The Bengaluru Royal Challengers suffered a fourth consecutive IPL defeat on Thursday despite a half-century from captain Faf du Plessis.
Du Plessis scored 61 off 40 balls as RCB posted 196-8 against the Mumbai Indians, with India paceman Jasprit Bumrah taking 5-21.
However, it wasn’t nearly enough, as Mumbai reached their target with just three wickets down and 4.3 overs remaining. Ishan Kishan scored 69 off 34 balls and Suryakumar Yadav 52 off 19.
Mumbai are seventh on the 10-team IPL log, while RCB are now ninth, just above the Delhi Capitals.
After Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya won the toss and decided to field first, Bumrah removed fellow India superstar Virat Kohli (three) before rookie pacer Akash Madhwal dismissed England’s Will Jacks (eight) in the fourth over to leave RCB reeling at 23-2.
Du Plessis rebuilt the innings on a placid Mumbai track with young Rajat Patidar, who hit an impressive 26-ball 50 with four sixes and three fours.
Proteas fast bowler Gerald Coetzee took Patidar’s wicket while Australian superstar Glenn Maxwell (nought) failed again to leave RCB in trouble 108-4 in the 13th over.
Du Plessis fell to Bumrah, who returned to demolish the RCB middle-order.
Bumrah also removed Mahipal Lomoror (nought) on the very next ball to leave the visitors at 153-6 in the 17th over.
A late blitz by veteran Dinesh Karthik, who hit an unbeaten 23-ball 53, took RCB to 196-8 as Bumrah took two more wickets – rookies Saurav Chauhan and Vijaykumar Vyshak – to finish his match-defining spell.
Mumbai openers Kishan and Rohit Sharma set up the chase with a century partnership before Kishan, who hit five sixes, fell in the ninth over with the team at 101-1.
Sharma, who scored a steady 24-ball 38, built another partnership with Yadav.
Sharma was removed by Jacks with Mumbai at 139-2. But Yadav’s blitz propelled the home team to 176 in the 14th over before rookie Vyshak took his wicket.
Pandya and young Tilak Verma finished the job for the home team in the 16th over.
Du Plessis praised Bumrah and said that “he has been the difference in the two innings”.
“You see him with the ball in his hand. You want to put him under pressure, but the variety does everyone in.”
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: BCCI
