MUMBAI: In a game that swung like a pendulum, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held on to record a narrow 12- run win over Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League on Monday at the Wankhede Stadium.
Chasing 222 for victory, MI were brought back into the match by Tilak Varma (56, 29b; 4x4, 4x4) and Hardik Pandya (42, 15b; 3x4, 4x4) with their 34-ball 89-run partnership for the fifth wicket after they were reduced to 99/4 by the 12th over. MI needed 41 runs in the last three overs, but both perished in the space of four balls as RCB heaved a sigh of relief and closed out the contest.
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It was their third win of the season in four matches and first at the Wankhede Stadium since 2015. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/48) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) dismissed Varma and Pandya in back-to-back overs, Krunal Pandya (4/45) bowled a tight last over, which included wickets of Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar and Naman Dhir and conceded just six runs, to take RCB over the line.
For the second match in a row, MI failed to close out a contest after coming close. They had lost by 12 runs against Lucknow Super Giants as well in their last match. The only solace for MI was Bumrah, who finished with figures of 0/29 in his four-over spell. He conceded just 14 in the last two overs he bowled towards the end of the match.
Earlier, thanks to contributions by Virat Kohli (67, 42b; 8x4, 2x6), skipper Rajat Patidar (64, 32b; 5x4, 4x6), Devdutt Padikkal (37, 22b; 2x4, 3x6) and Jitesh Sharma (40*, 19b 2x4, 4x6), RCB posted 221/5 on the board Kohli, who had a sedate outing in the last two matches, came out with a positive intent to get his 57th IPL half-century and set the platform for RCB to reach a mammoth total.
It wasn’t the best of starts for RCB as Phil Salt was sent packing by Trent Boult (2/57) in the first over of the innings. The New Zealand quickie rattled Salt’s stumps to continue his impressive run of wickets in the opening overs and took his tally to 31 first over dismissals.
But despite the ball moving a bit in the initial phase, Kohli and Padikkal put the pressure on the home side with their 52-ball 91 -run partnership for the second wicket.
The duo made sure that MI bowlers were kept under the pump as RCB reached 73/1 in the Powerplay. Kohli started with a four through mid-wicket off Deepak Chahar (0/29) in the second over. Then two fours off Boult towards the end of third over followed.
Then came the moment of the match in the fourth over and the first one bowled by Jasprit Bumrah . On the first ball he faced up to returning Bumrah, Kohli backed away and swathed it for a six through the mid-wicket region. That’s the pattern which followed till Kohli was at the crease.
Chasing 222 for victory, MI were brought back into the match by Tilak Varma (56, 29b; 4x4, 4x4) and Hardik Pandya (42, 15b; 3x4, 4x4) with their 34-ball 89-run partnership for the fifth wicket after they were reduced to 99/4 by the 12th over. MI needed 41 runs in the last three overs, but both perished in the space of four balls as RCB heaved a sigh of relief and closed out the contest.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
Together, @RCBTweets ❤️ pic.twitter.com/8LrLffd22T
— Krunal Pandya (@krunalpandya24) April 7, 2025
It was their third win of the season in four matches and first at the Wankhede Stadium since 2015. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/48) and Josh Hazlewood (2/37) dismissed Varma and Pandya in back-to-back overs, Krunal Pandya (4/45) bowled a tight last over, which included wickets of Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar and Naman Dhir and conceded just six runs, to take RCB over the line.
For the second match in a row, MI failed to close out a contest after coming close. They had lost by 12 runs against Lucknow Super Giants as well in their last match. The only solace for MI was Bumrah, who finished with figures of 0/29 in his four-over spell. He conceded just 14 in the last two overs he bowled towards the end of the match.
Why is this video 90 minutes long... 🥺💙❤
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 7, 2025
Watch the LIVE action ➡ https://t.co/H6co5trkpW#IPLonJioStar 👉 #MIvRCB | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/tC3nZK2Qk1
Earlier, thanks to contributions by Virat Kohli (67, 42b; 8x4, 2x6), skipper Rajat Patidar (64, 32b; 5x4, 4x6), Devdutt Padikkal (37, 22b; 2x4, 3x6) and Jitesh Sharma (40*, 19b 2x4, 4x6), RCB posted 221/5 on the board Kohli, who had a sedate outing in the last two matches, came out with a positive intent to get his 57th IPL half-century and set the platform for RCB to reach a mammoth total.
It wasn’t the best of starts for RCB as Phil Salt was sent packing by Trent Boult (2/57) in the first over of the innings. The New Zealand quickie rattled Salt’s stumps to continue his impressive run of wickets in the opening overs and took his tally to 31 first over dismissals.
But despite the ball moving a bit in the initial phase, Kohli and Padikkal put the pressure on the home side with their 52-ball 91 -run partnership for the second wicket.
Strong wrists! 💪🏻
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 7, 2025
Perfect placement! 👊🏻
Real statement! 💥#ViratKohli smashes #JaspritBumrah for a MAXIMUM at the mid-wicket fence! ❤
Watch the LIVE action ➡ https://t.co/H6co5trkpW#IPLonJioStar 👉 #MIvRCB | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/jaSiLFJl0s
The duo made sure that MI bowlers were kept under the pump as RCB reached 73/1 in the Powerplay. Kohli started with a four through mid-wicket off Deepak Chahar (0/29) in the second over. Then two fours off Boult towards the end of third over followed.
Then came the moment of the match in the fourth over and the first one bowled by Jasprit Bumrah . On the first ball he faced up to returning Bumrah, Kohli backed away and swathed it for a six through the mid-wicket region. That’s the pattern which followed till Kohli was at the crease.
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