IPL 2020: Match day 10: Royal Challengers Bangalore Vs. Mumbai Indians

This IPL is different. Not only is the tournament being held amidst a global pandemic – the matches have been spectacular too. That two days in a row we had 2 fantastic 200+ chases amplifies the same. Two tied matches already in this year’s IPL and we still have 50 matches to go. We are being treated to some amazing cricket. 

Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore are two teams who are evenly matched on paper and I expected a high adrenaline match no doubt.

Here are my 5 points from yesterday’s match.

1. Great opening partnership 

Devdutt Padikkal already stamped his class in his debut match. Though he failed in the next match – he was back to his elements again yesterday. Aaron Finch was more aggressive though. Padikkal got his eye in while Finch went for the jugular. But when Finch got out after a well made 50, Padikkal got into action mode. His strike rate was less than 100 initially but by the time he got out, it improved to 135. He didn’t let his concentration deter after the fall of Kohli’s wicket. He has a steady head on his young shoulders and I am very sure that it’s not the last time I am writing about him.

2. ABDV – the magician

If there is any 360-degree batsman in our era then it has to the mercurial AB DeVilliers. He has the ability to hit perfectly good balls for sixes. It was no different yesterday. He was brutal right from the word go. Though RCB got a great start they stuttered in the middle overs. They didn’t look like crossing 175 at the 12 over mark. ABDV changed all that. All the bowlers were taken to the cleaners including Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult. 106 runs were scored in the last 6 overs. He himself scored 55 runs off 24 balls and helped RCB cross the 200 run mark.

3. Ishan Kishan

This IPL is throwing up one after another Indian player who is topping the charts. Ishan Kishan is not a new name in Indian cricket but he never took the onus on himself when it came to IPL cricket. He was happy playing second fiddle. Yesterday it was different. The MI chase was going nowhere and with the scoreboard reading 39/3 in the 7th over, MI looked doomed. But Ishan Kishan didn’t let go of the opportunity. Whenever he hit the ball it stayed hit. He hit 9 sixes and Dubai is not a small ground. Each and every bowler got a severe treatment from him. He matched Pollard in stroke by stroke and Virat Kohli was left bamboozled. India is blessed with so many young batsmen today. Indian cricket is in good hands. The future looks secured.

4. Kieron Pollard

Pollard is having a great last 12 months. He was always known as a hitter but now he is playing the finisher’s role perfectly. Yesterday he hit 60 of 24 balls and he was the primary reason for MI to tie the match. They needed 86 runs off the last 5 overs. That they scored 85 off them was only because of Pollard and Kishan. But primarily Pollard because he intimidates the bowlers and they lose line and length. It was almost a great come from behind victory which was denied ultimately by the super over.

5. Washington Sundar

In a match where more than 400 runs were scored to find a bowler who went for just 12 runs in his 4 overs must be the man of the moment. 4 overs – 12 runs and the all-important wicket of Rohit Sharma – that’s the performance of Washington Sundar. That he bowled 3 of his overs in the power play just shows how much control he had over his line and length yesterday. Everyone is congratulating the batsmen but for me, the man of the match was Washington Sundar. He is not that superstar whom you yearn for but you need such players in your team because you win consistently as a team when everyone contributes. That gives you satisfaction. I am very sure Virat Kohli feels the same too. Sundar didn’t give a single hittable ball yesterday and kept MI under the leash in the power play.

After the last World Cup, the rules of super overs have changed. Now teams will keep playing super overs till you get a winner. Boundary count is no longer a differentiator. We already had a super over a few days back which turned out to be a damp squib. Today also looked no different with MI scoring only 7 runs. But Bumrah bowled a great over and it again came down to 1 required off the last ball. I was so hoping for another super over but it was denied by a crisp flick by Virat Kohli which ensured a victory for RCB.

All in all, cricket wins and IPL wins but the form of Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah is keeping me on tenterhooks.

So what according to you is bothering Kohli and Bumrah? Is it the long lay-off or is it something else?