Transient Rating: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (240/4 in 20 overs) beat Mumbai Indians (222/5 in 20 overs) by 18 runs on Sunday in Mumbai. HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
It was an evening of some throwback music on the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 12. The followers and the gamers began the sport by remembering the late nice Asha Bhosleand her traditional numbers ran by way of the stadium throughout the match. However when it got here to RCB’s batting, it was simply pure rock and roll.
And the encore got here within the type of a sudden siege—RCB, RCB chants that drowned Mumbai on the day and handed them their third consecutive loss. It was at this very floor that RCB made their title aspirations clear in 2025 with an announcement win in opposition to MI. Wankhede was additionally the venue the place they scored 235 for the lack of one wicket in 2015. And tonight, they simply made it a bit extra. Correction, a bit of bit extra Salt-y.
The defending champions had been trying to return to type after the hammering they acquired from Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and RR of their earlier sport. MI, too, had obtained comparable therapy and was trying to bounce again after two back-to-back losses.
Successful the toss is all the time seen as a bonus, and Hardik Pandya acquired the rub of the inexperienced and opted to bowl first. The possibility to bowl at Phil Salt was seen as a superb one for the MI bowlers given his poor type in 2026. Kohli, alternatively, seemed to be in superb contact and raring to go.
The star batsman began with a six off the third ball after which, all of the sudden, it appeared like type simply magically transferred from Kohli to Salt because the Englishman began to go berserk on the Wankhede.
SALT PEPPERS THE SPINNERS
The Wankhede is seen as a graveyard for bowlers, and if you’re a spinner, the probabilities of returning with respectable figures are uncommon. Hardik had the luxurious of calling in Mitchell Santner, and he was welcomed by Salt with a hat-trick of sixes and a boundary.
Mayank Markande additionally obtained comparable therapy on the evening, conceding three boundaries off his first three balls after which a six. Salt acquired to his fifty in simply 50 balls, and it was a welcome reduction for him after a slightly underwhelming begin to the season.
MI’s powerplay bowling has been an actual fear for them this season, and the lack to cease Salt meant RCB raced to 95 runs in 8 overs.
KOHLI’S DAY OFF
Whereas Salt went arduous at discovering runs, on the different finish it regarded like Kohli simply could not discover any form of rhythm. During the last couple of years, Kohli’s change in method had been seen because the benchmark for the remainder of the veterans on the right way to reinvent themselves.
After beginning with a couple of nice pictures, Kohli’s putting fell off and, until the primary strategic break, he gave the impression to be only a passenger as Salt took management.
As quickly because the break ended, Kohli hit a few boundaries to boost hopes, however as quickly as Salt was dismissed for 78 off 36 balls, he as soon as once more went right into a shell.
Fortunately for RCB, Rajat Patidar walked in like a person possessed and went arduous on the bowlers from the get-go. MI have often made their approach into contests throughout the center overs, however the RCB skipper ensured nothing of that kind occurred.
He took down Mayank Markande for 20 runs after which Shardul Thakur for 23. At one level, it appeared that Yashasvi Jaiswal’s quickest fifty report was below severe risk.
When Patidar got here in, Kohli was on 39 after 11 overs, and by the top of the 14th, the distinction was simply three runs. Kohli acquired his fifty however was dismissed quickly after, and the response spoke a thousand phrases.
He threw away his gloves and helmet in anguish on the best way again. It isn’t all the time potential to remain dedicated to the identical technique, and this will have simply been a glitch for Kohli.
DOES MI HAVE A BUMRAH ISSUE?
On paper, MI are a world-class facet, and their crown jewel is Jasprit Bumrah. However not too long ago, his exploits have not yielded the specified outcomes.
In his final 5 video games, he has remained wicketless—the longest such stretch since he began enjoying within the IPL.
The impact of Bumrah being off-colour might be felt on the remainder of the bowlers, who continued to leak runs as Patidar acquired to his fifty. They had been joined by former MI participant Tim David, who took on Hardik first within the 18th over after which Bumrah within the nineteenth.
He then completed issues off with a six off the ultimate ball as RCB posted 240 runs.
ROHIT’S INDIFFERENT DAY
The day was billed as a Ro-Ko battle, and rightfully so. They’re presently the 2 largest names in Indian cricket, however each had an underwhelming day by their requirements. Rohit began off as second fiddle to Ryan Rickelton, who struck a couple of massive pictures and ensured that MI stored up with the run charge early on. Nonetheless, it simply felt like MI had been all the time enjoying catch up.
“We’re planning about it, the right way to get momentum within the powerplay. In batting or bowling, we’re catching up within the powerplay. A whole lot of choices can be requested and thrown within the subsequent sport,” mentioned Hardik.
Rohit acquired going within the fourth over with a six off Duffy and a few boundaries. However then, the previous MI skipper started to wrestle with a hamstring problem and left the sphere.
That coincided with a sudden drop in momentum for Mumbai, who misplaced their approach. The eighth over ended Rickelton’s keep, and Tilak Varma’s poor run of type continued as Suyash claimed each males. There was a quick section of resistance—or slightly defiance—from Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya, who put collectively a 47-run stand. However Krunal got here in to hang-out his former facet, dismissing Suryakumar and pushing MI additional into disarray.
As soon as Hardik was dismissed within the fifteenth over, the writing was on the wall. This was a recurring problem, additionally seen throughout the loss to RR, the place scoreboard strain got here again to hang-out them. The primary sport in opposition to KKR now looks as if a false daybreak for the five-time champions, as ending the opening-match jinx hasn’t helped them in any significant approach.
The center order appears to lack each type and firepower, regardless of the presence of T20 World Cup winners within the lineup. There was hope within the type of Sherfane Rutherford, who fought a lone battle in the long run, scoring 71 off 31 balls, which included 9 sixes.
For RCB, they acquired the win and their season again on monitor, and can now head house to face LSG on Wednesday, April 15.
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