Mumbai Indians unwanted record of not winning their first game of IPL continued as Royal Challengers Bangalore held their nerves in the end to clinch a two-wicket win.
Chasing 160 to win, Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli came out all guns blazing as he raced his way to 18 off just 10 balls with four sumptuous boundaries.
Kohli greeted Trent Boult with a straight drive in the first over and then backed it up with an imperious cover-drive in the next.
Debutant Marco Jansen got a harsh welcome to the IPL by Kohli as he pulled him in front of the square for a boundary. Jansen erred and overstepped and Kohli took full toll of the free hit as he walked inside the line of the ball and smoked it over short-fine.
Washington Sundar (10 off 16), on the other hand, struggled to get going and he was eventually dismissed by Krunal Pandya after he mistimed an attempter hoike across the line to give an easy catch to Chris Lynn at short third-man.
Rajat Patidar announced himself with a deft touch past third-man off Trent Boult but the fast bowler eventually had the last laugh as the former chopped it back on his stumps on what was a knuckleball on the penultimate ball of the last over of the powerplay.
Kohli nearly got run-out on the first ball of the next over after he tapped it to point and immediately ran for a single. Maxwell denied the call, leaving Kohli stranded midway. He eventually got back safely thanks to a poor throw.
Glenn Maxwell set the ball rolling with a reverse-flick and a lofted cover drive off Rahul Chahar and Krunal Pandya in the 8th and 9th over as RCB moved to 2/69.
Maxwell smoked his maiden IPL six since 2018 and he did that in style as he hit Krunal Pandya for a maximum that sailed out of the ground. And, he backed it up another six- this time a switch-hit- off Rahul Chahar on the first ball of the next over.
Virat Kohli survived a serious miscue in the same over as the ball landed between three fielders at wide long-off.
Jasprit Bumrah returned to the attack and provided Mumbai Indians with a crucial breakthrough as he trapped Virat Kohli- who shuffled way too across his stumps- plumb in front.
Kohli’s wicket triggered a collapse as Marco Jansen knocked over Glenn Maxwell and Shahbaz Ahmed while Bumrah claimed Dan Christian as the equation boiled down to 34 off the last three overs.
But as long as AB de Villiers was at the crease, Royal Challengers Bangalore still had more than a chance. AB, who had previously smoked a six and a four off Rahul Chahar, did the same against Trent Boult in the 18th over to bring the equation down to 19 off the last two overs.
AB [48 off 27] was in peerless touch. He sliced Jasprit Bumrah’s low full-toss for a boundary on the first ball of the penultimate over and then rocked back to uppercut it past short third man for another boundary. Kyle Jamieson got run out in an attempt to take a non-existent run but AB was still there.
Four runs came off the first three balls of the last over bowled by Marco Jansen and then tragedy struck as AB de Villiers, in an attempt to get the 2nd run, got run-out to give another twist to the game. It eventually boiled down to 1 off the last delivery with Harshal Patel on strike and the fast bowler duly achieved that to give RCB a winning start to their IPL 2021 campaign.
Harshal Patel’s 5/27 ensured that Royal Challengers Bangalore restricted Mumbai Indians to 9/159
Batting first, Mumbai Indians got off to a slow start as the duo of Mohammed Siraj and Kyle Jamieson bowled wicket-to-wicket against both Rohit Sharma and Chris Lynn.
The duo finally flexed their arms against Yuzvendra Chahal before a horrible mix-up led to the run-out of Sharma. It all happened on the sixth ball of the 4th over bowled by leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal when Chris Lynn rocked on the backfoot and stroked the leggie towards the cover region.
Rohit was keen to run for a single and Lynn’s initial couple of steps ensured that the Mumbai Indians skipper set off. But Lynn backed off and sold Rohit down the river as after having reached halfway through the pitch, the ‘Hitman’ had no chance of returning back to the crease.
Rohit Sharma’s dismissal came at the crucial time for the Virat Kohli-led Royal Challengers Bangalore as the Hitman, having stroked Chahal for a six earlier in the over, was finally looking to get stuck in. Suryakumar Yadav announced his arrival with a couple of boundaries as Mumbai Indians finished the powerplay at 1/41.
It was after the powerplay that Chriss Lynn finally opened his arms. The Australian swashbuckler welcomed Shahbaz Ahmed with a four and a six in the 7th over before he smashed another one-off Harshal Patel in the next over.
Yadav and Lynn pressed on the accelerator as Mumbai Indians smashed 42 runs in the next three overs. Suryakumar Yadav (31 off 23) continued to enthrall with his imperious timing.
The right-hander smoked an effortless six over deep square-leg off Kyle Jamieson but the fast bowler had the last laugh as he induced an outside edge off his bat.
Siraj backed it up with another good over in which he gave away just 4 runs and nearly got Chris Lynn when the right-hander mistimed an attempted slap to mid-off. Washington Sundar, who was introduced in the attack in the 13th over, eventually got rid of Chris Lynn (49 off 35) courtesy of an outstanding running catch after the Australian mistimed a slog.
Sundar ran back and completed an outstanding catch to give his team an important scalp. Ishan Kishan, however, continued with the momentum as he smashed a six and a four off Chahal (0/41 in 4 overs) in the 14th over to take the total to 3/120.
Harshal Patel, who was taken for 15 in his first over, came back brilliantly in his second spell as he gave away just 11 runs in his two overs besides claiming the all-important scalps of Hardik Pandya and Ishan Kishan.
Siraj completed his quota with another brilliant over as he gave away just seven runs in the 17th over and very nearly got the wicket of Kishan but for Washington Sundar, who backed up too far at deep backward square-leg.RCB’s catching was appalling, to say the least.
After Siraj dropped a sitter in the 18th over, Virat Kohli did the same off the bowling of Jamieson when he shelled a catch of Krunal Pandya at mid-off. The ball dribbled from his hand and smashed him just below his eye. Pandya made use of the opportunity to smash a boundary while Pollard edged one to get another four as Jamieson finished with figures of 2-27 in four overs.
Harshal Patel (5/27), however, continued to go from strength to strength as he dismissed both Pollard and Pandya on successive deliveries. Patel backed it up with an inswinging yorker to knock over Marco and claim his maiden five-wicket haul. Patel gave away just one run and claimed three wickets in the last over while Jasprit Bumrah got run-out on the final delivery as Mumbai Indians finished at 9/158 in 20 overs.
Here’s how Twitter reacted:
#RCB By the skin of their teeth in a riveting humdinger. Sets tone and tenor of #IPL2021
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 9, 2021
What a thriller at Chennai to start the 14 edition of #IPL2021 ! Happy to see @RCBTweets pull it off! What a wonderful knock by Mr.360, still can't believe he's doing this without playing international cricket ! Fantastic show @ABdeVilliers17 #RCBvsMI
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) April 9, 2021
AB de Villiers, with a Match Impact of +22, is the CricViz Player of the Match. The veteran's class was the difference between the two sides in a Chennai thriller. #MIvRCB #IPL2021
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) April 9, 2021
Quality from AB, and decent start to the #IPL2021 that, with a last baller #MIvRCB
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) April 9, 2021
de Villiers playing his natural game. Problem is RCB are also playing their natural game.
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) April 9, 2021
AB de Villiers, bade bhaiya of RCB with all the responsibilities.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) April 9, 2021
AB de Villiers. The genius of our time. #MIvRCB #IPL2021
— Raunak Kapoor (@RaunakRK) April 9, 2021
Still the best. AB.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 9, 2021
AB de Villiers v Jasprit Bumrah in T20:
99 runs
70 balls
2 wicketsThis match may well come down to a head-to-head between the two greats of the game. #MIvRCB #IPL2021
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) April 9, 2021
Fastest scorers in Overs 19-20 of IPL (min 50 balls faced):
AB de Villiers – 15.8rpo
Andre Russell – 15.1rpo
Ben Cutting – 14.4rpo
Marcus Stoinis – 14.1rpo#MIvRCB #IPL2021— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) April 9, 2021
Peerless! @ABdeVilliers17
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 9, 2021
Credit where due. @Gmaxi_32 at 4 is a serious call from @imVkohli and it is coming off. Major move that might have a telling impact on the season for @RCBTweets
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) April 9, 2021
Virat Kohli scored just 13 runs from the 17 deliveries he faced post-Powerplay. Maxwell's intent allowed Kohli to take a cautious approach but that was quite the switch. #MIvRCB #IPL2021 https://t.co/W8ak7KUeKl
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) April 9, 2021
Wow Mad MAX just showing why he's always a dangerous player in this format! Scintillating shots looks like @RCBTweets might pull it off! #RCBvsMI #IPL2021
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) April 9, 2021
How’s that for a six #RCB ? The Big Show has arrived !!! @Gmaxi_32 @RCBTweets #PlayBold
— Veda Krishnamurthy (@vedakmurthy08) April 9, 2021
Glenn Maxwell slams his 92nd six of his #IPL career.
Last season for KXIP (PBKS) he faced 106 balls without hitting a single six!#MIvRCB#RCBvMI#IPL2021— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/isaguha/status/1380564967070519301?s=19
So Maxwell has hit his first six already. No. 4 is the place for him. And RCB might be the team for him
— Sambit Bal (@sambitbal) April 9, 2021
Glenn Maxwell's first six in IPL in 171 balls across 19 innings – his last six was off Mitchell Johnson in Delhi on 27 April 2018, 1079 days ago.#MIvRCB #IPL2021 #RCB
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) April 9, 2021
Virat Kohli Completed 6000 Runs as Captain in T20s.
He is the First ever Captain to Scored 6000 Runs in T20 Cricket.#KingKohli
— Diwakar Kumar¹⁸ (@diwakarkumar47) April 9, 2021
Maxwell will score around 400 runs this season.Looking confident in these first 7 balls he faced. #IPL2021
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 9, 2021
This is the fifth time in his last 8 matches for Mumbai Indians that Trent Boult has bowled three Powerplay overs. Rohit's use of the NZ left-armer has been very clear since he moved to the Wankhede. #IPL2021 #MIvRCB
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) April 9, 2021
So next game, Sundar won't open, and Patidar may not play.
That's how RCB rolls.#MIvsRCB
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) April 9, 2021
In the end, Washington Sundar got too few balls to bowl, too many balls to bat.#MIvsRCB
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) April 9, 2021
Just the luck #RCB needed at the start. Batting seemed to get difficult as the ball got older with #MI so they need to be careful not to let that asking rate rise too much
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 9, 2021
Been very impressed with Jamieson’s first outing. 1/27 off his 4 overs, but 13 dots in amongst that ???? #MIvRCB #IPL2021
— Lisa Sthalekar (@sthalekar93) April 9, 2021
Harshal Patel's bowling figures are the best vs MI by any team.
(Previous best- 4/6 by Rohit Sharma at Centurion in 2009)— Bhagyesh Joshi ??? (@Cric_bhagya82) April 9, 2021
Wow. Harshal Wow. Five wickets. Three wickets and only a single run in the 20th over. Take a bow ?♂️ #MIvRCB #IPL2021
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 9, 2021
Harshal Patel is the 3rd #RCB bowler to take 5 wickets in an innings and the first one to do so against #MI. Also, just the 2nd bowler to take 5 in Chennai in #VIVOIPL #IPL2021 #MIvRCB
— Moulin (@Moulinparikh) April 9, 2021
Harshal Patel first bowler to claim a five-wicket haul against Mumbai Indians in #IPL. The previous best was 4/6 (2 overs) by Rohit Sharma then playing for Deccan Chargers at Centurion in 2009.#MIvRCB#RCBvMI#IPL2021
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) April 9, 2021
This is why it is the Indian Premier league. 11 India internationals and many foreigners but the star of the night is Harshal Patel! That’s the beauty of this competition. @RCBTweets
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) April 9, 2021
HARSHAL PATEL — The first bowler EVER to take a FIFER against the Mumbai Indians ??
☝️Hardik Pandya
☝️Ishan Kishan
☝️Kieron Pollard
☝️Krunal Pandya
☝️Marco Jansen #IPL2021 #MIvRCB pic.twitter.com/dpoR2Rcmvs— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) April 9, 2021
Best figures by uncapped Indian players (IPL)
5/14 Ankit Rajpoot KXIP v SRH 2018
5/20 Varun Chakravarthy KKR v DC 2020
5/27 HARSHAL PATEL RCB v MI 2021 *#MIvsRCB— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) April 9, 2021
Harshal Patel now with more wickets this game than he has taken in either of his last two seasons.
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) April 9, 2021
MI were 83/2 in 9 overs at the time of first timeout in IPL 2020 and finished with 162/9.
They were 83/1 in 9 overs at the time of first timeout in #IPL2021 and finish on 159/9.#MIvsRCB
— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) April 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/Shebas_10dulkar/status/1380548302173659136?s=19
One of the best last-over bowled in a T20 game? @HarshalPatel23 #RCBvsMI #IPL2021
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) April 9, 2021
Staggering comeback by #RCB. For now their weakness, death bowling, has been addressed. Against the best finishing team in the #IPL.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 9, 2021
Harshal Patel. ? Strong finish by RCB in the death overs – great to see by them. Ball not coming onto the bat, and they've taken the pace off well.#RCBvMI #MIvRCB #IPL2021
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog) April 9, 2021
Well bowled Kyle Jamieson. Should have had another wicket too.
Looks like it will be advantage RCB going into the break. #IPL2021 #RCB #MI
— Adam Sutherland (@ADSutherland_) April 9, 2021
Poor Jamieson is so unlucky. Despite bowling so well. #RCB
— Udit (@udit_buch) April 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/FarziCricketer/status/1380545882425159683?s=19
Nitin Menon off the mark.
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) April 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/virendersehwag/status/1380545540086067206?s=19
Who’s going to bowl for #RCB in the death overs? Make or break for them in this game. This season. #MIvRCB #IPL2021
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) April 9, 2021
With 8 overs to go #RCB have one left from Siraj and from Jamieson (top debut). Who bowls at the death? Needs to get some overs out of Washington
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 9, 2021
Kyle Jamieson continues his dream debut!
1st over: 1 0 0 0 0 0
2nd over: 4 0 1 1 0 0
3rd over: 1 1 0 6 0 W [Suryakumar Yadav c de Villiers b Jamieson 31(23)]3-0-15-1 .. #MIvRCB #IPL2021 pic.twitter.com/uQqk9e3BwV
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) April 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/benjonescricket/status/1380531382884122630?s=19
chahal after bowling 1 good delivery in 4 overs pic.twitter.com/HwGDVYrGeX
— Arun Lol (@dhaikilokatweet) April 9, 2021
No pitch is bad for batting when RCB bowlers are being themselves.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) April 9, 2021
Chris Lynn's strike-rate vs leg spin in IPL —
vs Chahal: 145.76 (1 dismissal)
vs other leg spinners: 108.82 (5 dismissals)43.7% of Lynn's run against leg spin bowling have come off Chahal's bowling
Here they are, facing off again .. https://t.co/DgVqg88MnE #IPL2021 #MIvRCB
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) April 9, 2021
Anything above 140 Is going to be difficult in this wicket! #RCBvsMI #IPL2021
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) April 9, 2021
Suryakumar Yadav has hit the first ball of his innings for a boundary in six of his last 11 T20 innings. #IPL2021 #MIvRCB
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) April 9, 2021
Good toss for #RCB to win given they have picked a team to chase. This is a very formidable chasing team with AB, Maxwell and Christian. #MI
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 9, 2021
On a wicket that doesn't spin as much, Chris Lynn is a solid idea.
Pace 40av/151sr
Spin 28av/112sr— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) April 9, 2021
Last 10 winners in #MIvRCB matches (most recent first):
MI
Tied (RCB win Super Over)
MI
MI
RCB
MI
MI
MI
MI
MI#IPL2021— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) April 9, 2021