'Pollard-Rayudu stand cost us the match'

Bangalore: Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli on Monday said Mumbai Indians’ players Kieron Pollard and Ambati Rayudu's scintillating 122-run partnership had taken the game away from them in their Indian Premier League match. "One good partnership can change the face of a match and that's what happened today [on Monday]. Credit should go to them [Pollard and Rayudu] for seeing their team goes past our target in spite of losing five early wickets," Kohli said after the match.

Kohli said wicket at the M Chinnaswamy was good to bat on and small size of the ground also helped Mumbai to score quickly. "Our bowlers too found it hard to grip the ball in the second innings," he said. The 23-year-old also tried to put up a brave face, saying that his team was playing good cricket, especially in the last few games and hoped to play to their potential in their last two must-win matches against Delhi Daredevils and Deccan Chargers.

Meanwhile, Pollard said the wicket in Bangalore helped them in scoring the runs quickly. "Bangalore ground is also small which helped us to get some big overs and the wicket was good to bat on," he said. More than getting a couple of fifties in this IPL, Pollard said he cherished the knocks which had helped Mumbai win games. "Getting a fifty is nothing big. What matters is has my fifty won us the game." he said.

The RCB skipper said the scintillating 122-run partnership between the Mumbai Indians\' players took the game away from them.

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