Mumbai Indians will be taking on the Royal Challengers Bangalore at Mumbai in only a few hours. While Mumbai Indians only need a win to qualify for the playoffs, RCB are all but knocked out of the tournament with nothing much to play for.
Over the years, both MI and RCB have locked horns a total of 22 times, with Mumbai Indians leading the head-to-head by 10-8. Both these teams have played some thrilling encounters and there have been several memorable moments from their matches. Here are five of the best moments between RCB and MI in IPL history.
#5. Ambati Rayudu and Kieron Pollard’s massive partnership, 2012
RCB and MI played one of the best matches of IPL 2012 on 12th May at Bangalore. While Mumbai Indians had already confirmed their place in the playoffs, RCB needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive.
MI had won the toss and had elected to bowl first.
RCB were off to a shaky start, having lost Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli early in the innings and the likes of Saurabh Tiwary and AB de Villiers were not able to spend much time on the crease as well. Tillakaratne Dilshan played a patient knock of 47 from 50 deliveries before Mayank Agarwal hit a 30-ball 64 to steer RCB to a total of 171/6 in their 20 overs.
In reply, Mumbai Indians were off to an even worse start as Herschelle Gibbs, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, and Dwayne Smith only scored a combined 29 runs between them and MI were reduced to 51/5 in 9 overs, with the required run rate approaching 11.
At this stage, Ambati Rayudu and Kieron Pollard took center-stage as they began to smash the RCB spinners until the 15th over before going after their pacers during the death. With 41 needed to win from final three overs, Rayudu slammed two sixes and a boundary off Vinay Kumar in the 18th over to bring the equation down to 23 from 12 balls.
After Zaheer Khan conceded 9 runs from the penultimate over, MI needed 14 in the final over to win the game. Chris Gayle was the bowler and the first ball resulted in a leg bye.
Pollard then smashed a six and two boundaries off the next three deliveries to win the match for MI. Pollard and Rayudu added 122 runs for the sixth wicket with the former scoring 52 from 31 balls and the latter being adjudged the Man of the Match for his 81 from 54 deliveries.
#4. Vinay Kumar’s spell of 3/27, 2013
RCB and MI played the second match of IPL 2013 in Bangalore. Mumbai Indians had won the toss and opted to field first. Despite a 58-ball 92 from Chris Gayle, RCB could only get to 156/5 in their 20 overs as other batsmen did not contribute much.
In reply, Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar gave a fine start to Mumbai Indians and added 52 runs for the first wicket before both were dismissed. Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik began to form a partnership to bring MI back into the game before Vinay Kumar dismissed the former for 11.
At this point, Karthik began to play aggressively and was assisted well by Ambati Rayudu. The duo brought MI back into the game as they needed 10 runs to win from the final over.
Vinay Kumar was entrusted to bowl the final over and took the prized wicket of Dinesh Karthik in the second delivery before bowling out Ambati Rayudu on the very next delivery.
After Kieron Pollard hit a boundary off the penultimate delivery, MI needed a boundary on the final delivery to win the game. Vinay Kumar bowled a yorker and RCB were the winners by just 2 runs.
Despite his spell, Vinay Kumar was not adjudged Man of the Match as it went to Chris Gayle.
#3. Kieron Pollard’s brilliant all-round performance, 2010
Mumbai Indians had topped the IPL table in 2010 and one of the biggest reasons behind that was Kieron Pollard. The Windies all-rounder had put in some splendid performances with both bat and ball and did something similar in the semi-final against RCB.
In the semis, MI were up against RCB in Mumbai and were batting first. After being reduced to 77/4, Ambati Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary added 67 runs for the fifth wicket before Rayudu was dismissed for 40. At this stage, Kieron Pollard came in to join Tiwary at the crease with 14 balls left and the scoreboard reading 144/5.
Pollard batted with intent and scored 33 from just 13 deliveries, hitting a boundary and three sixes.
In reply, RCB were off to a steady start and when Robin Uthappa came in, their run rate increased and was approaching 9. However, Uthappa did not last for long as he was dismissed by Pollard in the 10th over.
His dismissal triggered a downfall and the West Indian took another two wickets; those of Virat Kohli and Manish Pandey. RCB ended their innings on 149/9 and Mumbai Indians were into the final. Pollard ended with figures of 3/17 and was adjudged the Man of the Match for his brilliant all-round performance.
#2. AB de Villiers’s swashbuckling century, 2015
By the time Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore met for the second time in IPL 2015, both teams were in contention for a playoff berth. The match was held in Mumbai and MI were on a five-match winning streak.
RCB had won the toss and had decided to bat first. They were off to a shaky start as they lost Chris Gayle early. However, Gayle’s dismissal turned out to be a blessing in disguise as AB de Villiers came in to join Virat Kohli at the crease.
The duo began steadily but gradually elevated their aggression during the middle overs. De Villiers was the aggressor-in-chief and Kohli was happy playing the second fiddle.
The South African began to smash MI bowlers to all parts of the ground and completed his second IPL century through a sensational six over midwicket. Kohli joined the party during the death overs as RCB finished their innings on 235/1. De Villiers ended with 133 from 59 deliveries and Kohli scored 82 from 50 deliveries.
In reply, Mumbai Indians could only get to 196/7 from their 20 overs, thus falling 39 runs short. ABD was eventually adjudged Man of the Match for his monumental effort.
#1. Samuel Badree’s hat-trick, 2017
The last time MI and RCB locked horns at the IPL was a few weeks back in Bangalore. Mumbai Indians had won the toss and elected to bowl first. This was Virat Kohli’s first match after recovering from a shoulder injury he sustained during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Kohli made a remarkable comeback as he scored a 47-ball 62. He could not receive adequate assistance from the other batsmen and RCB could only manage to score 142/5 from 20 overs.
In reply, Mumbai Indians lost Jos Buttler in the second over but things were about to go much worse for them in the third one, which was bowled by Samuel Badree.
On the second delivery of the over, Badree dismissed Parthiv Patel through a googly which the 32-year old failed to read and sent the ball towards Chris Gayle, who held on to the catch. He then dismissed Mitchell McClenaghan on the very next delivery and completed his hat-trick by castling MI skipper Rohit Sharma.
Badree ended with figures of 4/9 in his four overs. However, his spell would go in vain as Kieron Pollard scored a 47-ball 70 and along with Krunal Pandya (who scored a 30-ball 37), guided MI to victory with seven balls to spare.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
