Images from the opening match of the 14th Indian Premier League, between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, in Chennai, on Friday.
Royal Challengers Bangalore got off to a winning start in the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League, beating defending champions Mumbai Indians by two wickets off the last ball in the opening match, at the M A Chidambaram stadium, in Chennai, on Friday.
Chasing 160 for victory, after medium pacer Harshal Patel bagged five wickets for 27 runs to restrict Mumbai Indians to 159 for 9, AB de Villiers saw Royal Challengers home with a gritty 27-ball 48 after they lost Virat Kohli (33) and Glenn Maxwell (39) and were down in the dumps at 106 for 5.
Marco Jansen (2/28) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/26) shone with ball, but could prevent Mumbai Indians losing their first match as has been the tradition in the IPL.
The day though belonged to Patel, who took three wickets in the final over as Mumbai Indians lost six for 37 runs in the last five overs.
Patel came up with accurate wicket-to-wicket bowling in the 18th and 20th over to earn the distinction of claiming the first five-wicket haul by any bowler against Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Washington Sundar opened Royal Challengers Bangalore’s batting with captain Kohli, while Trent Boult opened the bowling for Mumbai Indians.
Sundar and Kohli got the side off to a good start, putting on 35 for no loss in four overs.
However, left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya came into the attack and broke the partnership. He struck in his first over, dismissing Sundar, who sliced it high on the off-side trying to hit it down the ground and was caught by Lynn at short third-man for 10. Royal Challengers were 36 for 1 in the fifth over.
Trent Boult then got his first wicket as Rajat Patidar, who came in at the fall of Sundar’s wicket, inside-edged the fifth delivery back on to his stumps and was bowled for 8. RCB were 45-2 in the sixth over.
New-man in Glenn Maxwell and Kohli then got cracking as RCB raced to 95 for 2 in 12 overs, needing another 65 from eight overs for victory. But Jasprit Bumrah, bowling his second over, returned to the attack and took the big wicket of Kohli, who walked across the stumps in an attempt to flick the ball on the leg side, but missed and was trapped plumb leg before wicket for 33. RCB were 98 for 3 in the 13th over.
They lost another wicket at a crucial juncture when Marco Jansen, back into the attack, dismissed Maxwell. The Aussie tried to pull a short ball down the leg side but was unable to get on top of it. He miscued it uppishly towards short fine leg, where Lynn dived forward to complete a good catch.
Maxwell was out after a good hand of 39 from 28 balls and RCB in a spot of bother at 103 for 4, in the 15th over.
Jansen bagged his second wicket of the over having Shahbaz Ahmed caught by Krunal at deep midwicket.
RCB needed 54 from five overs for victory with AB de Villiers and Daniel Christian at the crease, but Bumrah, back into the attack, picked his second wicket as Christian was caught at point by Rahul Chahar and perished for 1.
Jamieson was then run-out, leaving it to de Villiers and Harshal Patel to the remaining runs.
But Krunal Pandya came up with a flat throw to wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan to run-out de Villiers is run out after a cracking knock of 48 from 27 balls.
With the scores level, fittingly, Harshal hit the winning runs, clipping the last delivery of the match from Jansen to short fine leg for a single.
Earlier, captain Rohit Sharma opened the batting for Mumbai Indians with debutant Chris Lynn after Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and elected to bowl.
Mohammed Siraj bowled Royal Challengers Bangalore's first over and Rohit got going immediately. He hit a four and six before he was run-out.
Lynn drove Yuzvendra Chahal to Virat Kohli, who did well to get to the ball quickly and throw it in from the covers. Rohit, halfway down looking for a single, was sent back and failed to make his crease. He was out for 19.
New-man in Suryakumar Yadav and Lynn got about steadying the innings and took Mumbai to 86 for 1 at the half-way mark before Kyle Jamieson broke the stand with the last delivery of his third over.
Suryakumar looked to slash the ball over third-man but only got the edge and was caught behind for 31 off 22 balls.
Mumbai Indians were 94 for 2 after 11 overs.
Off-spinner Washington Sundar was introduced into the attack in the 13th over and he struck with his fifth delivery, dismissing the well-set Lynn for 49, which included four fours and three sixes.
Eager to get to his fifty, Lynn miscued his slog-shot over the leg side and Sundar did well to run to his right and pull off a superb catch.
Mumbai Indians were 105 for 3, but Lynn (49 off 35 balls) had made amends for his part in the horrible mix-up that led to skipper Rohit's (19 off 15 balls) run-out, by adding 70 runs in seven overs for the second wicket with Suryakumar.
Medium Pacer Harshal Patel then trapped Hardik Pandya leg before wicket. The batsman missed the full toss as he tried to flick it and was adjudged out. Hardik went for the review, which showed there was no inside edge and the impact was in line, the ball going on to hit the leg stump. Hardik was out for 13 and Mumbai Indians 135-4 after 16 overs.
Ishan Kishan made his way back soon after, he too trapped leg before by Harshal after scoring 28 off 19 balls, including a four and two sixes, and enjoying two dropped chances.
Things only got better for Harshal as he went on to dismiss Krunal Pandya and Kieron Pollard off his first two deliveries in the 20th over and Marco Jansen with the fourth to finish with five wickets for 27 runs from his four overs, one of which was a maiden, as Mumbai Indians were restricted to 159 for 9 in their 20 overs.
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