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'Was not thinking about the century, just wanted to hit good areas'

April 24, 2016 21:48 IST

RCB captain Virat Kohli celebrates his century

IMAGE: RCB captain Virat Kohli celebrates his century against Gujarat Lions on Sunday. Photograph: BCCI

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli smashed his maiden T20 hundred in an Indian Premier League match against Gujarat Lions in Rajkot on Sunday but he said he was not feeling after ending up on the losing side.

IPL PHOTOS: Lions win despite Kohli's maiden T20 ton

Scorecard

Kohli hit 100 not out off 63 balls to guide RCB to 180 for 2 after electing to bat but the Lions chased down the target with three balls to spare to notch up a six-wicket victory.

Asked if he was feeling happy to notch up his maiden IPL as well as T20 hundred, Kohli said, "I am not really feeling good right now. Would have liked to cross the line on the right side of the result. Missed a coupled of hundreds before. Personal performances are good, but not having a win is difficult.

"Not at any stage was I thinking about a hundred. Just looking for 170. The opportunity came in the end," said Kohli, who is yet to score a hundred in his 43 T20 Internationals.

Earlier at the innings break, Kohli said he was not expecting himself to hit a hundred.

"Just wanted to hit good areas. Even against Delhi, I was 75 at the time I was out. Coach Daniel Vettori told me hundred was there. Run out on 99 once. Never really thought about it today though. Just concentrated on hitting the gap," he said.

Talking about a minor ankle sprain he sustained during the RCB innings, he said, "Sort of slipped going for a second, sprained in my ankle. But that was where fitness counts, the other muscles took over.

Kohli gave an update on swashbuckling West Indian batsman Chris Gayle who has gone home to be by the side of his wife and their new-born daughter.

"(Gayle) should be back in the next game. Batting is not a concern. We are planning a lot of things (with the ball)," said Kohli who was adjudged man of the match for his 100 not out.

"We want to pull our socks up. Even today, it was slow pitch, we shouldn't have given so many balls close to the batsman that he could hit. Should have kept it away from his reach," he added.

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