Rajasthan Royals picked up their third win on the trot, handing Mumbai Indians a six wicket defeat at the Wankhede stadium on Monday, April 1, 2024.
It was the bowlers who stole the show at the Wankhede, but there were a couple of handy knocks for both sides.
While MI Skipper Hardik Pandya kept the boos at bay to top score for the struggling hosts, Riyan Parag kept his form going as he hammered another solid half-century to take Royals to their third win this season.
A look at the best knocks in the Mumbai Indians-Rajasthan Royals contest:
Riyan Parag
With a low score on the board, Riyan didn't need to dish out a sensational knock. But the youngster hit some lusty shots to take the visitors to a comfortable win.
Needing just 126 to win, Royals were reduced to 42/2 in 4.2 overs. Coming in at No. 4, the young batter shouldered the responsibility to take the Royals home.
With the lethal Akash Madhwal and Jasprit Bumrah working in tandem, Riyan kept his head on his shoulders to hammer his second half-century on the trot.
Getting off the mark with a single, he took his time to settle in. After getting just 4 off 8, he found his first boundaries off Gerald Coetzee.
A lovely shot over 'keeper Ishan Kishan off a 133.3 kph bouncer from Coetzee saw Riyan hammer his first four. The youngster followed it up with another lusty shot through fine leg.
Coetzee was his go-to bowler as he once again hammered him for another drive straight over cover.
Riyan and Ashwin stabilised RR's chase with a 40 off 35 for the fourth wicket.
Despite losing Ashwin at the other end, Riyan prevented another collapse, holding onto his nerves for a match-winning knock.
He even took the attack to Bumrah as he thrashed his attempted yorker through extra cover.
His innings were studded with a couple of out of the park shots as well as he hammered Piyush Chawla for a maximum over cow corner.
Picking his favourite bowler Coetzee, he carved a lovely six over cover and followed it up with a pulled shot over midwicket to bring up his half-century. A top-edged four over the 'keeper saw him seals Royals win.
His unbeaten 39-ball 54 was peppered with five boundaries and three sixes.
Hardik Pandya
Hardik has suffered a lot in the ongoing IPL season. Ever since making a shock return to the Mumbai Indians and taking over the captaincy from Rohit Sharma, he has been subject to a lot of anger from fans.
MI fans booed and jeered Hardik at the toss, but the all-rounder soon won back not all, but some fans.
Walking in in only the fourth over with Mumbai reeling on 20/4, he chose the aggressive option to bail his team out of trouble.
He slammed Nandre Burger for three boundaries in the sixth over and then carved Avesh Khan past short third man for another boundary.
Hardik played a delightful late cut off leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal for his fifth four followed by another cracking shot through the covers off Ravichandran Ashwin to get MI back on track.
But he could not carry on as he perished to Chahal, caught at long on, after a fluent 34 from 21 balls.
Hardik's knock was MI's highest score in the match. Scoring at a rate of 161.90, the inning was peppered with six boundaries.
Tilak Varma
Coming to the crease in only the third over, with MI reeling at 14/3 in 2.2 overs, Tilak had a job to do. And Tilak stabilised MI's innings alongside Hardik, who joined him in the next over.
With Trent Boult ripping through the line-up, Tilak found his first boundary with a maximum off Boult. With Boult erring on the line, Varma capitalised on it instantly, lifting it over fine leg.
Tilak kept the board ticking, despite wickets falling at the other end.
But he failed to don the hero's cap for MI, falling to Chahal in the 14th over. His 29-ball 32 included two maximums.
Tilak and Hardik's 56 off 36 for the fifth wicket gave the home fans something to cheer about on a day when they were completely outplayed by the Rajasthan Royals.
MI Vs RR: Who Played The Best Knock?
