Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeat Mumbai Indians (MI) in a nail-biter.
Match Scores
1st Innings: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): 201/3 (20 overs)
2nd Innings: Mumbai Indians (MI): 201/5 (20 overs)
Super Over:
1st Innings: Mumbai Indians (MI): 7/1 (1 over)
2nd Innings: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): 11/0 (1 over)
The RCB opening batsmen gave their team a good start. As predicted in the preview A Finch played a solid knock along with the youngster D Padikkal. Finch got out at the team score of 81, thereafter for a brief period, RCB struggled for momentum. Kohli's dreadful run with the bat continued as he got out for 3 off 10 balls. The real Fireworks started once AB Devilliers came in to bat, he along with Padikkal to start with and later S Dube hit quite a few balls out of the park to help RCB post the total of 201.
In the second innings, MI had a dreadful start losing their top three players within 7 overs. The stage was set for the MI's Middle-order to prove their mettle and they didn't disappoint either. I Kishan and K Pollard played got together and scored 119 runs together. Their flabbergasting batting got MI tantalizingly close to winning the match on their own. Unfortunately, I Kishan got out of the second last ball, however, K Pollard retained the strike for the final ball which he hit for a boundary to give MI chance in the Super Over.
In the Super Over, MI sent H Pandya & K Pollard who struggled to take N Saini apart and managed to score only 7 runs at the loss of wicket of H Pandya.
RCB sent their best two players(AB de Villiers/ V Kohli) to chase the meagre total of 7 runs. Although J Bumrah bowled a decent over and took the match to the final ball, defending 7 runs was never going to be easy.
Top Performers of the Match
Batsmen:-
I Kishan (MI): 99(58)
K Pollard (MI): 60*(24)
AB de Villiers (RCB): 55*(24)
D Padikkal (RCB): 54(40)
A Finch (RCB): 52(35)
Bowlers:-
W Sundar (RCB): 12/1 (at an Economy Rate of 3)
T Boult (MI): 34/2
I Udana (RCB): 45/2
R Chahar (MI): 31/1
Player of the Match
Ab de Villiers was declared Man of the match for his Blitzkrieg innings of 54 in the normal time and 6 runs in the super over.
Captain's Corner
V Kohli: At times criticized for his captaincy took some bold moves by removing a specialist wicket-keeper first by asking ABD to keep wickets. Second, removing D Steyn and picking I Udana. Third, starting the bowling with W Sundar. The last but the most crucial move was that despite his lack of form he came out to bat in the super over and him along with AB finished the job for RCB.
R Sharma: Often praised for his captaincy faltered thrice in the match as a captain. First, not allowing Pandya to bowl all his four overs despite him being one of the better bowlers in the match. Second, He could have given K Pollard another over in place of Pattinson. Third, the most important one, he should have asked I Kishan or should have walked in himself in the super over instead of sending H Pandya who is struggling for form.
Stats Corner
With this match going into super-over, IPL 2020 becomes the first edition in which two matches were tied within a span of 10 games.
Overall, a match of switching fortunes, RCB and MI both had a ball while batting. To summarize, we can say an out and out entertainer.