairstow hit a century each, sharing the IPL’s best ever opening stand of 185.
The Englishman hit seven sixes and and 12 fours on his way to his maiden IPL ton, and becoming only the third man from England to score a century in the competition’s history.
It was another strong display from the pair, who are likely to play against each other when England play Australia in the Ashes this summer.
“I’m absolutely cooked,” Bairstow said after his innings.
“He’s great fun, just going ahead with hitting the ball, it was fantastic to bat in the middle with him.”
Warner, who is playing in the IPL after a year-long ban for ball-tampering during Australia’s tour of South Africa in 2017 came to an end last month, added: “The 12 months (off) has done me well. I feel refreshed.”
His and Bairstow’s heroics meant Bangalore faced an uphill task of chasing down a colossal 232 from their 20 overs. But there was little fight in the reply as they were bowled out for a paltry target of 113.
“Difficult one to explain, we were outplayed in all departments by a quality side,” Kohli said.
“This showed why they are former champions and finalists, they batted really well once they got in, and brilliant to sustain intent for the first 16 to 17 overs,” he added.
Kohli’s batting partner AB de Villiers was dismissed cheaply by off-spinner Mohammad Nabi, who took four wickets on debut.
Hyderabad seamer Sandeep Sharma dismissed Kohli for a sixth time since the first season of the IPL — only Ashish Nehra, Bangalore’s current bowling coach, has dismissed the Indian legend on as many occasions.
Despite the embarrassing loss, Kohli was still hopeful of a turnaround in form, saying his team would be aiming to get their first win when they face Rajasthan Royals in their next match.
“We still have 11 games, and things can turn around quite quickly in this league.
“Against Rajasthan Royals, when things don’t go our way, we will have to find ways of winning moments. You need to start well,” he added.
Bangalore managed to reach the IPL final in 2016, a run built on Virat Kohli’s record-breaking 973 runs and magnificent support batting from South Africa’s de Villiers. However, since their defeat in that year’s final, the franchise has struggled and early form suggests it will be another tough season for Kohli and his players.
Virat Kohli slams ‘worst loss’ after Warner and Bairstow lead Hyderabad to 118-run win over Bangalore in IPL
Virat Kohli slams ‘worst loss’ after Warner and Bairstow lead Hyderabad to 118-run win over Bangalore in IPL
- David Warner and Jonny Bairstow hit centuries in IPL's highest opening stand
- Defeat marks third straight defeat for Kohli and his team
‘Winning mindset’: Yazeed Al-Rajhi ready to defend title at Dakar 2026
- Race runs from Jan. 3-17, will start and conclude in Yanbu
YANBU: Saudi rally star Yazeed Al-Rajhi is gearing up to defend his Dakar Rally title as the 2026 edition of the race kicks off in Yanbu on Jan. 3.
Last year’s victory confirmed Al-Rajhi as the first Saudi driver to win the overall car category (Ultimate), the highest class in what is considered the world’s toughest rally.
Al-Rajhi said: “We are approaching Dakar 2026 with great determination and an even greater sense of responsibility after our achievement in 2025. Winning the title was a historic moment, but the real challenge now is defending it. The car is fully ready, the team is working as one, and our objective from the start is clear: to fight for victory and secure a strong opening to the W2RC season.”
He highlighted the complete readiness of co-driver Timo Gottschalk as the team looks to repeat last year’s success in their Overdrive Toyota Hilux.
Gottschalk said: “The preparation for this season has been intense and extremely precise. We focused on every aspect Dakar demands in terms of concentration and discipline. Our synergy is at its best, and we are ready to manage the rally stage by stage, intending to fight for victory from day one.”
The Dakar Rally 2026, set to run from Jan. 3-17, will cover 7,994 km, with 4,840 km of timed stages across Saudi Arabia’s diverse landscapes. It will consist of 13 competitive stages, in addition to a prologue stage, with a rest day in the capital city. The rally will start and conclude in Yanbu, featuring seven loop stages and two marathon stages, which significantly increase the level of difficulty and place greater physical and technical demands on crews and teams.
Al-Rajhi has also expressed his desire to compete for the title of the World Rally-Raid Championship W2RC. Since the championship’s launch in 2022, he has finished runner-up twice and third overall once, highlighting his consistency at the highest level. The Saudi star said that his clear objective this season is to claim the W2RC title, with Dakar serving as the opening round of the championship.
Al-Rajhi acknowledged that competition this year will be extremely intense, but added that the goal has been clear from the outset: to defend the Dakar title and move forward steadily toward winning the World Rally-Raid Championship.
“Early preparation and attention to the smallest technical and physical details give us strong confidence heading into the rally,” he added. “We know the competition will be tough, but we enter Dakar with a winning mindset, aiming to deliver a complete season that reflects the name of Saudi Arabia and matches our global ambitions.”
Al-Rajhi extended his sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jameel Motorsport, his official partner, for their unwavering support. He credited their backing as one of the key pillars behind his continued success and achievements in the Kingdom.
