IPL 2019: Stats on Top Run-Scorers, Wicket-Takers, T20 Averages and More

Royal Challengers Bangalore won their second game of the 2019 Indian Premier League season, beating Kolkata Knight Riders by 10 runs on Friday in a vital clash between two of the division's bottom teams.

After opening their season with a strong record at home, the Knight Riders have now lost two games back-to-back at Eden Gardens in Kolkata and have suffered a bump in their push for the play-offs.

Virat Kohli hit a century off 58 balls and starred alongside Moeen Ali (66 runs) as Bangalore won from a lead of 213 to climb within four points of Kolkata.

Andre Russell was held back until sixth in Kolkata's batting order but came up with 65 runs off 25 balls when he was called upon, second only to Nitish Rana (85 runs off 46 balls) among the Knight Riders. Sunil Narine's 18 was the only other run score to break double digits among Kolkata's order. 

Dale Steyn made his first appearance for Royal Challengers Bangalore since 2010 and took two wickets, while team-mate Kohli soared in the batting and moved to third in the Orange Cap race on 378 runs this year.

IPL 2019 Standings (Games Played, Points, Net Run Rate)

1. Chennai Super Kings: 9, 14, +0.101

2. Mumbai Indians: 9, 12, +0.442

3. Delhi Capitals: 9, 10, +0.146

4. Kings XI Punjab: 9, 10, -0.015

5. Sunrisers Hyderabad: 8, 8, +0.549

6. Kolkata Knight Riders: 9, 8, +0.262

7. Rajasthan Royals: 8, 4, -0.589

8. Royal Challengers Bangalore: 9, 4, -0.944

Top Run-Scorers

1. David Warner (SRH): 450

2. Lokesh Rahul (KXIP): 387

3. Virat Kohli (RCB): 378

4. Andre Russell (KKR): 377

5. Jonny Bairstow (SRH): 365

Top Wicket-Takers

1. Kagiso Rabada (DC): 19

2. Imran Tahir (CSK): 15

3. Yuzvendra Chahal (RCB): 13

4. Mohammed Shami (KXIP): 12

5. Deepak Chahar (CSK): 11

    Ravichindran Ashwin (KXIP): 11

    Chris Morris (DC): 11

Best Batting Average

1. MS Dhoni (CSK): 76.66

2. Andre Russell (KKR): 75.40

3. David Warner (SRH): 75.00

4. Ravindra Jadeja (CSK): 65.00

5. KL Rahul (KXIP): 64.50

Best Bowling Average

1. Harbhajan Singh (CSK): 11.71

2. Mohammad Nabi (SRH): 12.42

3. Imran Tahir (CSK): 12.86

4. Khaleel Ahmed (SRH): 13.00

5. Alzarri Joseph (MI): 14.50

Full statistics, per the competition's official website.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (213-4) def. Kolkata Knight Riders (203-5) by 10 Runs

Kohli is in his seventh season as Royal Challengers captain and played to that specification in Kolkata, hitting a game-deciding century in foreign territory to collect what could prove to be a crucial victory.

Royal Challengers Bangalore can reach a maximum of 14 points this season—the same tally leaders Chennai Super Kings currently boast—if they win each of their remaining five games. The play-offs still look a tall order, but Friday's performance at least gives them a glimmer of hope.

Each of their five batsmen scored runs in the double digits, though Ali's was the only other to exceed the 17-run mark.

Kohli's century stood as the highlight of the day and etched his name even further into the history books as Bangalore's most effective tun-scoring captain, per statistician Rajneesh Gupta:

Cricbuzz noted his particular penchant for playing well against Kolkata:

Kohli spoke to Pommie Mbangwa of ESPN Cricinfo after the result and said his ton was for team-mate AB de Villiers, who was absent on Friday:

"Before leaving, I told AB I will get a hundred for you, so he must be pretty happy. In the end, death overs will be difficult. The ball travels quickly, and the pitch is hard, and Russell is hitting the ball as well as anyone I know has. But Steyn used his experience well, and that allowed Saini to also follow up. Picking up wickets is crucial, and we did that today."

The 213 they amassed is the highest run total Bangalore have managed to score in nine games this season, and their bowling provided a comfortable enough safeguard against the chase.

Steyn, 35, has represented the now-defunct Gujarat Lions and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the years since he left Bangalore for the first time in 2010, and the franchise was happy to have their veteran back on Friday.

Cricket writer Sreshth Shah illustrated how long he was absent from the squad:

While his Royal Challengers hiatus may have lasted close to nine years, Steyn's immediate performance and removal of Chris Lynn at Eden Gardens was like he'd never been far from their lineup:

Bangalore scored 91 points in their last five overs, but Kolkata needed to score 93 in their last five if they were to overturn the deficit, a fate that didn't appear likely going off Friday's earlier form.

Russell gave it his best go and scored 65 runs off only 25 balls—moving him within one run of Kohli in the Orange Cap race—while team-mate Rana added a season's best of 85.

It was insufficient, however, and Kolkata will lick their wounds ahead of a tough trip to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Sunday, the same day Bangalore are set to host leaders Chennai in a make-or-break fixture.