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RCB win high-scoring thriller against Mumbai Indians

football07 April 2025 18:45| ยฉ MWP
By:Patrick Compton
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their first victory over the Mumbai Indians at their Wankhede stronghold in a decade when they won a high-scoring thriller by 12 runs in their Tata IPL clash in Mumbai on Monday night.

The matchup was a T20 classic with Mumbai needing a record total of 222 for victory after brilliant half-centuries by Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar had set up an impressive 221-5 for the visitors after Mumbai had won the toss and inserted the visitors.

For at least the first half of the Mumbai innings, the chances of victory seemed remote for the home team.

Rohit Sharma failed again, bowled by an inswinging yorker from Yash Dayal, Ryan Rickelton was trapped leg before by Josh Hazlewood and Will Jacks struggled to 22 off 18 balls before being caught in the deep by Kohli.

Even Suryakumar Yadav found it difficult to score freely.

The wristy right-hander was dropped twice on 23 and 27 but then meekly gave his wicket away, caught at deep extra-cover off Dayal for 28 in 26 balls.

Then, with Mumbai struggling on 99 for four at the start of the 13th over, the whole tenor of the game changed as Tilak Varma โ€“ who was retired in his last game for not scoring quickly enough โ€“ and skipper Hardik Pandya came together in a death or glory partnership to attempt the unlikeliest of victories.

Hardik struck his first ball from Hazlewood for six to signal his intentions and the pair went on to blitz their way to a partnership of 89 off just 34 balls.

But then, with 28 needed off the final two overs, Pandya struck boldly once too often and holed out in the deep off Hazlewood for a blistering 42 off 15 balls and Varma quickly followed him for an electrifying 56 off 29 balls (4x4s, 4x6s).

The match came down to the final over delivered by Hardikโ€™s brother, Krunal โ€“ who had earlier suffered at the hands of his brother, going for 19 runs after the usually disciplined Hazlewood had been belted for 22 the previous over.

This time the canny left-arm spinner emerged triumphant, claiming the wickets of Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar and Naman Dhir to clinch the win for his team.

His final figures of 4-45 were invaluable to go with braces for Dayal and Hazlewood.

ELECTRIC FLOURISH AT THE DEATH

Earlier, when RCB batted, Trent Boult struck early, claiming a wicket in his first over for the 31st time in the IPL when he bowled Phil Salt with a beautiful inswinging yorker, but Kohli, playing with real intensity and impeccable timing, and Devdutt Padikkal put on 91 in 52 balls for the second wicket to give the visitors the upper hand.

Kohli, who then added a further 48 in 31 balls with his captain, Rajat Patidar (64 off 32 balls) finally went for a majestic 67 off 42 balls (8x4s, 2x6s).

There was time left for an electric flourish at the death, with Patidar and Jitesh Sharma slamming 69 off 27 balls to help RCB to their intimidating total of 221-5 โ€“ just enough, in the end, to help the visitors to their third victory of the competition and keep Mumbai at the foot of the table.

The match was also notable for the return to action after three months out through injury for the great Jasprit Bumrah.

The paceman showed one or two signs of rust but still conceded only 29 runs in his four overs, an impressive feat on a pitch that strongly favoured the batters.

ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal

RCB bench: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar, Swastik Chikara, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh

MUMBAI INDIANS: Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Naman Dhir, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, Vignesh Puthur

MI bench: Rohit Sharma, Corbin Bosch, Ashwani Kumar, Raj Bawa, Robin Minz

 

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