Picture Courtesy : BCCI
Desperate for a win after three losses, the Mumbai Indians, finally won their first match of IPL 2018 with a 46 run win over Virat Kohli led Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Asked to bat by RCB after Virat Kohli won the toss , the Mumbai Indians lost two wickets in opening two balls and scoreline read 0 for 2 . Umesh Yadav did the early damage removing Surya Kumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. But skipper Rohit Sharma finally found some form and hit a fine 94 .
He and West Indian Even Lewis ( 65 off 42 balls ). The duo counter-attacked the RCB attack with a third wicket stand of 108 runs from 66 balls. Rohit perished off the fifth ball . He scored fine 94 from 52 balls, laced with 10 fours and five sixes. They helped Mumbai post a stiff 213 for 6
Chasing yet another big target, RCB seemed to be on target when Kohli and de Kock put on 40 runs before a twin strike in three balls by left-arm pacer Mitchell McClenaghan (2/24) in the fifth over pegged them back. left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya (3/28) put in a good showing with the ball to restrict RCB to 167 for eight
The New Zealander bowled de Kock for 19 and then struck another big blow by having another South African A B de Villiers (1) caught in the deep to make it 42 for two.
Skipper Virat Kohli played alone hand yet again. He hit a masterly unbeaten 92 off 62 balls. Kophli slammed four sixes and sixes fours in his unbeaten knock. Kohli ran out of partners and they were not willing to fight it out like the skipper. After Kohli, the highest run was by Quinton de Kock who made 19 from 12 balls. This alone told the story and RCB’s agony . The defeat was RCB’s third in four games this season. Leaving Kohli plenty to think about ahead as it aims to win the IPL trophy for the first time.
