Any match between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians is a mouth-watering fixture for any cricket fan. Both teams have destructive batting line ups and will be looking to get a win as both of them lost their last games. RCB put up 190 in the last game, but we’re undone by a brilliant century by Quinton de Kock. Mumbai Indians on the other hand, have played three matches and have lost two of them, including the last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Also read: IPL Results 2016: Scores, Updated Points Table and Time Table/Schedule after Gujarat vs Hyderabad Match
Royal Challengers Inning:
Virat lost the toss for the third consecutive time and was put into bat by Rohit Sharma. It was a tough start for RCB, as they were put under pressure by Kiwi pair of Southee and McClenaghan. With Gayle gone to celebrate the birth of his kid. KL Rahul opened the innings with Kohli, he took some time to get off the mark. McClenaghan peppered him with a few bouncers and also hit him on the helmet with an in-swinging scorcher. Rahul got the better of him in the next over scoring 16 but edged a good delivery to slip during the run of play.
Krunal Pandya removes both Virat and AB after 50 partnership
AB was next to crease and some stability was established as he and Kohli controlled the innings. As always both of them looked set for a big partnership with glimpses of the 215 record partnership showing. They brought up the fifty run partnership in the 10th over, but Krunal Pandya saw to it that they didn’t go any further and took the wicket of Virat Kohli, as held out in the deep after making 33. AB joined Virat in the hut just a few balls later, stumped by Parthiv Patel. Travis Head who was making his debut tonight came in at the fall of AB's wicket. With two Aussies on the crease, Watson and Head would have looked to play for the bit and take RCB to a fighting total, but Watson fell cheaply to an amazing flying effort by Patel behind the stumps.
Head and Sarfaraz take team to a respectable total
At one stage RCB looked like they would get somewhere around 140 after the triple strike of Kohli, AB, and Watson. But Travis Head and Sarfaraz dug their heels in and took charge of the latter part of the innings putting up a 50 run partnership and taking RCB to a respectable total of 170. Head showed some signs of brilliance hitting a few big ones and ably partnered by Sarfaraz who hit a few lusty blows himself. Head and Sarfaraz scored 36 and 28 respectively. While going for a final thrust RCB lost wickets in a flurry losing Head, Sarfaraz, and Binny in the end.
Mumbai Indians Inning off to a scratchy start
Mumbai Indians didn’t have the best first couple of overs as they lost Parthiv Patel off the first ball of the second over to Kane Richardson. RCB had a few chances to send both Rayudu and Rohit back to the dugout as there was a lot of confused running between the two. The pressure eased in Varun Aaron's next over as he gave away 19 runs in the over. Rohit and Rayudu put up a good partnership to cement MI’s position in the game. Rohit made the most of the missed run out opportunities and went on to score a 62 and Rayudu scored 32. Jos Butler played a quickfire knock of 28 of 14 delivers and laid into Iqbal Abdulla hitting him for two sixes before getting out going for a third.
Pollard takes MI home
Pollard who missed the last game due to injury, took the RCB bowlers to the cleaners and ended up hitting a prolific 40 of 19 delivers with four fours and three sixes, to take the game away from the Bangalore team and hand the Mumbai Indians their second win of the season and the much-needed momentum.
| Pos | Team | Mat | Won | Lost | Tied | N/R | Net RR |
| 1 | Kolkata | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1.075 |
| 2 | Gujarat | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.714 |
| 3 | Delhi | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.249 |
| 4 | Mumbai | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -0.536 |
| 5 | Pune | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +0.338 |
| 6 | Bangalore | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +0.266 |
| 7 | Hyderabad | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | -0.672 |
| 8 | Punjab | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -1.155 |
IPL 2016 Schedule and Fixture
| Date | Time (BST/IST) | Match | Venue |
| April 21 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Gujarat Lions vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad | Rajkot |
| April 22 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Rising Pune Supergiants vs. Royal Challengers Bangalore | Pune |
| April 23 | 11:30 a.m./4 p.m. | Delhi Daredevils vs. Mumbai Indians | Delhi |
| April 23 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Kings XI Punjab | Hyderabad |
| April 24 | 11:30 a.m./4 p.m. | Gujarat Lions vs. Royal Challengers Bangalore | Rajkot |
| April 24 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Rising Pune Supergiants vs. Kolkata Knight Riders | Pune |
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