RCB vs MI HIGHLIGHTS, IPL 2023: Kohli, du Plessis power Bangalore to 8-wicket win against Mumbai

Virat Kohli: I thought it was a phenomenal win, a homecoming after four years. Couldn’t have asked for a better game. We bowled well for the first 17 overs but then credit to their batters especially Tilak who batted well. It was a very comprehensive win and we wanted to win with balls to spare as it will benefit the NRR. The new ball was tricky, that’s where we shifted the momentum, they can ride on that momentum from the last two overs of their batting but the way we started nullified all that momentum. We kept the pressure on the bowlers. Phenomenal. It was a packed crowd, every seat was full when we walked in here. Very important we started well, their support propelled us and that makes a massive difference. I think it was a phenomenal spell from him (Karn Sharma), that’s brave bowling after getting the left-hander out He was bowling so well for us last year but he couldn’t play. Even in the nets he was not getting hit for sixes, hats off to him for coming and playing after so long, to perform against such a strong MI side at the Chinnaswamy is great for him. I wanted to mention this for a while - after MI who have 5 titles and CSK who have 4, if I’m not wrong, we are the third team to have qualified the most times to the playoffs - 8 times. Take one game at a time and try to be a balanced side which we are and we would look to execute our plans as we did tonight.

Rohit: Didn’t have a great start with the bat in the first six overs. But, it was a really good effort from Tilak and a few other batters. But, we didn’t execute well with the ball. It was a good pitch to bat on. (On Tilak Verma) He is a positive person, quite talented as well. Some of the shots he played, showed a lot of courage. Hats off to Tilak to get us to a competitive total. It was a good pitch to bat on. We didn’t set any target but we didn’t even bat to half of our potential and we got to 170. Probably 30-40 runs more would have been ideal. From the last six to eight months I am used to playing without Jasprit Bumrah. Of course this is a different setup but someone needs to put their hand up and step up. We can’t keep dwelling on it. Injuries are not in our control, we can’t do much about it. The other guys in the setup are quite talented as well. We need to give them that support. Just the first game of the season, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Short from Arshad and Kohli drags the ball behind square for FOUR. Kohli finishes the chase in style. In the slot and Kohli smokes the ball over long-on for SIX. RCB defeats MI by eight wickets!

Green offers length and Karthik miscues a hit down the ground, falling short of mid-off. Green to Karthik, OUT! Green tails one in and Karthik flicks the ball straight to deep square-leg. Glenn Maxwell is in at 4. Short and wide and Maxwell muscles the ball over deep point for SIX. SIX more! Short again and Maxwell hooks the ball over fine-leg.

Dinesh Karthik c Tilak Varma b Green 0 (3b)

Arshad Khan returns to feed length and Kohli nonchalantly pumps it over long-on for SIX! IN THE AIR and dropped by Shokeen! Kohli flicks it straight to deep mid-wicket and Shokeen spills a straightforward chance. Arshad to du Plessis, OUT! Mistimes a slog for once and du Plessis holes out to long-on. Dinesh Karthik is in at 3.

Faf du Plessis c David b Arshad Khan 73 (43b 5x4 6x6)

Archer sends in a quick bumper and Kohli hammers it from his presence. Sheer disdain! That was rising from length but Kohli pounces on it and swats it over square-leg for SIX.

Behrendorff’s back. Short ball and Kohli swats it across the line for a FOUR through wide long-on. A single to follow Short ball rising onto the shoulders and du Plessis smokes it over deep mid-wicket. Behrendorff strays to the pads and du Plessis flicks it behind square for FOUR.

Archer returns. Back-of-length and Kohli flicks it towards deep mid-wicket. du Plessis scampers for the second run but there’s direct hit from the deep. du Plessis still makes his ground. Archer offers room and Kohli drives it through cover point to add two more runs. FIFTY for Kohli - the first Indian to score 50 50-plus scores in the IPL.

Chawla feeds length and Kohli pumps the ball down the ground for a massive SIX. A couple of ones and twos to follow.

Hrithik Shokeen replaces Green. Length from Shokeen and du Plessis heaves across the line and finds a SIX - FIFTY for the RCB captain. In the slot and du Plessis pumps it over long-on for another SIX.

Chawla loops one in and Kohli scythes it down the ground for FOUR. A single to follow. Tight lines from Chawla, just the five from it.

Cameron Green into the attack. Kohli guides the first ball down to third for a single. Green offers length and du Plessis drills the ball through cover for FOUR. Green responds with a steep bouncer. Short from Green and du Plessis slaps the ball over cover for another FOUR. SIX! Faf unleashes the scoop to give Green a fine taste of the IPL.

Chawla continues. A slew of singles in the over as Kohli and du Plessis ease into the chase. Five from the over.

Archer continues. Faf gets a single off the first ball after chopping one to deep third. FOUR! Short, Kohli reads the length quickly and pulls this over midwicket and finds the boundary. Fifty runs up for RCB in 5.3 overs. Faf goes for a pick-up shot but just clears deep square and settles for a single. Kohli gets a single off the last ball of the PowerPlay.

Here comes Piyush Chawla in the PowerPlay. He starts off with two dot balls and doesn’t let Faf get away. Make it three now as Faf can’t get the ball past the point fielder. FOUR! Length ball outside off, Faf slaps this through covers for a boundary. Just fives runs from the over.

Here comes Jofra Archer. DROPPED! Kohli drives this back to the bowler and Jofra drops this low catch to his left. FOUR! Effortless from Virat. Gently pushed behind point by Kohli for a boundary. SIX! Kohli at his best. He steps out to this slower delivery and drives this aerially for a maximum over long-off.

Behrendorff continues. FOUR! Exquisite shot! Faf dances down the track and gently pushes this outside off delivery through covers and to the boundary. Beaten! This one shapes in and beats Faf’s inside edge. SIX! Faf steps out now and flicks this over midwicket for a maximum. SIX! Back-to-back maximums as Faf thumps this fullish delivery outside off down the ground. Two dots to end the over. Faf misses a scoop off the last one.

Left-arm pacer Arshad Khan from the other end. He starts off with a wide down leg-side. He follows it up with another one that strays down leg. Three in a row now as Arshad darts another one down leg-side. And finally a legal delivery. Fullish on off-stump angling across and Kohli gets an inside edge onto his pads. FOUR! Full and on the pads and Kohli flicks this with ease to the fine-leg boundary. On the legs again and Kohli flicks this with wrists of steel behind square-leg for one. Faf tumbles over as Arshad darts in a brilliant yorker that shapes into the right-hander. Kohli steps out and makes a good connection but straight to mid-on for a dot.

Captain Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli open the chase for RCB. Tantalising contest coming up as Jason Behrendorff, who comes in as Impact Player, has the ball. Kohli guides the first ball behind point for a single. Faf is off the mark with a single down the ground. Kohli shimmies out of his crease and pushes to mid-off to scurry for one more. Faf tucks one off his hips for a couple at fine-leg.

A length ball from Harshal and Arshad whacks it over long-on for SIX. A single to follow and Tilak gets another FOUR as he squeezes it through mid-wicket. A no ball to follow and Arshad gets a single off the free hit. A Helicopter finish from Tilak Varma! Tilak lifts it over long-on for a cracking SIX as MI crosses 170!

Siraj returns. He cuts one past Arshad’s outside-edge first up. A single to follow. Siraj attempts to dig in short but concedes a wide. Another wide to follow. Wide - three in a row! Make that four! Siraj finally lands in the slot and Tilak gets two runs. In the slot and Tilak charges down to spank the bowler for FOUR. Fifth wide for Siraj!

Harshal to Shokeen, OUT! Fantastic Faf pulls off a blinder at extra cover. Length ball from Harshal and Shokeen attempts to lift it over the in-field as Faf rallies around and dives to his left to complete a superb catch. Arshad Khan is in at 9. He is off the mark with a single on debut. Some excellent running between the stumps hand MI some crucial runs. Harshal sends in the perfect dipper on the blockhole to trump Tilak outside the off-stump. Room from Harshal and Tilak clobbers the ball through point for FOUR.

Hrithik Shokeen c du Plessis b Patel 5 (3b 1x4)

FIFTY for Tilak Varma with a massive SIX over square-leg. Akash hits the length but Tilak effortlessly pulls it away from his arc. Akash follows up with a wide which is overturned with a review. Short ball from Akash and Tilak top-edges it over the keeper for FOUR.

Karn to David, OUT! Hits the timber. Green goes for the massive swipe but misses the ball altogether. A massive strike for RCB. Karn drops short and new man Hrithik Shokeen paddles the ball behind square for FOUR.

Tim David b Sharma 4 (7b)

Reece Topley is out of the game after suffering a shoulder dislocation. It has been put back but he won’t take part in the game.

Harshal Patel attacks the pads and Tilak flicks the ball behind square for one run. 100 up for Mumbai as David and Tilak aim to reel in the runs in the final five.

Karn returns for RCB. Tilak flicks the first ball to deep square for a single. Short ball and Wadhera wallops it deep over mid-wicket for SIX. In the slot and BANG! Wadhera sends it out of the stadium - 101M! Karn to Wadhera, OUT! He falls next ball. Straight to Kohli at long-on.

Tim David is the new batter.

Nehal Wadhera c Kohli b Sharma 21 (13b 1x4 2x6)

Tilak attempts to scoop Akash but the ball flies off the edge to the right of Karthik for FOUR. Deep shortens his length, cramping the batters. Seven runs from the over.

Glenn Maxwell into the attack. In the slot and Tilak pumps the ball over long-on for SIX. Short again and Varma wallops the ball through mid-wicket for FOUR.

Bracewell floats one in and Tilak brings out the reverse-sweep over point for FOUR. Bracewell drops his length and only concedes two of the next five balls.

Karn slides one high onto Wadhera’s pad. There is a long deliberation and du Plessis signals for a review from long-on. Excellent lines from Karn, strangling the left-handed pair to the crease. Just two runs from the over.

Michael Bracewell into the attack. Bracewell tosses one up and Suryakumar lifts the ball over extra cover for FOUR. Bracewell to Suryakumar, OUT! Straight to point. Short ball and Suryakumar throws his wicket away. Nehal Wadhera is in at 6. Slower ball and Wadhera dabs it behind short-third for FOUR - welcome to the IPL.

Suryakumar Yadav c Shahbaz Ahmed b Bracewell 15 (16b 1x4)

Karn Sharma replaces Deep. Suryakumar flicks the ball through mid-wicket for two runs. Karn slides one in and Tilak steps out and slides the ball towards short fine. Topley gives chase and he gets stuck on the turf as he slides. He is twisting and wincing in pain. That looks horrible. He is clutching his arm as he walks off the field. Suyash Prabudessai comes in as the sub fielder.

Harshal Patel replaces Siraj. Harshal comes around the wicket and tails the ball in to Tilak who swivels to pull the ball behind square for FOUR. A single to follow and Harshal sends in a slower ball to Suryakumar who misses out as he attempts to cut the ball.

Akash Deep into the attack. Akash finds a thick outside-edge and Topley puts in a superb dive at short-third to deny a boundary. Akash to Rohit, OUT! Edged and taken. A horrendous knock from Rohit as he nicks one well outside the off-stump. MI in all sorts of trouble now. Tilak Varma in at 5. BANG! Back-of-a-length and Tilak smokes it over long-on for SIX. Tilak dabs the next ball down to third for a single.

Rohit Sharma c †Karthik b Akash Deep 1 (10b)

Siraj begins with a wide. A single for SKY follows. Siraj attempts to tail the ball in as Rohit drives to cover, no run. Rohit is strangled by Siraj’s variations. He attempts to charge down the ground but Siraj moves the ball in to beat the blade. IN THE AIR AND DROPPED! Rohit gets a massive reprieve as Dinesh Karthik and Siraj collide to drop a dolly. Four dots on the trot and Siraj completes another brilliant over.

Topley hits the deck but Green slaps the ball through cover for an easy FOUR. Topley slides the ball and Green heaves across the line but misses. Topley to Green, OUT! Bowled him! Low full-toss and the ball scrapes the toe of the blade and hits the stumps. Suryakumar Yasav is in at 4. After two dots, Suryakumar finally finds a run with a single to mid-off.

Cameron Green b Topley 5 (4b 1x4)

Siraj steams and shapes the ball onto Kishan’s pads. Loud appeal but the umpire is unmoved. Siraj to Kishan, OUT! In the air and taken at third! Length ball and Kishan gets a top-edge off a pull to the deep. Cameron Green in at 3. He is off the mark with a quick single to mid-off. Siraj attacks the stumps and Rohit blocks it out.

Ishan Kishan c Patel b Mohammed Siraj 10 (13b 2x4)

Reece Topley from the opposite end. Width from Topley and Kishan slams it through cover point for FOUR. CHANCE for a run out! Kishan drives to point and Rohit sets off for a quick single but a fine stop at cover has Rohit scamper back to make his ground. A direct-hit and he was a goner. Room to free his arms and Kishan smacks Topley through point for FOUR more.

Mohammed Siraj takes the new ball. Rohit on strike. And the MI skipper is off the blocks with a single. Length ball angling in and Kishan stands tall to tap the ball towards point. Siraj swings one in and hits Kishan high on the pads. Straighter this time and Kishan pushes the ball towards mid-on. A hint of room and Kishan guides the ball down to third for a single.

Faf du Plessis leads his RCB side onto the field. Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan open for MI.

All of Chinnaswamy marks a moment of silence for former India cricketer Salim Durani who passed away earlier in the day.

Mumbai Indians XI: Rohit Sharma(c), Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Cameron Green, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Nehal Wadhera, Hrithik Shokeen, Piyush Chawla, Jofra Archer, Arshad Khan

Substitutes: Jason Behrendorff, Vishnu Vinod, Shams Mulani, Sandeep Warrier, Ramandeep Singh

Royal Challengers Bangalore XI: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis(c), Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik(w), Karn Sharma, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Mohammed Siraj

Substitutes: Anuj Rawat, Suyash Prabhudessai, Mahipal Lomror, Sonu Yadav, David Willey

TOSS: RCB wins toss, opts to bowl

Du Plessis: We are going to bowl first. There’s a bit of weather around. There has been a bit of dew in the practice games too. Myself, Bracewell, Maxwell, and Topley. We have been so excited to get started to tonight. This is one of the great stadiums to play cricket in. That’s a long way again. The first goal is to make the playoffs. We have to make sure we get off to a good start, 14 games to go in the tournament, and then we can talk about that.

Rohit: With this new rule teams are backing themselves to chase. At the end of the day you have to play good cricket to win. We know we have to bat first here. The pitch looks good, we just have to come out with positive intent. (Four overseas players) Tim David, Cameron Green, Jofra Archer and Jason Behrendorff. Last season was a disappointment for us but again, we know exactly where we went wrong so we’ll try and correct those mistakes. We’ve got some new faces as well so hopefully those guys play freely and express themselves. (On playing his 200th T20 game as captain) Exciting, I’m really honoured and grateful as well. It’s been a long journey and it’s something I will cherish. Look forward to playing many more games and hopefully we can achieve what we want to achieve.

Rohit Sharma and Faf du Plessis walk out for the toss.

Last year, Rohit Sharma endured his first IPL season ever as captain and a batter. While his side finished at the bottom, Rohit only managed 268 runs in 14 matches - his worst aggregate for a season. After the T20 World Cup semifinal defeat last year, Rohit also said he will take a call on his T20I future after the IPL 2023 season. All to play for.

Sachin Tendulkar turns 50 this month. Here’s your chance to celebrate the Master Blaster’s legacy with Sportstar. Send in your messages on the God of Cricket and stand a chance to be featured in Sportstar’s May issue.

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Wicketkeeper: Dinesh Karthik

Batters: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Tim David

All-rounders: Michael Bracewell, Cameron Green, Shahbaz Ahmed

Bowlers: Reece Topley, Mohammed Siraj, Jofra Archer (vc)

Team Composition:RCB 6:5 MICredits Left: 11

MI Predicted XI (Batting first): Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Cameron Green, Ramandeep Singh, Jofra Archer, Hrithik Shokeen, Sandeep Warrier, Jason Behrendorff.

MI Predicted XI (Bowling first): Rohit Sharma (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav,im David, Cameron Green, Ramandeep Singh, Jofra Archer, Hrithik Shokeen, Sandeep Warrier, Jason Behrendorff, Kumar Kartikeya.

Impact Player options: Kumar Kartikeya, Vishnu Vinod, Arshad Khan, Piyush Chawla, Dewald Brevis.

RCB Predicted XI (Batting first): Faf du Plessis (capt), Virat Kohli, Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Suyash Prabudessai, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Reece Topley

RCB Predicted XI (Bowling first): Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Michael Bracewell, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Mohammed Siraj

Impact Player options: Suyash Prabhudessai, Manoj Bhandage, Karn Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Finn Allen.

• Jasprit Bumrah - 24 wickets
  
• Yuzvendra Chahal - 22 wickets
• Harbhajan Singh - 18 wickets

• Virat Kohli - 769 (30 matches)
• AB de Villiers - 693 (20 matches)
• Rohit Sharma - 566 (22 matches)

How can MI get on without Jasprit Bumrah this year?

Strengths: RCB had been a top-heavy batting team for a while, with the bulk of its runs coming from the troika of Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and A. B. de Villiers. But this imbalance was addressed at the mega auction in February last year when RCB brains trust invested in Indian domestic players like Mahipal Lomror, Shahbaz Ahmed, Rajat Patidar and Anuj Rawat to add heft to the batting. Dinesh Karthik’s mesmerising 360-degree game adds firepower lower down and while the consistency of a finisher is volatile, Karthik’s flamboyance does take the pressure off the likes of Glenn Maxwell and Kohli.

ALSO READ - Orange Cap winners list in IPL, from 2008 to 2022

Weaknesses: RCB was involved in fierce bidding wars for overseas fast-bowling all-rounders Sam Curran, Cameron Green and Ben Stokes but couldn’t sign even one of them. The team lacks proven Indian fast bowlers who can win matches with the bat.

Rohit Sharma will become the third cricketer after MS Dhoni and Daren Sammy to lead in 200 T20 matches as captain tonight in Bengaluru.

Strengths: For a line-up that looks as shaky as last year, at least on paper, the biggest strength is the return of the Mumbai Indians to the Wankhede Stadium. The last time the IPL was played on home-and-away basis, Mumbai Indians had emerged as the champion, and won six of the eight games it played at its den.

Jofra Archer, the newest sensation, cannot ask for a better strip than the red-soil bouncy track at the Wankhede to set the new home turf on fire. If Cameron Green turns the tide and withstands the big bucks’ pressure, it will be the biggest boon for the team.

ALSO READ - MI coach Boucher open to resting Rohit for ‘one or two games’

Weaknesses: Owing to Jasprit Bumrah’s prolonged back injury and Jhye Richardson being ruled out of the tournament at the 11th hour, Mumbai Indians’s pace unit — despite Archer’s addition — appears to be its weak link. The injuries to two prime pacers has also proved detrimental to the balance of its first-choice XI. With Kieron Pollard having retired from the IPL and joined the star-studded coaching staff, Tim David is the numero uno finisher and Green the primary all-rounder. Should Jason Behrendorff be included as Archer’s new-ball partner, it may result in MI being forced to bench Dewald Brevis, thus possibly weakening the batting line-up.

Mumbai has had the wood over RCB in their backyard.

• Matches played: 10
• Royal Challengers Bangalore won: 2
• Mumbai Indians won: 8
• Last result: Mumbai Indians won by six runs (March 2019)
• Last five results: RCB won - 1; MI won - 4.

• Matches played: 30
• Royal Challengers Bangalore won: 13
• Mumbai Indians won: 17
• Last result: Royal Challengers Bangalore won by seven wickets (Pune; April 2022)
• Last five results: RCB won - 4; MI won - 1

Mumbai Indians head coach Mark Boucher confirmed that skipper Rohit Sharma and pacer Jofra Archer are fit for their IPL opener against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will face the might of five­-time champion Mumbai Indians (MI) in their IPL 2023 opener, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.

The new season pre- sents yet another chance for RCB to finally claim a maiden IPL trophy.

Skipper Faf du Plessis will lead a side which has made it to the playoff stage for the last three seasons, but is yet to take that final step to reach the top of the hill.

RCB will miss the services of Australian fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who is out with an injury.

Looking to Topley England left­arm seamer Reece Topley has been brought in as cover, even if it is tough to fill the shoes of a proven performer like Hazlewood.

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It remains to be seen if RCB uses Virat Kohli as an opener, or in a middle­order role he plays for the Indian team.

MI, meanwhile, will be thrilled to welcome England pace ace Jofra Archer back into the fold. Archer, who did not feature in the previous edition, will test the RCB batters with his pace and bounce.

MI skipper Rohit Sharma ma will look to correct his poor run in the last IPL season. There can be no better opportunity to do so than on a batting-­friendly M. Chinnaswamy Stadium pitch.

- Ashwin Achal

When will the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2023 match take place?

The Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians match will be played on Sunday, April 2.

Where will the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2023 match take place?

The Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians match will take place at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

When will the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2023 match start?

The Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians match will start at 7:30 PM IST.

Where can I watch the Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2023 match?

Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India. The match will stream live on the Jio Cinema app for free.