RCB's new openers Devdutt Padikkal (45-ball 74) and Joshua Philippe (24-ball 33) notched up a solid 71-run partnership and also the only second fifty-plus opening stand against Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020 to help Royal Challengers Bangalore get off to a flying start. Mumbai Indians were completely dominated by the RCB opening pair as they failed to get a breakthrough inside the powerplay. However, MI bowlers bowled well in the middle overs to pick quick wickets (4 wickets for just 7 runs) and restrict RCB to 164/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
So far this season, 47 out of 56 matches have been played, but so far no team has qualified for the playoffs. But from today's match, we will get the first team to qualify for the playoffs. Both MI and RCB teams have reached here after losing their respective previous matches, so both teams would like to return to the rhythm before reaching the playoffs.
MI won the toss and opted to field first. For RCB, Joshua Philippe replaced Aaron Finch to open the innings with Devdutt Padikkal. It was for the first time that RCB altered with their opening combination. Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult shared the new ball from opposite. Both the bowlers bowled good length deliveries and gave a identical start to MI.
Pollard surprised everyone with an early introduction of spin into the attack in form of Krunal Pandya. Padikkal smashed back-to-back boundaries off the third over to shift the momentum. Pollard introduced fourth bowler to bowl the fourth over; Pattinson was introduced into the attack.
The duo continued to play a mix of soft and aggressive strokes to notch up a fifty stand for RCB in just 5.4 overs. However, the Australian opener had to return back to the pavilion after a dazzling 33 runs off just 24 balls as wicket-keeper De Kock whipped the bails to give MI much-needed breakthrough and give spinner Chahar a wicket in his first over.
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Virat Kohli was the new man in. The RCB skipper joined Devdutt as Bangalore look to keep the scoreboard ticking. Soon after Padikkal attained a well-deserved fifty off just 30 balls, Bumrah bowled a stunning short delivery to depart Kohli for nine off just 14 to make him his 100th IPL wicket.
In the death overs, Padikkal was joined by in-form AB de Villiers. The duo shifted gears and batted aggressively but skipper Pollard introduced himself into the attack to dismiss ABD. After this, Bumrah struck again to clean up well-set Padikkal for 74 from 45 balls, RCB now started to fall like a pack of cards with Boult departing Morris to rattle the Virat-led Red Army.
RCB vs MI Head To Head Record: A total of 26 matches have been played between Mumbai and RCB so far in IPL, in which Mumbai has won 16 games and RCB have been successful in winning 10 matches. In the last 6 matches, Mumbai has defeated RCB 4 times.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (Playing XI): Devdutt Padikkal, Josh Philippe(w), Virat Kohli(c), AB de Villiers, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Shivam Dube, Chris Morris, Washington Sundar, Dale Steyn, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal
Mumbai Indians (Playing XI): Ishan Kishan, Quinton de Kock(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Saurabh Tiwary, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard(c), Krunal Pandya, James Pattinson, Rahul Chahar, Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah