Royal Challengers Bangalore have won their first game in the UAE leg of IPL 2021, defeating the defending champions Mumbai Indians comprehensively by 54 runs on Sunday.
For RCB, captain Kohli scored a half-century before Harshal Patel picked 4 wickets including a hat-trick to help his side over the line in a convincing manner.
RCB are now third on the points table.
Batting first, Royal Challengers Bangalore lost Devdutt Padikkal early for 0 and needed captain Virat Kohli and S Bharat to rebuild.
Kohli then took the attack to the opposition with a flurry of boundaries and in the process, he became the first Indian to cross 10,000 runs in T20 cricket. Adam Milne was brought in after the fourth over. And he received a warm welcome from Kohli. First, the Indian skipper drove him through extra cover for four. Next ball, he stayed put in his crease and smacked the over-pitched delivery over the long-on boundary.
Bharat, too, joined the party as Rahul Chahar bowled a little fuller and the batsman pulled it for the maximum to help RCB cross the 50-run mark in seven overs. When both the batsmen were tormenting the Mumbai bowlers, Chahar got the much-needed breakthrough as Bharat went for the slog over long-on but holed out to Suryakumar Yadav near the boundary.
Harshal Patel celebrates the wicket of Kieron Pollard.
Image: BCCI
Then came Glenn Maxwell. The duo continued the onslaught as RCB crossed the 100-run mark in the 13th over. However, Kohli's superb innings came to an end in the 16th over. A short of a length from Milne and Kohli charged down the track in a bid to pull him. He rushed into the shot and ended up top-edging it. Anukul, the substitute fielder, took the catch.
Maxwell's masterclass ended on 56 with a low full-toss from Bumrah. The Mumbai pacer struck again and got AB Devilliers out. That proved a great over for Mumbai Indians to make a comeback in the match. The lower order were barely able to add much to the total as MI were asked to chase 166.
With Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock, the defending champions were off to a solid start. The openers attacked and were also watchful, scoring at good pace through the powerplay. The MI openers kept RCB’s bowlers at bay and also scored putting together a half-century stand before the first wicket fell.
De Kock was the first to be dismissed, caught by Glenn Maxwell off Yuzvendra Chahal for 24. Rohit at the other end, wasn’t about to throw in the towel yet and continued to chip away.
The captain scored 43 off 28 deliveries before being caught by Padikkal off Maxwell. With the score at 79/2, MI had their task cut out but RCB’s bowlers were also up to the task.
Ishan Kishan (9), Suryakumar Yadav (8), Krunal Pandya (5), Kieron Pollard (7) and Hardik Pandya (0), all failed to get going as MI’s middle order crumbled. The one responsible for the collapse majorly was Harshal Patel who took a hat-trick, getting Hardik, Pollard and Rahul Chahar in the 17th over.
Off the next over, Chahal castled Jasprit Bumrah before Harshal rounded off the win with a fourth wicket.
RCB won by 54 runs, registering their first win of the second leg of IPL 2021.
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