Badree takes first of the two hat-tricks in IPL’s Friday action
Spinner Samuel takes hat-trick but Pollard turns the game for MI
A match that looked destined to be remembered for Royal Challengers Bangalore spinner Samuel Badree's magnificent debut hat-trick was methodically turned on its head as Mumbai Indians chased with purpose and belief to register a four-wicket win at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.
Chasing RCB's 142/5, Mumbai were staring at an embarrassing defeat after Badree's treble reduced them to 7/4 in the third over. A 93-run stand between Kieron Pollard (70, 47b, 3x4, 5x6) and Krunal Pandya (37, 30b, 3x4, 1x6) for the fifth wicket changed the course of the match, ensuring a comfortable seven-ball victory.
The pair stuck to plan well and by the time Pollard went back to the pavilion, skying Yuzvendra Chahal to AB de Villiers at long off, with the scoreboad reading 126/6, the stage was set for Hardik Pandya to apply the finishing touch with his brother.
It was always going to be difficult for RCB to defend the total but Badree, who missed the entirety of last season with injury and in the team ahead of Shane Watson, came back from the wilderness to give them the best possible chance.
The leg spinner removed Parthiv Patel, caught at covers by Chris Gayle, in the second ball of his second over. He followed that up by dismissing Mitchell McClenaghan in the next and captain Rohit Sharma with a googly.
Earlier, Mumbai, electing to field, stifled RCB with controlled bowling and great field placements.
Despite the slow pitch and unpredictable bounce, Virat Kohli, on his return from injury, remained the sole saving grace with a wellcrafted 62 off 47 balls.
The Indian captain roped in his side's first boundary, a six that too, in the third over which saw Tim Southee concede 17 runs. A wristy shot down the leg side to the ropes from the captain remained the classiest shot of the day.
Gayle (22, 27b, 4x2, 6x1), in for Billy Stanlake, and de Villiers (19, 21b, 6x1) struggled to find their flow but with Kohli at the other end, had 63 and 47-run partnerships respectively for the first and second wicket.