RCB Man of the Match today: Royal Challengers Bangalore have started their IPL 2021 campaign on a winning note tonight.
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During the first match of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai, Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians by 2 wickets in a tense chase.
Chasing a 160-run target at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Bangalore never really looked like sealing the chase comfortably. Scoring 46/2 in the powerplay, a 52-run partnership between captain Virat Kohli (33) and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell (39) put the Royal Challengers in front but them losing three quick wickets hampered their progress.
Eventually, it was wicket-keeper batsman AB de Villiers’ stroke-filled 48 (27) comprising of four fours and two sixes which powered his team to a victory. Despite de Villiers getting run-out in the last over, Harshal Patel (4*) remained calm enough to score a run off the last ball of the match to seal the chase.
With bowling figures of 4-0-26-2, Indians spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of their bowlers. While debutant Marco Jansen had also picked a couple of wicket, the likes of Krunal Pandya and Trent Boult picked a wicket apiece.
RCB Man of the Match today
Earlier, Mumbai had posted 159/9 in 20 overs on the back of debutant batsman Chris Lynn’s 49 (35) after Kohli won the toss and chose to bowl. For Royal Challengers, Patel became the first bowler to pick a five-wicket haul against MI as his bowling figures of 4-0-27-5 were also the best-ever performance for him.
Having conceded 15 runs in his first over, Patel did exceptionally well to pick as many as five wickets in his next three overs which included giving away just a solitary runs in the last over of the innings. Returning to Bangalore for a second stint after spending three years at Delhi Capitals, Patel celebrated his comeback with a ‘Man of the Match’ award.
“When they traded me [from Delhi Capitals] they told me I was part of the plans and would bowl at the death. Absolutely happy to be here to repay the faith showed in me. I didn’t know I was the first to get a five-for against Mumbai [Indians]. Whatever momentum I had I wanted to make use of it.
“This is my first five-for in 98 matches [T20s] and to get it against a team like Mumbai is special. I’ve just been working a lot on my yorker, become more confident in bowling it at different stages of the game. I was always good with length balls and slower balls,” Patel told Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.
