Hardik Pandya put up a herculean effort. Tilak Varma got here up with a whirlwind knock too. However the duo’s show couldn’t take Mumbai Indians (MI) previous the end line in opposition to a sturdy Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in a marquee conflict of the Indian Premier League 2025 on Monday.
MI pulling off the very best profitable chase on the Wankhede Stadium was on the playing cards throughout the thrill-a-minute fifth-wicket partnership between Tilak and Hardik. However their wickets late within the innings meant RCB secured its first victory on the venue since 2015.
Hardik and Tilak’s 89-run affiliation, off simply 34 balls, introduced Mumbai Indians inside touching distance of overhauling RCB’s 221 for 5. However a well timed ball-change – a brand new rule launched to counter the influence of dew – helped RCB maintain its nerve and register a 12-run win.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya, who excelled upon returning to his outdated group, held fort by bowling an correct last-three overs. The sport, although, was arrange by the RCB’s batters that gave the much-needed cushion on a batting-friendly wicket.
Virat Kohli dazzled the group together with his quickest IPL fifty since 2018. Whereas Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal dominated the primary half, captain Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma had been on the mark with their ending acts as RCB added 121 runs within the latter half regardless of Jasprit Bumrah marking his return to motion with a cheap spell (0/29).
When Hardik joined Tilak within the center, MI was reeling at 99 for 4 in 12 overs, and the sport was tilting in favour of RCB. However Hardik hit high gear from the primary ball and Tilak lower unfastened on the different finish too, giving MI an out of doors likelihood.
With 41 required off 19 balls, RCB opted for a drier ball. It did the trick with Bhuvneshwar dismissing Tilak within the subsequent over, and Hazlewood forcing Hardik right into a false stroke within the penultimate over.
Krunal had used his faster ball successfully regardless of and was requested to defend 19 runs within the final over. He struck thrice as MI’s decrease order mistimed persistently, leaving MI so shut but up to now.