IPL 2025: Rajat, Virat shine as power-packed RCB post 221/5 against MI

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], April 7 (ANI): Half-centuries from Virat Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar and cameos from Devdutt Padikkal and Jitesh Sharma helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) post a massive 221/5 against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium on Monday.
To secure their first win against MI at Wankhede since IPL 2015 and third of this competition, RCB will have to defend 222 runs.
After MI won the toss and put RCB to bat first, the match was off to an electric start. While Phil Salt drilled a Trent Boult delivery for a big cover drive for four, Boult got back at him by making a mess out of his stumps on the next ball. RCB was 4/1 in 0.2 overs.
Devdutt Padikkal joined Virat Kohli on the crease. Paddikal welcomed Boult with a four on the first ball and the duo dismantled Boult in the third over as Padikkal hit him for a six over backward square leg while Virat ended the over with two classy fours, bringing the score to 33.
The fourth over witnessed the much-hyped Virat-Jasprit Bumrah face-off and Virat collected eight runs in four balls against him, including a cracking six over deep mid-wicket. The next over by Will Jacks brought two boundaries from Virat and RCB's 50 runs in five overs.
Deepak Chahar's final over of the powerplay was a run-fest as Padikkal hit him for two sixes and a four, bringing total of 20 runs. At the end of six overs, RCB was 73/1, with Virat (36*) and Padikkal (32*) unbeaten.
While the run-flow stopped for a while, RCB fans had something to cheer about as Virat reached his second fifty of the season in 29 balls, with six fours and two sixes.
However, the 91-run stand between Virat and Padikkal ended as the latter was removed by Vignesh Puthur with a fine catch from Will Jacks at long-on for 37 in 22 balls, with two fours and three sixes. MI was 95/2 in nine overs.
At the end of 10 overs, RCB reached their 100 runs, with skipper Rajat Patidar (3*) joining Virat (53*).
While runs did not come in plenty during the next two overs, Patidar smashed two boundaries against MI skipper Hardik Pandya and took down Mitchell Santner for two sixes and a four with Virat.
The promising 48-run stand between Rajat and Virat was over as Hardik got the big wicket of Virat for 67 in 42 balls, with eight fours and two sixes, with a fine catch from Naman Dhir at deep square. He also got Liam Livingstone caught by Jasprit Bumrah for a two-ball duck. RCB was 144/4 in 14.3 overs.
Rajat got support from an explosive Jitesh Sharma at the other end. In the 16th over, Jitesh collected a four and six while Patidar got a four against Boult, who conceded 42 runs in just three overs.
The captain continued to lead from the front with a second fifty of his season, in just 25 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. He was toying with Pandya, hitting him for two successive sixes and then a four. The over ended with a four from Jitesh as the duo looted 23 runs from the 17th over. The duo brought up their 50-run stand in just 17 balls.
Thanks to a powerful six from Jitesh, RCB reached their 200-run mark in 18.1 overs. The penultimate over by Boult turned out to be expensive as there were two wides and two massive sixes by Jitesh. But it ended well thanks to a stunner of a catch by Ryan Rickelton to dismiss Rajat for 64 in 32 balls, with five fours and four sixes. Boult's spell came to an end at 2/57 in four overs. RCB was 213/5 in 19 overs.
In the final over, Bumrah conceded a six from Jitesh and RCB ended at 221/5, with Jitesh (40* in 19 balls, with two fours and four sixes) and Tim David (1*) unbeaten.
Hardik (2/45) and Boult (2/57) were top bowlers for MI while Puthur got a wicket. Bumrah delivered a spell of 0/29 in four overs on his comeback. (ANI)