Royal Challengers Bangalore notched up a hat-trick of victories, riding on Anuj Rawat’s composed 66 and Virat Kohli’s 48 as they hammered 5-time champions Mumbai Indians by 7 wickets in Pune on Saturday. The defeat meant Rohit Sharma’s men remained winless after 4 matches in the new season along with Chennai Super Kings who lost to SunRisers Hyderabad earlier in the day.
Anuj Rawat, the highly-rated Delhi batter, took the aggressor’s role in RCB’s chase even as captain Faf du Plessis struggled to get going in the powerplay. RCB managed just 30 runs in the first 6 overs as the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Jaydev Unadkat, Murugan Ashwin and Basil Thampi kept it quiet.
IPL 2022: POINTS TABLE
However, Rawat took the attack to MI bowlers after the powerplay, hitting them freely into the stands. The youngster hit 6 sixes in his knock after stitching a fifty-run opening stand with du Plessis.
Unadkat got du Plessis’s wicket and MI looked to put pressure on RCB but Kohli kept going from the word go, once again showcasing his refreshing change of approach at the top.
FURIOUS KOHLI
Kohli hit 48 from just 36 balls, stitching an 80-run stand with Rawat before he was given out LBW in the 18th over bowled by Dewald Brevis, the U19 World Cup star. Kohli was not happy with the decision as he vented out his frustration, slamming his bat on the ground.
Even as the TV cameras were focussing on a furious Kohli, Glenn Maxwell got the job done with 2 boundaries off his first two deliveries, announcing his arrival in IPL 2022.
Interestingly, Mumbai played only 2 overseas players as 5-time champions are surprisingly struggling to find the right combination.
RCB vs MI, IPL 2022 Highlights
Earler, Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Faf du Plessis won the toss and decided to field.
Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma was off to a quick start but Ishan Kishan was slow off the blocks.
Harshal Patel started the slide for MI when he dismissed Rohit Sharma, outfoxing him a clever off-cutter before getting rid of Ramandeep Singh.
Ishan Kishan, who has briefly held the Orange Cap last week, fell to Akash Deep for a 28-ball 26.
Glenn Maxwell, playing his first match for RCB this year, ran out the in-form Tilak Varma with a brilliant direct hit while Wanindu Hasaranga picked the crucial wickets of Ishan Kishan and Kieron Pollard to rock the 5-time champions.
SURYAKUMAR SHINES
From 50 for no loss in 6.1 overs, MI had collapsed to 62 for 5 in 10.1 overs.
However, Suryakumar Yadav helped Mumbai Indians post 151 with a counter-attacking masterclass. The MI batter flaunted his 360-degree approach, effortlessly taking the attack to RCB bowlers as she hit 68 from just 37 balls. He hit 6 sixes and 5 boundaries as he made it look easy even as his teammates struggled to get going.
Suryakumar did not hold back as he kept throwing the punches, helping MI score 59 runs in the last 5 overs.
Suryakumar has eased into the new season as he hit a 36-ball 52 against Kolkata Knight Riders on his comeback to the team after missing the first two matches due to injury.
SRH THRASH CSK
Sunrisers Hyderabad crushed defending champions Chennai Super Kings by 8 wickets at the DY Patil Stadium in the first match of Saturday.
Chennai Super Kings have now lost all their four matches in what has been a nightmarish campaign at IPL 2022. Never before have CSK had such a poor start to a season of the Indian Premier League.
Kane Williamson had won the toss and asked CSK to bat first. Ruturaj Gaekwad, the Orange Cap winner in 2021, has had a horror start this year but he looked good for a while before falling to T Natarajan.
There were no serious contributions for CSK apart from Moeen Ali ‘s 48 and a 27 from Ambati Rayudu.
Ravindra Jadeja made a quick 23 but that was hardly enough as CSK finished with 154 for 7 off their 20 overs.
Chasing a middling total, Abhishek Sharma was on fire even as Kane Williamson struggled before falling for a 40-ball 32.
The SRH chase was highlighted by Abhishek Sharma’s 75 off 50 balls. Rahul Tripathi’s hurricane unbeaten 39 off 15 balls hastened CSK ‘s downfall.