IPL 2018
Mid-innings (RCB vs MI) – Game in balance with Death Overs See-Saw
By P - May 1, 2018 10:01 pm
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Royal Challengers Bangalore had a very good platform set up when they were 137/3 after 17 overs with Virat Kohli at the crease. Mumbai Indians with their excellent death bowling managed to keep them below 170 as RCB kept losing the wickets one after another. The final score of RCB will be about par at this sluggish Chinnaswamy Stadium especially with Grandhomme’s spectacular finish.

Manan Vohra  (Photo: IANS)

Earlier in the night, Rohit Sharma won the toss and RCB to bat first. Mumbai Indians lost Evin Lewis in tonight’s match due to illness and they brought back Kieron Pollard to replace the Windies player. With AB De Villiers still unfit, RCB persisted with Brendon McCullum and brought back Washington Sundar in place of Murugan Ashwin.

The opening tonight was sparkled by Manan Vohra. He was struggling in the season so far but made immense of the opportunity. He covered up for struggling De Kock. Vohra ended up with 45 runs from 31 balls with 2 fours and 4 sixes. He was out lbw to Markande.

Brendon McCullum played the role Vohra was playing earlier and allowed Kohli to go at his own rate. McCullum looted 13 runs off the single ball as he cracked a six on no-ball and a free hit. McCullum was run0out from a direct throw by Hardik, he scored 37 from 25 balls.

Kohli (32 from 26 balls) and Mandeep (14 from 10) were looking all set to make the most of the platform set up, it was just then that the brakes were applied. In a stunning come-back, Mumbai broke the back of RCB as they picked up four wickets in just four runs. 150 became improbable at one stage.

The momentum once again shifted in the last three balls of the last over bowled by Mitchell McClenaghan. Colin De Grandhomme smacked three sixes in the last over, out of which one was a no-ball and a free hit.

RCB ended up with 167/7 in 20 overs. MI needs to chase this without Evin Lewis.