The match was almost over for the Mumbai Indians even before they started the chase, seeing a mammoth total set by the Royal Challengers Bangalore, batting first at the Wankhede Stadium.
Bangalore posted 235 runs on the boards and be it for any side, chasing something like this is climbing more that two mountains at a time. And, as expected the RCB completed a 39-run win over the Mumbai Indians.
The Royal Challengers posted a colossal total, courtesy a fluent century from AB de Villiers, who not only scored at will, but also toyed with the Mumbai bowlers, who looked completely clueless.
De Villiers also constructed a record, unbeaten 215-run partnership with skipper Virat Kohli, after the visitors lost destructive opener Chris Gayle cheaply inside the powerplay.
“Things just went my day today,” de Villiers said. “I was panicking a bit after the five dot balls but Virat is a remarkable player and gave great support. The basics for me remain the same from Tests to ODIs, to even T20s.”
This was de Villiers second century in the IPL, also the highest score by a non-opening batsmen in the Indians Premier League (IPL), unleashing fury of boundaries and cleaners.
Kohli, meanwhile, completed his half-century and hammered bowlers in the death. He played like a silent assassin for the Royal Challengers Bangalore and upped the ante when required.
The case was always going to be difficult and it become even more when in-form Parthiv Patel and skipper Rohit Sharma were dismissed cheaply, thus also increasing the required run rate.
Kieron Pollard and Lendl Simmons, however, took the attack from the opposition, as the former played a quick-firing knock. But, the task proved to be too much for someone like Pollard as well.
As Pollard was dismissed, the required run rate take a giant leap forward and the hosts, despite putting a brave effort with the bat could only score 196 in 20 overs.
“Couldn’t have asked for anything more from the team,” Kohli said. “I didn’t expect 230 to be honest. 175 or so was expected around the six-over mark but AB proved me wrong.”
“The way Mumbai were going in the middle overs I thought we needed 200-plus,” he added. “The win feels good because it came at the right time for us.”
