Twitter Reactions: Hardik Pandya turns the match on its head after RCB’s good start

Two desperate teams meet each other today at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have had a really poor Indian Premier League (IPL) thus far. They’ve had their moments but have failed to cash in on and convert them into victories, every defeat here on will push them towards the exit gate. MI skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and asked Virat Kohli & Co. to bat first.

RCB have in the past failed to defend a total as big as 205 and Mumbai certainly has the strength in their batting to chase. The home team started the innings with Quinton de Kock and Mannan Vohra, their job was to give them a head start. Vohra played some really good shots while de Kock failed to make it count. The wicket looked really sticky, slow and the ball was turning square in the first over that JP Duminy bowled.

Brendon McCullum also enjoyed playing his shots and his partnership with Vohra promised to take RCB to a strong total. The New Zealander was eventually run out by Hardik Pandya on 37, Vohra hit four sixes and a couple of boundaries on his way to 45 from 31. Skipper Kohli also took his time to get used to the wicket but just when he would’ve wanted to capitalize was dismissed by Pandya caught in the deep.

RCB were 139/3 after 16 overs but it was the 17th over that turned the game on its head. Hardik had Mandeep Singh caught in the deep on the first ball, Virat followed suit on the very next delivery, though he missed out on a hat-trick the all-rounder send Washington Sundar back on the last ball to end the over with 3 wickets.

The Royal Challengers now needed a good finish to manage a respectable score. Rohit decided to trust Mitchell McClenaghan with the last and he spent 24 taking a thrashing from Colin de Grandhomme as RCB ended with 167/7.

Here are the Twitter reactions at the halfway stage:

Wicket doesn’t seem an easy one, holding and bouncing, tennis ball like….Iam with #RCB tonight…..#RCBvsMI #IPL2018

— subramani badrinath (@s_badrinath) May 1, 2018

RCB's innings today –

4th, 10th and 20th overs – 66 runs
Remaining 17 overs – 101 runs#IPL2018 #RCBvMI

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) May 1, 2018

On May 1st, 2009 – Yuvraj Singh took first ever hattrick for KXIP in IPL.

On May 1st, 2016 – Axar Patel also took hattrick for KXIP in IPL

On May 1st, 2018 – Hardik Pandya missed out on becoming the first MI bowler to take a hat-trick in IPL. #RCBvMI

— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) May 1, 2018

Hardik Pandya is now the joint-highest wicket-taker in IPL 2018, with 11 wickets.

Markande, Boult and Kaul also have 11 wickets. #RCBvMI

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) May 1, 2018

These NewZealanders are cancer for RCB

— Jasveer Singh Kharra (@imjsk27) May 1, 2018

Wow, Kohli nicks, Bumrah appeals, no review….

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 1, 2018

Two balls produced 26 runs. Who would’ve thought it was possible. No-ball Six.
Free Hit Six.
Both Kiwi Batsmen. #RCBvMI #IPL

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) May 1, 2018

McClenhagan's bowling is microcosm of life, everything is fine but it doesn't take long for it all go downhill.

— Clive (@vanillawallah) May 1, 2018

21 runs in last 3 balls….167/7 …we're 50 runs short

— Jasveer Singh Kharra (@imjsk27) May 1, 2018

Any team who gives 3 wicket to @hardikpandya7 that too in one over should be banned for next #ipl .@imVkohli @negi1984

— Satyanarayan Negi (@narayan_1991) May 1, 2018

Hardik Pandya who went for 20 runs in his first over came back with a direct hit to dismiss Bazz followed by 3 wickets in an over including Virat Kohli. Game changer ! #RCBvMI

— Aakash Trivedi (@AakashTrivedi0) May 1, 2018

Hardik Pandya just sent friend request Mitchell McClenagham.

Both of them managed to give 13 runs in single ball.

First time in cricket history !!#RCBvMI

— Boring… (@graphicalcomic) May 1, 2018

Most wickets in #IPL2018 –

Hardik Pandya 11
Mayank Markande 11
Siddharth Kaul 11
Trent Boult 11#RCBvMI

— Nikhil Mane ??? (@nikhiltait) May 1, 2018

You troll me, I will troll you harder~Shri Shri Hardik Pandya

— Mr. A ? (@cricdrugs) May 1, 2018

Most singles taken by a batsman this season….
The @RCBtweets captain has been really sprinting across those 22 yards!
113 – Virat Kohli
108 – Ambati Rayudu
103 – Kane Williamon
84 – Sanju Samson
80 – Ajinkya Rahane#RCBVMI #ReinventYourGame

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) May 1, 2018