IPL 2020, MI vs RCB: Who won yesterday's match?

The Mumbai Indians (MI) beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 5 wickets in a game that went to the final over. With the win, MI are almost assured of a IPL 2020 playoffs spot, becoming the first team to reach 16 points and cementing their position at the top of the points table.

Not many batsmen from either side were able to score quickly on the Abu Dhabi wicket. It became critical for someone to play the aggressor's role and score heavily enough to allow the others to find their rhythm. For MI, that batsman was Suryakumar Yadav, whose unbeaten 79 at one-drop allowed his team to get over the finish line.

MI went into the game unchanged, thus prolonging Rohit Sharma's absence from the team and amplifying the worry regarding his injury. There were no major fireworks from either of the MI openers, nor from Saurabh Tiwary or the Pandya brothers, as MI too were unable to score quickly apart from Suryakumar's innings. Captain Pollard added the finishing touches with a boundary to ensure his team collected the two crucial points.

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Devdutt Padikkal carries RCB to 164/5

In an attempt to make amends after their loss to CSK, RCB made three changes - the most significant one being the change at the top. After a prolonged lean run with the bat, Aaron Finch was left out to make way for young Josh Philippe, while Dale Steyn and Shivam Dube came back into the team replacing Navdeep Saini and Moeen Ali. Philippe was able to make amends after his horror start to the season, whereas Dube was not as fortunate.

Devdutt Padikkal ensured that the momentum from a 71-run opening stand was not wasted. His 74 off 45 performed a similar role for RCB as Suryakumar's innings played for MI, and gave them a good chance at building a sizeable total. However, the abject lack of support at the other end ensured RCB finished with a chaseable 164. Jasprit Bumrah bowled a double-wicket maiden to prevent RCB from getting much more than that.

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IPL 2020, MI vs RCB: Who was the Man of the Match?

Suryakumar's unorthodox strokeplay and good timing left the RCB bowlers with no answers. [PC: iplt20.com]

Jasprit Bumrah may have bowled brilliantly for his 3/14, and Padikkal may have given his team a fighting chance in an important contest. However, it was Suryakumar Yadav who was the Man of the Match.

His 79 off 43, including 10 fours and 3 sixes, stunned the RCB bowling into submission. A returning Dale Steyn went back with 0/43 from his four, as only Washington Sundar was spared. His assault meant that despite MI's usual aggressive batsmen being tied down today, the team was never in a spot of bother. Thus, for his unbeaten attacking innings, Suryakumar Yadav was the Man of the Match in yesterday's IPL game.