IPL 2025: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar's stunning half-centuries help RCB defeat MI by 12 runs

RCB opener Virat Kohli en route his 67 against MI at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday; (right) RCB skipper Rajat Patidar in full flow yesterday. Pics/Atul Kamble

Mumbai Indians (MI) sunk to their fourth defeat in five IPL-18 matches as visitors Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cruised to a 12-run victory at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday night.

The hosts were restricted for 209-9 in response to a stiff 222-run target. Skipper Hardik Pandya (15-ball 42) and middle-order batter Tilak Varma (56 off 29 balls) gave MI some hope with an 89-run stand off just 34 balls, but they could not take their team across the finish. RCB spinner Krunal Pandya finished with figures of 4-45, while pacers Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal claimed two wickets each.

Despite having speedster Jasprit Bumrah, who was playing his first IPL game this season, MI encountered a rough night against a spirited RCB, who rode on their former and current skipper - Virat Kohli (42-ball 67, 8x4, 2x6) and Rajat Patidar (32-ball 64, 5x4, 4x6) respectively.

Bumrah finishes with 0-29

MI fans at the stadium were chanting ‘Boom, Boom' but the pace ace, who was returning from a back injury, went wicketless while conceding 29 runs off his four overs.

The last time Bumrah bowled in a competitive match was in the Sydney Test against Australia last January.

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When he was introduced into the attack in the fourth over of the Powerplay, Kohli ‘welcomed' him with a six over the midwicket fence. He conceded 10 runs from his first over.

Kohli, who took three balls to open his account with a couple of runs in the mid-wicket region off pacer Deepak Chahar (0-29), before dispatching him for his first four off the next ball.

Kohli hammered left-arm pacer Trent Boult (2-57) through the mid-wicket area for his second four and off the next ball, perfectly placing the ball in the gap between extra cover and mid-off for another boundary.

Even one-drop Devdutt Padikkal (22-ball 37, 2x4, 3x6), who walked to the crease in the first over itself after opener Phil Salt's dismissal through Boult, looked equally attacking and played fearless cricket.

Solid start for visitors

After the first six overs, RCB had 73-1 on the board. The ninth over of the innings, bowled by wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur (1-10) was productive for both camps. Kohli reached his half-century in 29 balls while dispatching the young spinner over the long-on fence.

However, Puthur bounced back after two balls with a flighted delivery that Padikkal hit to Will Jacks near the long-on fence.

MI's 15th over, bowled by skipper Hardik Pandya (2-45) brought some cheer to the hosts' fans. Hardik ended Kohli's knock when the right-hander attempted a big hit only to find the hands of Naman Dhir at deep midwicket.

Liam Livingstone (0) failed to scoop Hardik for Bumrah to pluck a catch at short third man. Hardik conceded 23 runs in his last over. Patidar reached his half-centiry off just 25 balls when he smashed Hardik for a six. Another six came off Hardik's very next delivery.

Wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma's 19-ball unbeaten 40 proved invaluable to the Bangalore side, who won their third game to be atop the table (six points) with Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans for company.

Brief scores
RCB 221-5 in 20 overs (V Kohli 67, R Patidar 64, J Sharma 40', D Padikkal 37; H Pandya 2-45, T Boult 2-57) beat MI 209-9 in 20 overs (H Pandya 42, T Varma 56; K Pandya 4-45, Y Dayal 2-46, J Hazlewood 2-37) by 12 runs