RCB vs MI, IPL 2021: Harshal Patel picks up hat-trick, extends Purple Cap lead

MI vs RCB, IPL 2021: Harshal Patel removed Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Rahul Chahar of Mumbai Indians off back-to-back deliveries in the 17th over.

Royal Challengers Bangalore's Harshal Patel celebrates his hat-trick wicket against Mumbai Indians.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) pacer Harshal Patel on Sunday picked up Indian Premier League's 20th hat-trick as he removed Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Rahul Chahar of Mumbai Indians (MI) off back-to-back deliveries in the 17th over.

Harshal, who became the first bowler to take a five-for against MI in the IPL 2021 opener earlier this year, picked up from where he left to become RCB's third bowler to pick a hat-trick in the league after Praveen Kumar (vs RR) in 2010 and Samuel Badree (vs MI) in 2017.

As it happened

While Hardik miscued to Virat Kohli, Pollard exposed his middle and leg-stump, before being castled by the 30-year-old. Rahul was the next victim, trapped plumb in front of the sticks. Later, Harshal also picked up the wicket of Adam Milne to finish with impressive figures of 3.1-0-17-4.

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"This was my sixth time on a hat-trick. And just the first time I got it. Really happy!" Harshal told the broadcasters.

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With this performance, Harshal extends his lead at the top of the Purple Cap leaderboard, with 23 wickets, ahead of Delhi Capitals' Avesh Khan (15) and MI's Jasprit Bumrah (14).