IPL 2022: Rawat stars for RCB, MI yet to open account
Mumbai Indians lost again, four on the spin now. Once they suffered a middle-overs collapse, their chances evaporated, a fine unbeaten half-century from Suryakumar Yadav notwithstanding. Once they laboured to a below par 151/6, this was Royal Challengers Bangalore’s game to lose. RCB romped to a seven-wicket victory with nine balls to spare.
Anuj Rawat turned out to be the unlikely enforcer for RCB, scoring 66 off 47 balls. First Du Plessis and then Kohli guided him. The latter played some fabulous shots on his way to a 36-ball 48, and an 80-run second wicket partnership with Rawat.
Harshal changes the game
Harshal Patel returned with 2/23 and Rohit Sharma’s scalp was game-changing. The MI skipper was looking to be in top fettle and his team was running away with the game. But Harshal intervened with a slower delivery, an off-cutter that took the leading edge back to the bowler. Even Harshal looked surprised. He restricted his celebration to a big smile.
That’s that from Match 18 as @RCBTweets win 7 wickets.
This is #RCB‘s third win on the trot in #TATAIPL.
Scorecard – https://t.co/12LHg9xdKY #RCBvMI #TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/fU98QRPisL
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2022
When Rohit got out, MI were 50/1 in the seventh over. They soon slid to 62/5 in the 11th over and then 79/6 three overs later, Harshal dismissing Ramandeep Singh in his second spell. The medium pacer was unlucky not to have Surya out leg-before as well. A dipping full-toss struck on the batsman’s chest and it looked pretty adjacent. But the on-field decision was not out and the umpire’s call saved Surya.Du Plessis’ captaincy was excellent. He brought on Wanindu Hasaranga inside the Powerplay and removed him quickly after a 13-run over. The RCB captain brought back the leg-spinner when the young Dewald Brevis was at the crease. The Saffer, not used to quality spin, failed to read a googly and was out LBW. Another googly accounted for Kieron Pollard and in between, the very impressive Akash Deep dismissed Ishan Kishan, while a brilliant piece of fielding from Maxwell, a direct hit, accounted for Tilak Varma.
MI partially recovered, via a 72-run seventh wicket partnership between Surya and Jaydev Unadkat.
Sample that for a Run-Out: Presenting the @Gmaxi_32 fielding special.
Click below to watch the full video 📽️ 👇https://t.co/TptmpILPNY #TATAIPL #RCBvMI
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 9, 2022
MI in trouble
Irrespective of the number of titles, four consecutive defeats would shake the self-belief of any team and towards the end, anger simmered. Rohit looked a little agitated, as he spoke to Bumrah. The bowler went down on his knees after an overthrow. Frustration writ large. Surya’s form is the only positive takeaway for the five-time champions at the moment. Returning from injury, he has scored back-to-back half-centuries. Today, his lone ranger – 68 not out off 37 balls – gave the MI bowlers something to bowl with. Kishan’s Rs 15.25 crore price tag notwithstanding, this MI batting line-up is heavily dependent on Rohit and Surya’s quality. Pollard, a pale shadow of former self, isn’t contributing much. MI are missing the Pandya brothers, Hardik and Krunal. Without Trent Boult, their bowling is crying out for a top-class left-arm pacer.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indians: 151 for 6 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 68 not out; Harshal Patel 2/23, Wanindu Hasaranga 2/28) lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore: 152 for 3 in 18.3 overs (Anuj Rawat 66; Jaydev Unadkat 1/30).
