Two big teams but both at the bottom of the point table in Vivo IPL 2018, its time for Royal Challengers Bangalore to host the Mumbai Indians in this Match 31. It was Mumbai Indians who won the first encounter between the two teams. Check out how RCB win at home in an all-round performance.
Preview
Both sides playing today’s contest have won two and lost five of the seven games each has played so far in the contest. Both need a desperate win here to keep their campaign alive. RCB lost their last match against KKR. On the other hand, MI won their last match against CSK.
Toss
Mumbai won the toss and elected to bowl first. Washington Sundar replaces M Ashwin. For MI, Lewis misses out and Pollard returns to the XI. AB de Villiers is still sick unfortunately for RCB.
RCB’s Average Performance
RCB got off to a brisk start but with a change in the opening pair as Quinton de Kock is paired with Manan Vohra. But in the 5th over, RCB lost their first wicket in the form of de Kock. Brendon McCullum joined Vohra in the middle who was looking good out there. Vohra scored 45 in 31 with 2 fours and 4 sixes.
Virat Kohli and McCullum formed a good partnership of 60 before McCullum was run out for 37. RCB lost a flurry of wickets in the middle period but it was Colin de Grandhomme’s grand finish that took the team to respectable 167 at the loss of 7 wickets. Virat seemed unhappy with the total. Grandhomme made 23 in 10 balls with 3 sixes in the last over.
Mumbai’s Bowling
The bowlers bowled brilliantly except for 3 overs of 22, 20 and 24 runs each which spoiled the bowlers’ figures. McClenaghan bowled well to get the first wicket of Quinton de Kock, he ended with 1-34. Except for the last over where he gave away 24 runs, McClenaghan bowled in tight areas. Hardik Pandya bowled well as well except for that one over where he gave away 20, he ended up with 3-28 in his 3 getting 3 wickets in one over. Mumbai would relatively be happy by restricting RCB to 167.
Mumbai’s Chase
Mumbai Indians had an easy chase in front of them but their start to the innings was a horrible one as they lost Ishan Kishan in the very first over. Adding to their misery, 3 of Mumbai’s top order batsmen were back in the pavilion in the first 3 overs. They were able to score only 40 in the powerplay so the asking rate also kept on increasing. Mumbai failed to chase a low total as they fall short by 14 runs despite Hardik Pandya’s half-century Mumbai suffered their 6th loss of the season.
Bangalore’s Bowling
The home team started off brilliantly getting 4 wickets inside the first 7 overs giving away very few runs. Umesh Yadav got a couple of wickets giving away just 29 in his 4 overs. The bowlers bowled smartly as they bowled in tight areas and left MI with 45 to get in the last 4 overs.
The bowlers bowled brilliantly to restrict Mumbai to 153 as they finally register a home win by 14 runs. Southee, Umesh Yadav and Siraj, the three pacers bowled exceptionally well getting 2 wickets apiece and giving away very few runs.
Man Of The Match
It was Tim Southee’s 4 overs that took the match away from Mumbai as he grabbed two crucial wickets and gave away just 25 in his 4 overs as he won the Man Of The Match award.
Click here to see Chennai’s amazing batting performance as they go top of the table.