Hello and welcome to the highlights of Monday's IPL clash between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Wankhede Stadium.
◘ MI 172/5 after 19 overs: Ashish Nehra strongly objects to Navdeep Saini being brought in for the 19th over from the sidelines. Pawan Negi will have the ball and RCB will look to get things done this over. But that is not what happens. 0, 6, 4, 4, 6, Wd, 1 says the timeline and it is MI or rather Pandya who gets the job done this over.
◘ MI 148/5 after 17.5 overs: Milind Kumar takes a wonderful catch to send Krunal Pandya back to the pavilion. What a time to get a breakthrough! Krunal uses his wrists but there is no power on that shot. Siraj gets his man.
◘ MI 141/4 after 17 overs: So close! The younger Pandya was almost gone. The ball goes straight up and high. Southee (sub, in for ABD) covers yards but the ball still falls short of his outstretched arm! Worse: It is a boundary.
◘ MI 131/4 after 16 overs: So Yuzvendra Chahal is done for the night as well. Who do you think will bowl the final four overs? 41 runs required from 24 balls now. The required RR has climbed up to 10.25.
◘ MI 129/4 after 15.2 overs: Suryakumar Yadav takes the aerial route but does not get much wood on to that shot. Goes nice and high and lands just short of the ropes at the long off boundary safe in Navdeep's hands.
◘ MI 127/3 after 15 overs: Pawan Negi is back into the attack. The ball is turning and how! Suryakumar Yadav baffled with the spin on the first delivery. Falls in line, zips wide to land in the keeper's gloves. Why is the crowd chanting "Anushka! Anushka!"? Virat smiles in acknowledgement and waves at the crowd.
◘ MI 119/3 after 14 overs: Moeen Ali notches figures of 4-2-18 to end a brilliant spell.
◘ MI 116/3 after 13 overs: Yuzi Chahal to continue. And maybe yes that is the way to answer. Suryakumar Yadav sweeps towards the deep square leg boundary.
◘ MI 110/3 after 12 overs: Another good over from Moeen Ali comes to an end. Just two runs coming from it.
◘ MI 108/3 after 11 overs: 64 runs required for Mumbai Indians to win this contest from 54 balls now.
◘ MI 104/3 after 10.3 overs: The dangerous looking left-handed Ishan Kishan dances down the track, swings and misses, luckily for Kohli and Chahal. Stumped! The 9-ball 21 run cameo comes to an end.
◘ MI 97/2 after 10 overs: 10 runs coming from that Moeen over, courtesy a maximum from Suryakumar Yadav over extra cover.
◘ MI 87/2 after 9 overs: Turn or no turn, Ishan Kishan is carefree enough to go big twice. Hammers it down the ground, first over long-on and then straight over the bowler's head.
◘ MI 73/2 after 8 overs: 99 runs required from 12 overs now at a required RR of 8.25
◘ MI 71/2 after 7.4 overs: And that makes it two in the same over! In no time at all. Quinton De Kock goes now. QDK seemingly expected the ball to turn away for him but it sticks to the same line. Trapped in front! The umpire doesn't hesitate raising his finger for that.
◘ MI 71/1 after 7.1 overs: And that inspires Virat Kohli to bring Moeen Ali into the attack. What a move! The ball lands quite outside off and it zips in drastically to crash on the middle stump. Rohit Sharma has to walk.
◘ MI 70/0 after 7 overs: Good news for RCB! Interestingly, left-arm spinner Pawan Negi is getting the ball to turn in the second innings of the match. QDK and Rohit Sharma both finding it a bit difficult. The question is: But for how long?
End of the Powerplay: After the first six overs, all that can be said is that nothing seems to be working for an insipid looking RCB attack.
◘ MI 67/0 after 6 overs: We have Navdeep Saini to bowl the last over of the powerplay. Nothing seems to favour RCB at the moment. Saini bowls one wide of off stump and Rohit has punished him with a spectacular cover drive. The ball speeds off towards the ropes in no time.
Next, Saini tries to hit a shorter spot and it is Quinton De Kock who runs the show this time: to the stands it goes! Wankhede is up and cheering.
◘ MI 54/0 after 5 overs: Well Kohli needs wickets and rightfully it was Chahal's time to stage an appearance. Chahal has been RCB's most successful bowler this season with 11 wickets in his kitty. But QDK is unfazed as he sweeps one to the square leg fence. Six runs from that over.
◘ MI 48/0 after 4 overs: Mohammed Siraj has been brought into the attack and thankfully he doesn't start off with a wide! But misery is upon RCB already as it is raining sixes at Wankhede. Rohit Sharma joins the celebration now and there are fireworks. An upper cut sees the ball sail over the point region for a SIX! The smile has disappeared from Kohli's face. A Sharma boundary over covers ends RCB's plight this over.
◘ MI 36/0 after 3 overs: Quinton De Kock welcomes Umesh Yadav with a glorious cover drive. But he's not done yet, is he? Another four and then a massive six, 374th of the season. 16 runs come from that over.
◘ MI 20/0 after 2 overs: Two slips in place now as Kohli looks to reap benefits from the added movement on the ball. Rohit Sharma doesn't worry though. He pulls and pulls hard as the ball disappears into the crowd. Tim Southee walks up to the young Saini: some words of wisdom there, and it works. The next delivery is straighter and shorter than the earlier ones this over: unplayable.
◘ MI 9/0 after 1 over: Hint of swing early on, as the ball moves into the left-handed Quinton De Kock. Umesh Yadav looking to stick to the middle and off region to exploit De Kock's weaker areas. But he goes miserably wrong on the fuller ball outside off. WHACKED, over long on by QDK! This is definitely not the start RCB wanted.
Quinton De Kock and Rohit Sharma to open the inning for Mumbai. Umesh Yadav to bowl the first over.
De Villiers vs Bumrah. Two missed yorkers. Both muscled away to the fence. Third yorker; gets it right and a dot. Follows it up with a short ball that hits De Villiers on the helmet. Fiery contest.
◘ Moeen Ali, the England all-rounder who was released from the Test squad, scored a maiden T20 century for his domestic side, Worcestershire, in the T20 Blast on Friday, 17 August.
Ali hammered 115 off just 56 balls at Edgbaston, in a knock that comprised 12 fours and seven sixes. Ali falls for a well made 50 off 32 balls ; Malinga with the breakthrough. The ace seamer removes Marcus Stoinis too. RCB 152/4 after 18 overs.
◘ On January 18, 2015, de Villiers broke Corey Anderson’s record of the fastest 100 (off 36 balls). Batting against the West Indies at Johannesburg, he reached the three-figure mark in 31 balls, courtesy 16 sixes and nine fours. Can he get going tonight? He is batting on 47 off 39 (2x6, 4x4). Chahar bowls out. 4-0-31-0. Meanwhile, Moeen Ali is switching gears against Krunal Pandya. RCB 119/2 after 15 overs.
◘ “The more comforting factor is batting with AB de Villiers, that makes it easier.” Marcus Stoinis had said about batting with De Villiers. AB holds the key here. He is batting on 31. Hardik and Chahar have bowled 3 each conceding 40 between them. RCB 86/2 after 12 overs.
◘ Leaving behind the TV show controversy that threatened his career, Hardik Pandya cashed in on his IPL form to make it to ICC Cricket World Cup squad. He gives away 11 off his first two and the wicket of Parthiv Patel.
In last year’s auction, Mumbai Indians roped in Rahul Chahar for a whopping ₹1.9 crore. The leg-spinner has been introduced in the eighth over, goes for six. Moeen Ali is the new man in for Bangalore. RCB 62/2 after 9 overs.
◘ Jasprit Bumrah bowling first change. "I am a massive fan of Bumrah [Jasprit]. The way he goes about his cricket is incredible. He is young, keen and has a great attitude," Aussie great McGrath said. Bumrah concedes just FOUR off his two overs . He too is set to feature in his maiden World Cup. Behrendorff, who will hope to bowl in tandem with Starc and Cummins in World Cup, leaks 19 in his second. RCB 45/1 after 6 overs.
◘ Interesting new ball pair for MI. On one hand, you have Jason Behrendorff, who put his red ball cricket future on hold because of recurring stress fractures last year and six months later, finds a place in the 15-member World Cup squad. He has removed Indian skipper Virat Kohli cheaply!
Sharing the new ball with him is Malinga, who will quit one-day internationals after the World Cup in England and Wales. De Villiers has joined Parthiv. The duo has conceded in 3 overs. RCB after 20/1 3 overs.
Virat Kohli and Parthiv Patel to open the innings for Bangalore, Jason Behrendorff with the new ball.
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TOSS UPDATE: Rohit Sharma has won the toss and Mumbai Indians will bowl first.
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Quinton de Kock, Suryakumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard, Hardik Pandya, Ishan Kishan(w), Krunal Pandya, Rahul Chahar, Jason Behrendorff, Lasith Malinga, Jasprit Bumrah
Malinga has replaced the injured Alzarri Joseph.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (Playing XI): Parthiv Patel(w), Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Marcus Stoinis, Moeen Ali, Akshdeep Nath, Pawan Negi, Umesh Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj
PITCH REPORT: "There is an even covering of grass on the wicket. The average first innings score at Wankhede is 192. So, a high scoring ground and there will be dew as well. Both teams would want to bat second here."
The toss is still a little more than half-an-hour away, so let us take a quick look at who all made it into Team India's World Cup squad today| Karthik, Jadeja, Shankar in squad, Pant misses out
Leaving behind the TV show controversy that threatened their careers, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya cashed in on their IPL form to make it to ICC Cricket World Cup 2019| K.L. Rahul, Hardik Pandya set for maiden World Cup
Last time the two sides met at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, an umpiring gaffe on the last ball left Virat Kohli high and dry| Kohli left fuming over Malinga no-ball howler
The Virat Kohli-led side, which is reeling at the bottom of the points table, defeated Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Saturday, courtesy half-centuries by AB de Villiers and Kohli.
Read our correspondent Shayan Acharya's preview:
Bangalore takes on Mumbai seeking second win
Royal Challengers Bangalore, which returned to winning ways after a series of defeats, will be hoping to keep the momentum going when it takes on Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.
The Virat Kohli-led side, which is reeling at the bottom of the points table, defeated Kings XI Punjab in Mohali on Saturday, courtesy half-centuries by AB de Villiers and Kohli.
Against Mumbai Indians - which suffered a last-over defeat against Rajasthan Royals in its previous fixture - the Bengaluru side will once again be relying on the star duo to fire.
On a day when the Indian squad for the World Cup will be picked in Mumbai, here is a chance for Kohli to recreate his magic in front of a capacity crowd in the ‘City of Dreams’.
READ: IPL 2019: Gayle knock in vain as Kohli, de Villiers give RCB first win
So far in the tournament, nothing has really worked for the star-studded side. Apart from Kohli - 270 runs from seven matches - and de Villiers - 232 runs in seven outings - the batting department has fumbled. Even though stumper-batsman, Parthiv Patel, has shown commitment and amassed 191 runs, the others have failed to step up.
Now if the franchise hopes to progress in the tournament, its middle-order has to show resilience - something that has been missing so far.
On the bowling front, the team’s biggest asset has been Yuzvendra Chahal - who has scalped 11 wickets so far. The spinner, who has been quite consistent, has the potential to rip apart Mumbai’s strong batting line-up.
He, however, would need support from his fast bowling colleagues - who have been largely inconsistent. But with South Africa star, Dale Steyn, joining the side, RCB's pace department has been bolstered.
But it won’t be an easy task to turn the tables on Mumbai Indians.
With captain Rohit Sharma back from a leg spasm and South African Quinton de Kock among runs, the side will be hoping to put its campaign back on track. In the middle-order, it has Surya Kumar Yadav, Kieron Pollard and Hardik Pandya to take care of things.
However, it needs to be seen whether West Indies quick, Alzarri Joseph, who sustained a shoulder injury while fielding in the last game, is fit for the fixture.
There are speculations that Joseph has a tear in his right arm and could miss out on the remaining season. However, there hasn't been any official word from Mumbai Indians yet.
Despite a dream start to the tournament - scalping six wickets for 12 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad - Alzarri proved expensive against Rajasthan Royals and in case he misses out, the onus will be on the seasoned Jasprit Bumrah.
With chances to qualify for the play-offs still alive, both the teams have plenty to play for.
(The match will be streamed live on Hotstar )
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