Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore attacked Rohit Sharma’s Mumbai Indians with 7 bowlers but it was the unheralded Harshal Patel that finished with a fifer as Mumbai posted 159/9 in their 20 overs in the IPL 2021 season-opener on Saturday at the Chepauk.
Harshal got the wickets of Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, Krunal Pandya and Marco Jansen.
After a long time, Virat Kohli finally won a toss and the skipper elected to put Mumbai Indians into bat first.
South African Quinton de Kock is completing his compulsory 7-day quarantine and it was Chris Lynn who came out to bat alongside Rohit Sharma. The pair made 24 runs for the first wicket before a Virat Kohli throw helped Chahal get Sharma out, on 19.
Suryakumar Yadav then joined Lynn and the two smashed a quick-fire 70 off 44 deliveries that was only ended in the 11th over when Kyle Jamieson got him out on a 23-ball 31.
RCB managed to somewhat restrict the flow of runs from there, as as caught and bowled effort by Washington Sundar got Lynn out on 49. Mumbai 105/3 after 13 overs.
Ishan Kishan then joined Hardik Pandya out in the middle and immediately hit Yuzvendra Chahal of a six and a four in the 14th over. The Indian spinner’s four overs in fact went for 41 runs with no wicket.
Harshal Patel then started what was to become his own person party as he claimed the next five Mumbai wickets to fall.
Hardik Pandya was his first wicket, out lbw on 13. Ishan Kishan too was lbw on 28.
Mumbai went into the 19th over with the score at 158/5 but a stunning Harshal over meant they made just one run as the pacer got Krunal and Pollard out on the first 2 deliveries. On his hat-trick ball, Marco Jansen denied him the wicket but the very next ball, Jensen was walking back to the dressing room.
Rahul Chahar was run out on the last ball of the innings with AB de Villiers dislodging the stumps after a Virat throw in.
Mumbai Indians 159/9 in 20 overs.
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