IPL 2021 Match 1: Harshal, AB de Villiers guide RCB to a convincing win over MI
Harshal Patel
|| India Correspondent ||
The 14th edition of the Indian Premier League has started with a stunning win by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) over Mumbai Indians at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bowl first.
He called it right as both Rohit Sharma and Chris Lynn struggled to get going freely in the first few overs which also saw a bizarre run-out of Rohit who could only manage 19 runs off 15 balls. However, his dismissal worked for good for them as Suryakumar Yadav paced things up soon.
He along with Lynn soon started taking on every bowler. Yadav got off the mark with a boundary through square leg off Kyle Jamieson. Soon, Lynn smashed a six off Yuzvendra Chahal and their onslaught helped them to put up 86 after the halfway mark.
Just when the pair looked to take the game away from the opponent, Kyle removed Yadav for 31 and Lynn too got out for 49 soon after. However, their dismissal didn't affect the scoring as youngster Ishan Kishan was seen in good touch. He took on Chahal for a boundary and a six and took the team to 128 after 15 overs.
After playing a 19-ball 28 runs knock, Ishan became the victim of Harshal Patel in the 18th over and Mumbai players hardly managed to add runs in the total, courtesy Harshal Patel, who picked up 3 wickets in the final over and became the first bowler to claim a fifer against Mumbai Indians and restricted the two-time defending champions within 159 runs on board.
While chasing, RCB tried with a new opening pair in the form of Virat Kohli and Washington Sunder. While Kohli was expected in the opening, Sunder was certainly a surprise. However, he couldn't utilise his chance as he could manage only 10 runs off 16 balls.
While he was struggling, Kohli was taking singles and his timely boundaries kept the scoreboard ticking as well. Meanwhile, Rajat Patidar too fell for 8 and their posted 46runsinside the powerplay. After that, it was Glenn Maxwell show. After a long time, he was seen in a destructive mode.
He smashed Rahul Chahar for two boundaries in the 8th over and soon after hammered a massive six off Krunal Pandya. To stop the run flow, Rohit brought back his key bowler - Jaspreet Bumrah in the attack and he bowled Kohli for 33. On the other hand, Maxwell too couldn't contribute more as Marco Jansen removed him with a short, around the chest and slow delivery which the devastating batsman failed to read.
His dismissal brought AB de Villiers in the middle who hit a boundary and a six off Chahar. And, their same old story of collapse in the middle order started as wickets started falling around him while he held the fort at one end. Later, he smashed Boult too for a boundary and a six and two fours off Bumrah to take the equation to 7 runs off 6 balls.
And, with much surprise, de Villiers got run out for 48, leaving the equation 2 off 2. And Harshal Patel took the team to the finish line with a single in the final ball with 2 wickets in hand.
