Rohit stars in MI's first win
Captain Rohit Sharma struck a brilliant 94 before his bowlers produced a clinical performance as Mumbai Indians beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by 46 runs in their IPL match on Tuesday.
Put into bat, Mumbai recovered from a shock start of 0 for 2 to post 213 for 6, their highest score of the season, mainly through the splendid batting of Rohit (94 in 52 balls) and opener Evin Lewis (65 in 42 balls).
Then, the Mumbai bowlers led by left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya (3/28) stopped RCB at 167 for 8 in 20 overs to notch up their first win in their fourth match of the season.
RCB captain Virat Kohli's typically aggressive 62-ball 92 not out was the lone bright spot in the visitors' run-chase of 214 as they lost their way after a promising start.
Kohli, who opened the RCB innings, slammed 4 sixes and 7 fours in his unbeaten knock but none of his batting colleagues gave him support. The next best was that of the other opener Quinton de Kock who made 19 from 12 balls.
RCB's defeat at the Wankhede Stadium was also third in four games this season.
RCB made an encouraging start in pursuit of the daunting target when Kohli and de Kock put on 40 runs before a twin strike in three balls by left-arm pacer Mitchell McClenaghan (2/24) in the fifth over arrested their progress.
The New Zealander bowled de Kock for 19 and then struck another big blow by having another South African A B de Villiers (1) caught in the deep to make it 42 for two.
There was a brief revival with Kohli adding 32 runs with Mandeep Singh (16) before Krunal Pandya grabbed two wickets off successive balls. Krunal dismissed Mandeep and Corey Anderson (0) to push the visitors firmly on the back foot at 75 for four.
Earlier, Mumbai Indians made a grand recovery from a shock start through sparkling half centuries from captain Rohit and Lewis.
SCORES IN BRIEF
MUMBAI INDIANS: 213 for 6 in 20 overs (Lewis 65, Sharma 94, H Pandya 17 not out; Yadav 2-36, Anderson 2-47)
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE: 167 for 8 in 20 overs (Kohli 92 not out, De Kock 19; Bumrah 2-28, K Pandya 3-28, McClenaghan 2-24)
Result: Mumbai Indians won by 46 runs.
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