Openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli hit half-centuries to lay the foundations for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 18-run win over the Mumbai Indians in a high-profile IPL clash on Sunday.
Salt clobbered 78 off 36 balls with Kohli playing the anchor role in his 50 as the defending champions put on 120 runs for the first wicket and posted 240-4 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
Captain Rajat Patidar’s 53 off 20 balls and a late blitz by Tim David, who hit an unbeaten 34, lifted RCB to an imposing total.
“The way Virat and Salt started the innings, I think that kept us in the driving seat,” said Patidar. “Then a good cameo by me and Tim, I think that was a pure team effort.”
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The presence of Kohli and Mumbai veteran Rohit Sharma – two stalwarts who now feature only in ODIs for India and the IPL – added extra star power to the contest.
RCB restricted their opponents to 222-5 as five-time winners Mumbai suffered their third straight defeat in the tournament.
England opener Salt was the aggressor at the start for Bengaluru, smacking six fours and six sixes. He was later named Man of the Match.
6️⃣, 6️⃣, 6️⃣! ?
? Phil Salt goes back-to-back-to-back against Mitchell Santner ?
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/q1MGJfD2d8#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #MIvRCB | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/8yVGxxtpiP
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Kohli let his partner do much of the damage while also bringing up his second half-century of the season in relatively sedate fashion.
Salt hit three sixes in a row off New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner en route to his 25-ball fifty but a brief lull in scoring forced him to hit out, and he lost his wicket to Shardul Thakur.
Patidar then tore into the Mumbai attack with a string of sixes and, after Kohli’s dismissal, raced to his fifty from just 17 balls. David then rounded off the innings with a late flourish.
Mumbai started briskly courtesy of Ryan Rickelton’s 37 off 22 balls but soon lost steam after Rohit retired hurt due to a hamstring problem.
Chasing a big total? No problem ?
? Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton go big early to ease the pressure and give #MI a flawless start. ?
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Kohli did not take to the field for Bengaluru after his innings due to an ankle injury.
Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma struck twice in one over to dismiss Rickelton and Tilak Varma.
Suryakumar Yadav (33) and skipper Hardik Pandya (40) attempted to drag the chase back on track in a brisk partnership of 47, but once both fell, Mumbai slipped behind the required rate.
“I think in the last couple of games, as a bowling unit or even as a batting unit, we’ve been catching up in the game rather than leading the game,” said Pandya.
Impact substitute Sherfane Rutherford made a valiant unbeaten 71, blasting four sixes in the last over, but the knock came too late for Mumbai.
– AFP
Photo: BCCI
