Even though RCB scored 221 runs, Hardik and Tilak gave them a fright, but Krunal remained composed.
After defeating the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the corresponding match against the Chennai Super Kings for the first time in 17 years at the Chepauk stadium, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated the MI at the Wankhede Stadium for the first time in ten years in what is turning out to be a year of breaking jinxes.
Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma gave RCB a serious fright, adding 89 in 34 balls from 99 for 4 in 12 overs, despite the team’s 221-run score. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, and Krunal Pandya put on a defensive masterclass to deny MI after MI was reduced from 123 off eight overs to 41 off the final three.
Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar both reached rapid fifties before Jitesh Sharma’s final kick put them at 221 despite three superb overs from Hardik and the return of Jasprit Bumrah. It was Kohli’s first IPL under-30-ball score since 2018 and his fastest T20 fifty since 2019. Patidar was able to start cautiously because of his intention before dismantling Hardik, who had repressed the other batters.
The mark was by no means out of MI’s grasp, but at the end of the 12th over, MI had only a 2.25% chance of victory after Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma bowled their first five overs for just 21 runs. Tilak’s 29-ball 56 and Hardik’s incredible 42 off 15 made it an even match, but in the 18th and 19th overs, Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood hit enough yorkers to give Krunal 18 to defend in the last over. He condemned his brother’s team to a 12-run loss for the second time in a row.
Kohli, Padikkal make light work after early wicket
Devdutt Padikkal blasted his first ball for a four, but Trent Boult struck in the opening over of an innings for the 31st time in the IPL. After the powerplay, RCB reached 73, but the intent continued. Padikkal took 32 off 15 and Kohli took 36 off 19. To reach fifty in 29 balls, Kohli, who typically lowers anchor, used slog sweeps to take on the spinners in the seventh and ninth overs.
Hardik plays cat and mouse
The RCB was stifled in the middle by Hardik’s wide lines, but Vignesh Puthur’s left-arm wristspin took out Padikkal for 37 off 22. Patidar was able to keep an eye out for an eight off ten start since Kohli continued to try huge shots.
With 20 off his final over, Patidar then changed Mitchell Santner’s numbers after moving over and taking Hardik for runs. Here, Hardik’s wide lines allowed him to take out Liam Livingstone and Kohli in the same over, bringing the total to 144 for 5 with 33 balls remaining.
Patidar and Jitesh close out in style
Bumrah was set to bowl two of the final five overs, marking his return from a back injury that had prevented him from playing since the first week of January. RCB had to score a lot of runs at the opposite end. Patidar destroyed Hardik’s numbers to 4-0-45-2 by taking 33 off 12. Jitesh consigned Boult to his most expensive T20 analysis of 4-0-57-2 after taking 24 off eight of him. Even though Bumrah gave just 14 in the 18th and 20th overs, RCB felt they had caused enough damage.
Hazlewood, Suyash put RCB far ahead
It was only strengthened when Suyash’s out-of-character action and Hazlewood’s flawless lengths caused problems for the MI top rank. After Jitesh’s brilliant DRS review got Ryan Rickleton out, Hazlewood gave up just two runs in the powerplay’s last over. It was Suryakumar Yadav who brought attention to himself. He was 8 off 13 following this over and Suyash’s one. Suryakumar and Will Jacks combined for just 41 runs in six overs, which led to his two dismissals, further complicating matters for MI. When MI eventually caught Suryakumar at the end of the 12th over, they needed to reach what would have been the second-highest successful target in the final eight overs of an IPL game.
Dramatic end
Similar to how Patidar took the final overs of Santner and Hardik for a plenty, Tilak, who was retired out in MI’s most recent game, kept Hardik off strike for seven balls but took 17 off Suyash’s final over in those seven balls. In just seven balls, Hardik turned the tide of the match with the coolest and sweetest of boundaries when he was finally hit. Hazlewood hit two sixes and two fours off these seven balls, while brother Krunal hit two sixes.
The ask was now 71 off 33 with Hardik 32 off 7. In an attempt to disrupt Hardik’s rhythm, there was some gamesmanship, but MI persisted. The following over got off to a strong start from Bhuvneshwar, but Tilak took 13 off it with a six and a four. It was still just a bit more than two a ball. With some slower balls, Yash Dayal was able to get away, but MI was still in it thanks to a late six.
Now, Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar dealt nearly exclusively in yorkers. Santner hit a six off a low full toss from Hazlewood, Hardik hit a four, and Naman Dhir hit a six off the first ball when they missed even a little.
Nevertheless, Krunal gave Santner and Deepak Chahar simply enough power to be caught on the boundary, and MI needed 19 runs from the last over. His best IPL stats were 4-0-45-4 for Krunal.
