Royal Challengers Bangalore began their 2023 Indian Premier League season impressively, as they defeated Mumbai Indians by eight wickets. RCB chased down the target of 172 with 22 balls to spare, thanks to the opening partnership of Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis, who produced a master-class in stroke-making, scoring twin fifties and a combined partnership of 148 runs.
Tilak Varma’s impressive 84 runs off 46 balls enabled the Mumbai Indians (MI) to reach 171 for seven, but Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) easily achieved victory despite his efforts.
MI’s Disastrous Start to the Season
Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2023 season began disastrously with an eight-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. The Mumbai Indians’ top order failed to perform, and they were three wickets down in the powerplay, setting the tone for a one-sided match in Bengaluru.
MI struggled to get going with the bat, with none of their top-order batsmen able to make an impact. The team was in trouble at 29/3 after the powerplay, with the top three batsmen back in the pavilion. Varma was the lone ranger for MI, scoring a quickfire 84 not out to take the team to a respectable total. However, it was not enough as RCB chased down the target with ease. MI will need to regroup and come back stronger in the upcoming matches.
Tilak Varma’s Heroics in Vain – RCB Vs MI
Tilak Varma was the only batsman for the visitors, scoring an unbeaten 84 off 46 balls. However, his performance was not enough for Rohit Sharma’s side. Ishan Kishan was sent back to the pavilion by Mohammed Siraj after scoring 10 from 13 deliveries. Cameron Green, making his IPL debut, was dismissed by Reece Topley for 5 off 4 in the fourth over.
April 2nd, Ravi Shastri in the commentary box and a 6️⃣ to finish off a brilliant run chase.
A tribute to THAT 6️⃣ from MSD #OnThisDay 🥹#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2023 #RCBvMI pic.twitter.com/MIAq24u5gC
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 2, 2023
Rohit Sharma followed suit soon after, managing only 1 from 10 balls before being bowled out by Akash Deep. Suryakumar Yadav also failed to provide Mumbai with a much-needed spark, being sent back for 15 from 16 deliveries.
At one point, it seemed unlikely that Mumbai Indians (MI) would reach 150 runs. However, Varma’s impressive batting enabled MI to score 171, which the Royal Challengers Bangalore made look easy.
MI’s Bowling Woes
MI’s bowling attack was put to the sword by Kohli and du Plessis, with none of the bowlers able to contain the flow of runs. Jason Behrendorff, who was brought in as an impact player, had a forgettable debut, conceding 30 runs in three overs.
Arshad Khan gave away 28 runs in his three overs, while Jofra Archer went for 26 runs in his two overs. MI will need to address their bowling woes if they are to bounce back in the tournament.
RCB’s Dominant Performance – RCB VS MI
RCB bowlers fired in unison, with the Challengers turning out five different wicket-takers in the match. Chasing 172, Kohli (82 not out) and Du Plessis (73) exhibited sublime stroke-making, plundering 10 boundaries and as many maximums during their near-flawless 89-ball stand.
After du Plessis perished in the 15th over, Kohli completed the job, hitting a four and six off Arshad Khan to knock off the winning runs to hand MI their 11th consecutive defeat in their first match of the season. While Challengers ticked all the boxes in their opening encounter, five-time champions Mumbai were left with many unanswered questions by the end of the match.
HOMECOMING and how! A clinical run chase today! 🤌
Brilliant start to our season🫶#PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #IPL2023 #RCBvMI pic.twitter.com/juZDl3lvOg
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) April 2, 2023
RCB’s opening partnership between Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis was the highlight of the match. The two batsmen complemented each other perfectly, with Kohli playing the anchor role while du Plessis went after the bowlers.
They put on a clinic in stroke-making, dispatching the MI bowlers to all parts of the ground. Kohli remained unbeaten on 82 off 52 balls, while du Plessis scored 73 off 37 balls. Their partnership of 148 runs set the foundation for RCB’s comfortable win.
RCB’s Balanced Bowling Attack
RCB’s bowling attack was well-balanced, with each bowler contributing to the team’s success. Mohammed Siraj was the pick of the bowlers, finishing with figures of 1/20 in four overs. Reece Topley picked up his first IPL wicket, while Akash Deep and Harshal Patel chipped in with a wicket each.
Piyush Chawla was economical in his two overs, giving away just 14 runs. Overall, RCB’s bowling attack looked sharp and disciplined, putting pressure on the MI batsmen throughout the innings.
Conclusion
In conclusion RCB Vs MI, RCB’s comprehensive win over MI was a statement of intent from the Challengers. They looked sharp and focused in all departments of the game, with their batting and bowling clicking together.
On the other hand, MI will need to regroup and come back stronger in the upcoming matches. With plenty of matches still to be played, it will be interesting to see how the two teams fare in the rest of the IPL 2023 season.
