RCB END MI JINX, STAY ALIVE

There are people who hate Royal Challengers Bangalore and there are the loyal legion of fans who pack the M Chinnaswamy stadium matchafter-match and ensure the deafening RCBBBBBBB! RCBBBBBB! Chant resonates through the night. For five home games, they left the stadium disappointed and dejected after watching their team surrender to the opposition. It was different on Tuesday night.

Playing their penultimate match at home, Virat Kohli and his men ended their five-match losing streak against Mumbai with a much-needed win. Defending 167, the home team bowlers finally delivered as Mumbai fell short by 14 runs and finished their innings at 153/7. Watching The Avengers: Infinity War on match eve seemed to have rejuvenated the home team who bowled and fielded with spunk and purpose.

A fuller delivery from Tim Soutee (2/25) crashed into Ishan Kishan’s stumps in the opening over to give the hosts an early flip. Umesh Yadav (2/29) struck a double blow in the fourth over sending back Suryakumar Yadav and skipper Rohit Sharma off back-back-deliveries. At 4-47 and their main batsmen back in the dugout it was a tough ask to get Mumbai over the rope. The big-hitting Pandya brothers —Hardik (59, 42b, 5x4, 1x6) and Krunal (23)—took the fight to the opposition with their 39-ball-56 stand, but the latter’s dismissal in the penultimate over proved ended their hopes.

Earlier, staring at an early exit, Mumbai upped their game as they did well to restrict the misfiring home team to 167/7.

Barring the 20th over, in which Mitchell McClenaghan gave away a criminal 24 runs, Mumbai’s bowling at the business end was impeccable. From the 16th to the 19th over they struck it rich, claiming four wickets and conceding a miserly 20 runs.

RCB didn’t look like they would cross the 150 mark, but a 10-ball-23 cameo by Colin de Grandhomme gave the total a much-needed uplift.

Rohit called it right at the toss and on a sluggish wicket the home team was off to a sedate start until Manan Vohra (45, 31b, 2x4, 4x6) decided to go after spinner JP Duminy in the fourth over. The opener took apart the South African, including a pair of sixes and fours, for 22 runs. They ended power play at 43/1 after an off-colour de Kock mistimed an off-cutter from Mc Clenaghan and Rohit held on to low catch at midwicket. Vohra, who looked set for a big one, went back to the dugout after he was adjudged leg before wicket to Mayank Markande.

Brendon Mc Cullum (37, 25b, 4x4, 2x6) and Virat Kohli (32, 26b, 2x4, 1x6) forged a partnership and put their experience to good use. They didn’t go for anything flashy, instead guarded their wickets and waited for the bad balls. But the departure of Mc Cullum, after a direct hit from Hardik crashed into the timber, brought about a brief lull.

But the dismissal of Mandeep Singh and Virat Kohli off success balls drowned the RCB momentum.

Pandya, who has gone for 20 runs in the 10th over, redeemed himself in the 18th. He opened with a slower ball which Mandeep attempted to slog sweep but sent it straight to Suryakumar Yadav at deep midwicket. In the next ball, Kohli sliced to Kieron Pollard at long on and left the hosts reeling at 139/5.