Dubai: Glenn Maxwell justified his million dollar contract with an all-round performance before Harshal Patel took a hat-trick to ensure a thumping 54-run victory for Royal Challengers Bangalore over Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League here on Sunday.
Maxwell (56 off 37 balls and 2/23) produced one of his better efforts in the IPL while Harshal (4/17 in 3.1 overs), the current Purple Cap holder removed Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Rahul Chahar off successive deliveries to defend a target of 165 without breaking much sweat.
MI were all-out for 111 in 18.1 overs, losing 10 wickets for 54 runs after being 57 for no loss at one stage. Skipper Virat Kohli won the ‘Battle of Bosses’ against his national team deputy Rohit Sharma as RCB with 12 points are back in the play-off contention while MI with three successive defeats are now in a real spot of bother at seventh spot in eight-team table.
Kohli would also happy with his second half-century and the form of his premier spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (3/11 in 4 overs). Rohit teed off with three boundaries in a single over from Kyle Jamieson.
MI looked in complete control during the Powerplay as Quinton de Kock also got a few boundaries. However it was Chahal, who removed de Kock and then Ishan Kishan’s full-blooded shot was just about parried away by Rohit, who was hit on the left wrist trying to avoid a body blow.That must have affected his concentration as he tried to hit a second six off Maxwell having hit one in the earlier over but this time was pouched by Devdutt Padikkal at the long-on boundary much to the delight of rival skipper Kohli. Ishan Kishan (9 off 12 balls), who has barely managed 100 runs in nine IPL matches this season, would increase the worry of national selectors as he played an irresponsible hoick against the turn off Chahal and Krunal Pandya (5) then trying to break the logjam was bowled by Maxwell.
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