Kohli and Patidar Dampen Bumrah's Return Celebration
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MUMBAI: In an exhilarating IPL match on Monday, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru maintained their composure to secure a 12-run victory over the Mumbai Indians, marking their first win against the blue brigade at Wankhede Stadium since 2015.
With impressive performances from Virat Kohli (67 runs off 42 balls) and Rajat Patidar (64 runs off 32 balls), RCB delivered a remarkable batting display, setting a total of 221/5 after being invited to bat on a favorable pitch. Contributions from Devdutt Padikkal (37 runs off 22 balls) and Jitesh Sharma (40 runs off 19 balls) further bolstered the team's score.
In response, MI struggled initially, managing only 54/2 in the first six overs. However, Captain Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma mounted a spirited effort, forming a fifth-wicket partnership that yielded 89 runs off just 34 balls.
The match reached a critical juncture with MI needing 19 runs from the final over, still having four wickets in hand. Unfortunately, they could only muster six runs, resulting in their fourth loss in five matches, while RCB celebrated their third victory out of four.
Entering the crease at 99/4 at the beginning of the 13th over, Pandya played with remarkable intensity, launching a barrage of sixes to score 50 runs in just 15 balls alongside Varma, helping MI reach 150 runs in 14.3 overs.
By the end of the 15th over, MI stood at 157/4, with the target reduced to 65 runs from 30 balls. Varma was dismissed for 50 runs off 26 balls (including 4 fours and 3 sixes) when the score was 188, and Hardik followed shortly after, scoring 42 runs off 15 balls (with 4 sixes), which ultimately ended MI's hopes.
However, the standout performer in this high-stakes encounter was Jasprit Bumrah. Regarded as the most valuable asset in Indian cricket, Bumrah made his return to the field for the first time since suffering a lower back stress injury in January.
Widely acknowledged as the best fast bowler globally, Bumrah is considered irreplaceable.
In his return match, he did not take any wickets, finishing with figures of 4-0-29-0. However, his statistics were of secondary importance, as the primary concern for both his IPL team and the Indian team management was to observe how he performed under match conditions. What would have pleased viewers was that he remained the most effective bowler for his team.
Kohli and his teammates dismantled the bowling strategy of MI, while Bumrah managed to emerge relatively unscathed. He conceded only two sixes, one in his opening over and another in his final over. For the majority of the innings, the RCB batsmen settled for singles.
MI struggled during the Powerplay and the final overs. RCB surged to a score of 73/1 within the first six overs, marking the fourth-highest Powerplay total against MI in IPL history and the second-highest at Wankhede, surpassed only by CSK's 90 runs in 2015.
The runs given away by other bowlers intensified the pressure. Trent Boult was hit for 16 runs in the third over, while Deepak Chahar conceded 20 runs in the sixth over.
Bumrah's initial performance was not ideal. On his second delivery of the fourth over, Kohli created space and sent the ball soaring into the midwicket stands for a six. Following that shot, Bumrah showcased his skill by being precise, varying his pace, and delivering yorkers, ensuring he restricted the batters' scoring opportunities.
When he returned for his second over in the 11th, he allowed only singles. MI's bowlers faltered in the last five overs, yielding 70 runs during that stretch. However, Bumrah's two overs helped mitigate the damage. When he commenced the 18th over, the score stood at 192/4.
His ability to manage pressure was evident as he allowed just six singles in the 18th over and eight runs in the 20th, which included a six.
The crowd filled the stands, eager to witness the home team secure their second victory at home, but instead, they were treated to a T20 batting exhibition by RCB's elegant batsmen, Kohli and Patidar. Kohli played in his signature style, accumulating runs through traditional strokes, while Patidar kept the bowlers on their toes.
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