IPL 2020: Match 48, MI vs RCB - Who Said What

The 48th match of the Indian Premier League saw action between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians. Both the heavyweights tried best to strengthen their position for the playoffs. MI dominated the night winning the match by five wickets. Batting first, RCB posted a respectable 164/6 on the board where young Devdutt Padikkal once again stunned opponents with his splendid strokes. He played a scintillating knock of 74 off 45.

Suryakumar Yadav was named as the player of the match  for his thunderous innings to take team home. Joshua Phillipe added essential 33 off 24 from his end to strengthen the opening stand. Ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been troubling batsmen big time in IPL 2020, and this game was just the same. He sent back three batsmen to the pavilion while conceding just 14 runs.

MI stole the show

Hunting down the target, MI got comfortable as the decent opening stand was set up by Ishan Kishan and De Kock. However, Yadav got too dangerous as he played some magnificent shots all over the ground. He smashed 79* off 43 to get the team over the line. Washington Sundar was the economical bowler from RCB’s bowling unit. Mohammed Siraj and Yuzvendra Chahal grabbed two wickets each.

RCB skipper, Virat Kohli said:

It was a strange phase of batting (the last five overs of the RCB innings). Everything went to the fielders and these kind of things happen. They bowled in good areas in the last 5 overs and stopped us 20 runs short.

We were in the game until the 17th over and that was a decent effort by our bowlers. It’s basically up to the gut of the captain and the conditions, we thought Dale and Morris for initial swing, and Washy in the powerplay. We needed a few wickets there, but their batsmen did a good job.

This is always going to happen – some teams peak early and some do better later. As we can see, the teams in the lower half are turning out some really good performances now. When it’s a top-two clash, it will always be intense and in a competition like the IPL, you can’t expect any team to back down and be blown away.

MI skipper, Kieron Pollard said:

I try to analyze. I got the wicket of ABD. We can’t just depend on Bumrah. But we would want other guys to step up as it is a team game.

We lost a few wickets but Surya took us home. Imagine, someone coming in at that number and batting at that strike rate despite a wicket going down.

The most he can do is continue performing for us. As an individual if you continue to be consistent, the rewards will come. I have always done what the team wants me to do. If the team performs well, I am happy.

Player of the match, Suryakumar Yadav said:

I was looking to finish the game. I was looking to learn what my game is. Happy to have finished it. Lot of meditation has helped. One over cover to Chahal and the back foot punch off Steyn were my favourites. I have worked on my game during the lockdown.

I used to love playing on the on-side before. Pleased to have finished the game. The team management told me before the start of the tournament that you have played enough to take the game deep. I am glad I have been able to do it.