RCB bowlers help defeat Mumbai

Bangalore: The Royal Challengers Bangalore bowlers turned in a superlative performance to help defeat the Mumbai Indians in Match 31 of VIVO IPL 2018. Given the task of batting first on a difficult track at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, RCB posted 167-7, after which their bowlers restricted the visitors to 153-7. RCB halted their two-match losing streak with the 14-run win and the result took them to fifth in the eight-team standings. With this result, MI — the defending champions — have two wins from 8 matches.

The RCB bowlers had come in for plenty of tap — particularly in the death overs — in their last few games, and their shocking display had cost RCB wins and crucial points. On Tuesday night though, the bowlers were close to their best. Umesh Yadav once again shone with the new ball — dismissing the in-form Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma off consecutive deliveries, Yuzvendra Chahal was stingy in the middle overs, and most importantly Mohammed Siraj and Tim Southee were exceptional in the death overs. RCB had 62 to defend in the final five overs, which was reduced to 34 off the final three overs, but Siraj, Colin de Grandhomme and Southee bowled three outstanding overs —conceding only 20 runs — to deny the visitors.

For MI, Hardik Pandya’s 50 — made from 42 balls — would be the top-score, and his 56-run partnership with his elder brother Krunal (23 from 19 balls) would be the biggest partnership of the innings. MI scored 40-3 in the first six overs, added 66 runs in the middle overs, and a further 47 runs in the final five to finish at 153-7.

Earlier in the evening, the RCB innings was essentially a tale of three big overs. After the first three overs had only produced 11 runs, Manan Vohra got stuck into of JP Duminy and took 22 runs off the off-spinner. 20 runs were added to the RCB total in the tenth over — bowled by Hardik Pandya; this time the damage caused by McCullum and Kohli. The hosts finished their innings with a flourish; Colin de Grandhomme ruined Mitchell McClenaghan’s figures by hitting him for three sixes.