MI vs RCB, IPL 2021: A scintillating performance by Harshal and ABD help RCB win the tense inaugural match

After a 5-wicket strike by Harshal Patel, AB de Villiers's superb display of batting helped Challengers secure a win against Mumbai Indians by 2 wickets in the opening match of the 14th season of IPL.

Image By: Cricket Times

Match: 1st match, RCB vs MI

Venue: MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai.

Toss: RCB won the toss and opted to field.

MI Score: 159/9 in 20 overs.

RCB Score: 160/8 in 20 overs.

Result: RCB won by 2 wickets.

Player of the Match: Harshal Patel for taking 5 wickets.

RCB winning the toss invited the Mumbai Indians to bat first at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Mumbai Indians' start was a bit slow as they scored just 24 runs in the first four overs and lost skipper Rohit Sharma to a run-out. Chris Lynn and Suryakumar Yadav tried boosting the innings of their team taking the score to 94 runs in 11 overs for MI. Chris Lynn scored 49 runs in 35 deliveries hitting 3 sixes and 4 fours. Suryakumar Yadav scored quick 31 runs off 23 balls. However, In the last four overs, MI scored just 24 runs which eventually decided the inclination of the match.

Harshal Patel bowled brilliantly to grab 5 wickets sending some big hitters back to the pavilion. In the end, he missed taking a hat-trick but finally took 3 wickets in the same over to bring MI on the backfoot. Kyle Jamieson and Washington Sundar also bowled superbly taking 1 wicket each. 

After getting a target of 160 runs, RCB got itself into a secure position with the partnership of 52 runs between Glenn Maxwell and Virat Kohli where Maxwell scored 39 runs off just 28 balls and King Kohli hammered 33 runs off 28 deliveries.

With the wicket slowing down, RCB required 54 runs in the last 5 overs when ABD did the work for RCB. In the over of Rahul Chahar, he hit a six and a four bring RCB back into the game. In the 18th over of Trent Boult, he fired 15 runs, and in the next tight over of Jasprit Bumrah, he scored 10 runs to bring RCB in cruise control of the match. AB de Villiers was run out while converting a single into double but by then the demolition was done. RCB needed 2 runs of the final 2 deliveries which they scored with ease to win the match.

From the MI side, young fast bowler Marco Jansen bowled superbly and took 2 wickets. Jasprit Bumrah also grabbed 2 wickets and Trent Boult picked 1 wicket.

This is the first time when RCB has won the season opener when they have been involved playing it.