In the arc, out of the park as Kohli finishes it off in style! Right in the slot for Kohli outside off stump. He keeps his shape and sends it soaring over long on. He pumps the air in delight and hugs Maxwell. RCB have gunned the target down in 16.2 overs.
MI vs RCB, 5th Match at Bengaluru, IPL, Apr 02 2023 - Match Result
RCB won by 8 wickets (with 22 balls remaining)
What a way for RCB to start their campaign. They did not even need an Impact Player, such was their dominance. Hemant is working hard on his report, which should be up yet. The caravan rolls and we have Chennai Super Kings taking on Lucknow Super Giants tomorrow. Till then, this is Ashish Pant, signing off on behalf of Hemant, Ranjith and Raghav. Good night!
Faf du Plessis is the Player of the Match: It was a nice way to start the way we did in the powerplay. Siraj with his tail up is a beautiful thing. The bowler stuck to their task The last two or three overs, was a bit of learning. The cutters were working really well, it was not easy to hit the ball. There was value for your shots. Credit to the groundsman. Even the spinners found something. [On the crowd] It's awesome to play. It's my first time playing here as a home player, especially batting with Virat Kohli. [Fielding] You have to try and stay with the youngsters. I try and push the old hamstrings so that I can move in the field. To start the campaign with a bang, was huge.
Presentation time
Virat Kohli: Phenomenal win. Homecoming after so many years. Credit to their batters for getting to that score. Tilak batted well. We kept backing ourselves. Faf went first, and I joined later. I am very happy with how things went today. The new ball was a bit tricky, but we shifted the momentum by taking them down with the new ball. We nullified all their intensity. The wicket was quite a nice one. We hit good areas and kept putting pressure on the bowlers. [Crowd] Phenomenal, was a packed crowd. Every seat was full and we knew we would get a lot of support. We just ride off that intensity from the crowd They were right behind us. [On Karn Sharma] He was phenomenal, when he got that left-hander out, that was great bowling. He was bowling so well last year. He was ready to play. Even in the nets, he was not getting hit for sixes. He put us on the front foot right away. The first game of the IPL, and to perform like that was great. Apart from Mumbai winning five times and Chennai four times, we have qualified the most number of times, so we do play consistent cricket. It's just about staying focused, and just try to be the best balanced team. We need to play on this momentum. We just need to execute better.
Rohit Sharma: Didn't have a great start but was a good effort from Tilak at the end. But the bowlers didn't bowl well. We didn't bat good enough, it was a good pitch. [On Tilak] Some of the shorts he played today, he showed a lot of courage. We wanted to be courageous enough, and hats off to Tilak for getting us to the total. Was a good pitch to bat on. We did not bat to our potential. 30-40 runs would have been ideal. We were struggling t play the catch-up game. [No Bumrah] For the past six-eight months I am used to play without Bumrah. We can't control things which we can't control. The other guys are also talented. A lot of the guys haven't played IPL before. First game of the season, lot to look forward to.
Afeef: "A perfect return to the Chinnaswamy "
Shrikant : "I liked the move to send DK though it has not worked out. RCB is keeping an eye on NRR early on "
Neeraj : "Kohi wanted his own 'finishes off in style' moment..."
11.08pm Everything that could have gone right for RCB, did. Everything that could have wrong for Mumbai, did. Think that's the best way to put. Mumbai, bar Tilak Varma were all over the place, and still got to 171. But RCB openers, Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis just showed how good a surface that was. The duo added 148 runs off 89 balls to set-up the chase. Kohli remained unbeaten on 82 off 49, while du Plessis scored 73 off 43. RCB mopped up the win in just 16.2 overs and that will give their net run-rate a boost.
Banged in short outside off but that was way too high. Called a wide.
On a length on off, he Kohli cracks it past short fine leg and RCB are in a hurry
Six more! Another short of a length ball, shoulder-high. Maxwell backs away, clears his front leg and despite not getting all of it on the pull gets it over deep fine leg.
Oh, that is some shot to get off the mark! Banged in short outside off, he clears his front leg and smacks it over extra cover
Slower back of a length ball, he backs away looking for a pull, completely mistimes it to long on.
Maxwell out in the middle. Just 23 needed now. Green stays over the wicket.
Flicked straight to deep square leg and Green has his first IPL wicket! Length on middle, he gets across and gets a good chunk on that. But couldn't find the gap, unfortunately. Tilak makes no mistake.
On a length outside off, Karthik looks for a big heave, the ball hits the toe-end of his bat and goes it to mid-off
Ishaan: "The running between the wickets between this duo was fantastic. So many easy doubles on such a small ground no easy feat. "
Shin-high full toss to start with on middle stump, as Kohli gets across and works to deep backward square leg
Green back
Samraat: "Adam looks like concerned TRCB fan. But I agree with his point. At some point, I would like to have Bracewell at the top. But they gonna miss ABD in the big time while chasing totals."
Full-length ball outside off, driven hard back at the bowler, who misfields but no harm done
Dinesh Karthik in at No.3. Arshad is over the wicket.
Sachin : "Mumbai should bring some variety in their pace attack using the vacancy created by Richardson. Archer, Green and Behrendorff are same hit the deck style bowlers. "
Slower length ball that is ballooned straight up and David ain't dropping those! Angled across Faf, who is not able to get the pace off the surface. Loses his shape and ends up lofting the ball to long-on.
Low full toss on off, he pushes it to long on
Banged in short now, he fails to connect the pull. Stifle appeal from Kishan to no avail.
In the aiiir, and put down by Shokeen at deep midwicket! That went flat and very hard, but should have been held. Length on middle and leg, he whips it straight to the fielder, who was late it picking the ball up as he ran in
In the slot for Kohli on off stump as he stays in his crease and lays into him by absolutely smashing him over wide long-on. This has been statement of sorts from Kohli.
Arshad back
Time-out. RCB are coasting. Just 33 needed off 36.
Adam: "Even though its come off tonight, it does still feel that having two natural accumulators at the top of the order for RCB might hurt them later in the tournament. I'd be tempted to open with someone like Bracewell who can really attack in the first six and then put Kohli at three." Are you not entertained, Adam?
deepak pandey: "Looks like Kohli and Faf are in a race of their own as to who will score more.As for Archer must be ruing the drop catch of Kohli"
banged in short again outside off, he bunts it to point almost nonchalantly
Low full toss outside off, he misses out as he drives it straight to mid-off
Another back of a length ball on the stump, he pulls it to deep midwicket.
Gets in position and hammers Archer for another maximum! Slower short of a length ball aimed at the body of Kohli who gets inside the line and helps it over deep fine leg
Slower length ball outside off, he works it towards midwicket
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru | |
Toss | Royal Challengers Bangalore, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2023 |
Player Of The Match | |
Match days | 02 April 2023 - night (20-over match) |
MI Player Replacement | Impact player: in, out (1st innings, 19.6 ov) |
T20 debut | |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee | |
Points | Royal Challengers Bangalore 2, Mumbai Indians 0 |
Over 17 • RCB 172/2
RCB won by 8 wickets (with 22 balls remaining)