Glenn Maxwell justified his million-dollar contract with an all-round performance, and Harshal Patel struck for a hat-trick to help Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians by 54 runs in the Indian Premier League in Dubai on Sunday. Harshal (4/17 in 3.1 overs), the current Purple Cap holder, removed Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard, and Rahul Chahar off successive deliveries to help the team defend a target of 165 without breaking a sweat. After being 57 for no loss at one point, MI were all-out for 111 in 18.1 overs, losing 10 wickets for 54 runs.
The ‘Battle of Bosses’ between skipper Virat Kohli and his national team deputy Rohit Sharma was won by RCB, who are back in the play-off hunt with 12 points, while MI are in serious trouble at seventh place in the eight-team league after three consecutive defeats.
Kohli would also be pleased with his second half-century and Yuzvendra Chahal’s (3/11 in 4 overs) form.
In a single over from Kyle Jamieson, Rohit teed up with three boundaries. During the Powerplay, MI appeared to be in perfect control, with Quinton de Kock also scoring a few goals.
However, it was Chahal who took out de Kock, as Ishan Kishan’s full-blooded drive was narrowly parried by Rohit, who was hit on the left wrist while attempting to escape a body blow.
That had to impair his focus as he tried to knock a second six off Maxwell after hitting one earlier in the over, but Devdutt Padikkal pouched him at the long-on boundary, to to the amusement of opposing skipper Kohli.
Ishan Kishan (9 off 12 balls), who has scored less than 100 runs in nine IPL matches this season, may worry national selectors when he played an unwise hoick against Chahal, while Krunal Pandya (5) was bowled by Maxwell while attempting to break the logjam.
Surykumar Yadav (8), though, disappointed the MI captain the most when he chased a wide yorker from Mohammed Siraj to offer a routine catch to short third man as MI collapsed to 97 for 5, with recovery appearing improbable.
Then Harshal got his hat trick to put the game out of reach. After skipper Kohli’s second consecutive half-century, Maxwell finally came good with an aggressive 56 to help Royal Challengers Bangalore reach a par-score of 165/6.
Kohli, who reached 10,000 runs in T20 cricket, hit 51 off 42 balls with three fours and three sixes, but Maxwell justified his high price tag with a 37-ball blitzkrieg before Jasprit Bumrah got MI back into the game.
Maxwell struck six fours and three sixes in his innings, demonstrating his real destructive potential with switch smashes, lap shots, and flicks in the last overs when he pounced on MI pacers Adam Milne (1/48 in four overs) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/26 in four overs).
Maxwell’s smashes were so ferocious that even the always composed MI captain Rohit appeared powerless when Bumrah removed both Maxwell and AB de villiers (11) off successive deliveries, allowing them to preserve 20 to 25 runs in the final two overs.
Bumrah bowled a beauty that pitched on length and moved away, taking the outside edge into Quinton de Kock’s gloves. Devdutt Padikkal (0) had an off-day as Bumrah bowled a beauty that pitched on length and moved away, putting the outside edge into Quinton de Kock’s gloves.
Kohli teamed up with Bharat (32 off 24 balls) for a fast 68-run partnership for the second wicket. Bharath whisked Rahul Chahar for two sixes against the turn, while Kohli imperiously pulled Bumrah for a six over deep mid-wicket.
Bharat, on the other hand, was unable to capitalise on his good start, as Chahar bowled a straight and full delivery, and the batsman failed to gain the requisite elevation, resulting in him being holed at the long-off boundary.
RCB couldn’t increase the pace once Bharat was out and Maxwell came in, despite some brilliant strokes, as Kohli and Maxwell scored 50 runs in seven overs.