RCB overpowers Mumbai
Last over of the Royal Challengers innings bowled by Mitchell McClenaghan who gave away 24 runs, proved very costly in the end in the context of the match for Mumbai Indians. On a pitch which was in favour of bowlers than the batsmen, chasing 168 runs for a victory proved too steep for Mumbai. Hardik and Krunal Pandya tried their best as they put on 56 runs to take Mumbai closer to victory, but Krunal went down in 19th over trying to break the shackles. The 19th over bowled by Mohmammed Siraj almost sealed the fate of the match as Siraj gave away only 5 runs and took Krunal’s wicket. Mumbai needed 25 runs of the last wicket, but Hardik (50) got out on the very first ball bowled by Tim Southee. Ben Cutting did hit a boundary and a six, but Mumbai lost the match by 14 runs.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians bowlers exploited a difficult batting track but leaked a few runs towards the end to allow Royal Challengers Banaglore post 167 for seven in an IPL match, the outcome of which will decide their survival in the League.
Captain Virat Kohli (32) and Brendon McCullum (37) added 60 quick runs in the middle overs to help the side recover from a slow start but Hardik Pandya (3/28) scalped three batsmen and effected a run out to stop the hosts from running away with a big total.
Colin de Grandhomme (23 from 10) hit three sixes in the last over, bowled by fellow New Zealander Mitchell McClenaghan to provide a flourishing finish to the innings.
Opener Manan Vohra (45) played a useful knock at the top before being trapped by Mayank Markande.
As the wicket offered turned and pacers too generated pace, Mumbai Indians succeeded in straight-jacketing the RCB batsmen. Since it had rained, there was dampness in the wicket, causing the ball to come a slow on the bat.
Vohra broke the shackles by creaming off 22 runs from South African all-rounder JP Duminy’s second over.
McClenaghan, though, kept troubling Quinton de Kock (7) , who struggled badly to connect the bat with the ball and was eventually caught brilliantly by Rohit Sharma at short mid-wicket off the Kiwi paceman.
Considering the conditions, expectedly, all three spinners were employed by captain Rohit Sharma. Krunal Pandya turned the ball away from McCullum while impressive Markande yet again kept the batsmen in a tight leash.
The spinner was hit for a six by Vohra but Markande trapped his Ranji teammate from Punjab.
It brought skipper Kohli at the crease as he came to bat at number four from his usual one-down position. The hosts claimed 20 runs from the 10th over, bowled by Hardik with McCullum hitting him for two sixes and a four.