Faf du Plessis and Rajat Patidar sizzled before Dinesh Karthik dazzled with the willow for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma then gave lots of reasons to rejoice for the home fans before they went wild, thanks to Suryakumar Yadav’s blitzkrieg that ensured Mumbai Indians crossed the target of 197 in a high-voltage Indian Premier League (IPL) clash with more than four overs to spare.
Had it not been for Jasprit Bumrah’s sensational spell, Hardik Pandya and Co. may have had to struggle much more with the willow. The fact that the overall run-rate on the night was well in excess of 11 magnifies the enormity of Bumrah’s spell of 4-0-21-5 to restrict RCB to 196 for eight.
The pace ace took just three balls to see Virat Kohli’s back with an inswinger that the Orange Cap holder inside-edged to a lunging Ishan Kishan down the leg-side.
Later in the death overs, twice in successive overs did Bumrah struck off consecutive balls. First, he got rid of highest-scorer du Plessis who holed out in the deep followed by a toe-crusher that found Mahipal Lomror plumb in front of the stumps.
Barring Bumrah, none of the MI bowlers could contain the RCB trio’s onslaught. Du Plessis and Patidar finally came good after a lacklustre start with breezy fifties. Patidar, especially, displayed his panache in the middle overs to set the platform for Karthik.
Had it not been for Jasprit Bumrah’s sensational spell Hardik Pandya and Co. may have had to struggle much more with the willow. | Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI/The Hindu
As if Karthik making a mockery of Akash Madhwal – hammering 33 runs of 10 balls – with the dew setting in was just a trailer, the Mumbai Indians batters toyed around with every RCB bowler in the night.
Kishan and Sharma smashed a three-figure opening stand before the halfway stage, with Ishan dominating the partnership. His departure brought Suryakumar who made perhaps the biggest impact for an ‘Impact Player’ this IPL.
His 17-ball 50 – MI’s joint-fastest in IPL history – saw him toying with a hapless bowling attack. His consecutive flicks off Akash Deep that sailed into the second tier and nearly out of the park over square leg made the crowds go bonkers.
With Rohit being dismissed due to a stunning catch by Reece Topley at short fine-leg, the spectators greeted captain Hardik with boos. Virat Kohli then egged them on to cheer for the India star. Hardik responded with a first-ball six and also finished the game off with another.
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