Mumbai (Maharashtra), India, April 7 (ANI): Fifty-run innings from both Virat Kohli and team captain Rajat Patidar, along with notable performances from Devdutt Padikkal and Jitesh Sharma, enabled Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to set an impressive score of 221/5 against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.

In order to achieve their initial victory over MI at Wankhede since 2015 and their third win in this tournament, RCB needs to successfully defend a target score of 222 runs.

When MI secured the toss and asked RCB to bat first, the game burst into action right from the beginning. As Phil Salt smashed a powerful cover drive past Trent Boult for a boundary, Boult retaliated swiftly by dismissing Salt’s wickets with the very next delivery. By then, RCB found themselves at 4 runs for the loss of one wicket within just 0.2 overs.

Devdutt Padikkal accompanied Virat Kohli at the wicket. On his very first delivery, Padikkal greeted Boult with a boundary, setting the stage for their aggressive partnership. In the following three overs, they dominated Boult; Padikkal launched a massive six beyond backward square leg, complemented by Virat’s elegant consecutive boundaries, which brought the team's total to 33 runs.

In the fourth over, the highly anticipated clash between Virat and Jasprit Bumrah took place, with Virat scoring eight runs off four deliveries against him, which included a powerful six hit over deep mid-wicket. In the following over bowled by Will Jacks, Virat struck two boundaries, helping Royal Challengers Bangalore reach their 50-run mark within five overs.

During Deepak Chahar's last over of the power play, Padikkal managed to hit him for two sixes and a four, resulting in a combined score of 20 runs. By the conclusion of the first six overs, RCB had accumulated a score of 73/1, with Virat (scoring 36*) and Padikkal (scoring 32*) remaining not out.

Although the momentum paused momentarily, RCB supporters found reason to celebrate as Virat scored his second half-century of the season in 29 deliveries, hitting six boundaries and two maximums.

Nevertheless, the 91-run partnership between Virat and Padikkal came to an end when the latter was dismissed by Vignesh Puthu with a precise catch taken by Will Jacks at long-on after scoring 37 runs off 22 deliveries, including two boundaries and three sixes. At this point, MI stood at 95/2 in just nine overs.

By the conclusion of the tenth over, RCB had scored 100 runs, with captain Rajat Patidar (3*) teaming up with Virat (53*).

Although runs were scarce in the following two overs, Patidar managed to hit two boundaries off MI captain Hardik Pandya and then scored two sixes and a four against Mitchell Santner, assisted by Virat.

The encouraging 48-run partnership between Rajat and Virat came to an end when Hardik dismissed the key player Virat for 67 off 42 deliveries, including eight boundaries and two maximums, thanks to a splendid catch taken by Naman Dhir at deep square leg. Shortly after, he trapped Liam Livingstone lbw, catching him off Jasprit Bumrah’s delivery for just one run off two balls. The Royal Challengers Bangalore reached 144/4 during their 14.3-over innings.

At the other end, Rajat received crucial support from the powerful batting of Jitesh Sharma. During the 16th over, Jitesh managed to hit a boundary and a six, whilst Patidar also scored a four off Boult’s bowling. Boult ended up giving away 42 runs in only three overs.

The skipper kept leading from the forefront, scoring another half-century this season in merely 25 deliveries, including four boundaries and three sixes. He dominated Pandya, slamming two consecutive sixes followed by a boundary. By the end of the over, Jitesh contributed with a four, resulting in them plundering 23 runs off the 17th over. Their partnership reached 50 runs swiftly within 17 balls.

Due to a remarkable series of sixes from Jitesh, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) achieved their 200-run milestone in just 18.1 overs. However, the second-to-last over bowled by Boult proved costly, featuring two wide deliveries and two enormous sixes hit by Jitesh. Nevertheless, things concluded positively when Ryan Rickelton pulled off an incredible catch to dismissed Rajat for 64 runs scored in 32 balls, including five boundaries and four towering sixes. Boult’s bowling stint finished with figures of 2/57 after four overs. By the end of 19 overs, RCB stood at 213/5.

During the last over, Bumrah gave away a six off Jitesh’s bat, concluding the innings with RCB finishing at 221/5. Jitesh remained not out on 40* off just 19 deliveries, hitting two boundaries and four maximums, alongside Tim David who was undefeated on 1*.

For Mumbai Indians, Hardik took 2 wickets for 45 runs, followed by Boult with 2 wickets for 57 runs. Puthur managed to take one wicket. In his return match, Bumrah conceded 29 runs off four overs without taking a wicket. (ANI)