IPL 2022 | RCB vs MI | All-round RCB consign MI to their 4th consecutive defeat in Pune

Suryakumar Yadav's artistic stroke play wasn't enough on Saturday night as an all-round bowling performance from the Royal Challengers Bangalore, and brilliant knocks from Anuj Rawat and Virat Kohli consigned the 5-time winners to their 4th consecutive defeat of the season.

Chasing 152 to win, the Royal Challengers Bangalore got off to a pretty sedate start as their opening duo, especially skipper Faf du Plessis, struggled to get any sort of momentum during the powerplay.

The Challengers didn't lose a wicket in the first six but managed just 30 runs, with Du Plessis clawing his way to 6 off 16 deliveries and Anuj Rawat going at a run-a-ball 20.

Du Plessis (16 off 24 deliveries) tried to up the ante by smashing M Ashwin for a four and six in the 7th over before eventually perishing to Jaydev Unadkat in the 9th over attempt to slog the left-arm seamer down the ground.

However, Rawat did kick on after the powerplay in the company of the legendary Virat Kohli as he raced his way to a maiden IPL 50 (off 38 deliveries) in the 14th over with the help of two fours and four audacious sixes, especially against the spinners.

Kohli looked as intentful as ever as he ran hard between the wickets, danced down the track against the seamers, and especially against the spinners, besides dishing out his trademark pull and bottom-handed shots on the leg-side.

Kohli raced his way 21-ball 30 with a leg-glance off Bumrah in the 14th over, and in the process, he brought up yet another 50+ stand (off just 5.5 overs) to put RCB in complete control the proceedings.

The former skipper got lucky in the next over bowled by Basil Thampi when he pulled a short delivery to backward square, only for Brevis to make a meal of it.

To further rub salt in the wounds, the ball dribbled away for a four, but Thampi held his nerve admirably, conceding just 5 runs off the remaining balls to leave RCB with 41 to get in the last five.

Rawat smoked Unadkat for a six in the 16th over, and while he did survive an lbw call from the left-arm seamer, his innings eventually ended with a run-out courtesy of a brilliant direct throw from the deep by Ramandeep Singh.

Dinesh Karthik pulled Jasprit Bumrah for a six in the next over, reducing the equation to 8 of the last two overs.

Virat (48 off 36 deliveries) was unfortunate to be given LBW by the umpire of the bowling of Brevis as replays clearly showed that the ball had hit bat and pad simultaneously, but it didn't matter in the end as Glenn Maxwell reverse-swept and cut Brevis for a couple of fours to seal another epic win for the Challengers.

Suryakumar Yadav's unbeaten 68 lifted MI to 151 despite a middle-over collapse

Having been inserted to bat first, the Mumbai Indian's opening duo of Rohit Sharma and Ishan Kishan started cautiously as they managed just 13 runs in the first three.

The flourish finally came in the 4th over bowled by Mohammed Siraj when Rohit smoked the right-arm seamer for a six and four.

The next over bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga saw Kishan and Rohit hit three fours and by the time powerplay got over, Mumbai had already raced their way to 0/49.

With Rohit looking in good touch and Kishan too beginning to find the middle of his bat, signs looked ominous for RCB.

However, as has been the case since the last season, Harshal Patel once again proved to be the game-changer.

The right-arm seamer deceived Rohit with his trademark off-cutter on his second delivery of the night, lulling his Indian skipper into giving a simple return catch.

What happened during the course of the next five overs was complete mayhem!

Between overs 7-11, Mumbai pressed the self-destruction mode to the hilt as they lost five top-order wickets for just 13 runs.

Wanindu Hasaranga trapped Devald Brevis and Kieron Pollard plumb in front via his trademark googly, while Ishan Kishan, in an attempt to ramp Akash Deep over the keeper's head, ended up holding out to Siraj.

Tilak Varma, meanwhile, decided to commit suicide as he took on Glenn Maxwell for a non-existent single, only to see his stumps get shattered by the diving Australian. 

Patel then nicked off Ramandeep Singh in his second over to leave MI on the brink.

At 6/79, Mumbai looked gone for all money, but, just like the previous game, Suryakumar Yadav proved to be the crisis man for the five-time champions.

Audacious cuts over point, pull shots, drives, scoops- it was a typical Surya innings full of nonchalance and orgasmic strokeplay.

That Mumbai were able to hammer 59 runs at the death, despite Harsal being at his absolute best, was primarily due to Surya's brilliance. The right-handed batsman took full advantage of Siraj, who, it has to be said, bowled utter garbage throughout the innings.

The game-changing over for MI proved to be 19th, where Surya, en route to a 31-ball half-century, hammered Siraj for three sixes and a four.

Harshal (2/23 in 4 overs) once again exhibited a death over masterclass as he gave away just 7 runs (including a last-ball six) in the final over but not before Surya (68* off 37 deliveries) and Jaydev Unadkat had added priceless 71 runs for the 7th wicket to lead Mumbai to a competitive score of 151.

Brief Scores:

Mumbai Indians - 151/6 in 20 overs

Suryakumar Yadav 68* (37)

Harshal Patel 2/23 (4) 

Wanindu Hasaranga 2/28 (4)

LOST to 

Royal Challengers Bangalore 

Anuj Rawat 66 (47)

Virat Kohli 48 (36)

Jaydev Unadkat 1/30 (4)

By 7 wickets