Opener Phil Salt and the ever-reliable Virat Kohli slammed half-centuries to set up Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s 18-run win over Mumbai Indians in a marquee IPL fixture on Sunday.
Salt smashed 78 from 36 deliveries, with Kohli anchoring his way to 50 as defending champions Bengaluru added 120 runs for the opening partnership and posted a total of 240-4 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
A brisk 53 off 20 balls by captain Rajat Patidar and a late onslaught by Tim David, who scored an unbeaten 34, propelled Ben
Bengaluru kept their ogaluru to a small total.
The appearance of Kohli and Mumbai veteran Rohit Sharma — who have both faded from India’s Test XI in recent years but were still playing ODI cricket on the international circuit, as well as the IPL – added a touch of extra stardust to proceedings.
opponents to 222-5 as five-time winners Mumbai slumped to a third successive defeat in the event.
England opener Salt was the early aggressor for Bengaluru, belting six fours and 6 sixes. Kohli allowed his partner to do most of the damage, while also reaching his second half-century of the season at a more leisurely pace.
Salt hit three straight sixes off the New Zealand spinner Mitchell Santner on his way to a 50 in 25 balls but a two-over lull in scoring brought him back onto his front foot, and he was lost trying to hit out, falling to Shardul Thakur.
Patidar then launched an assault on the Mumbai attack to hit a flurry of sixes and after Kohli was dismissed, brought up his fifty off just 17 balls. In his 16-ball knock, David finished things off with a flourish.
Mumbai began briskly thanks to Ryan Rickelton’s 37 but quickly lost pace after Rohit retired hurt with a hamstring complaint.
After his innings, Kohli did take the field for Bengaluru, despite injuring his ankle.
In the same over Suyash dismissed Rickelton and Tilak Varma off successive deliveries.
Suryakumar Yadav (33) and captain Hardik Pandya (40) tried to steer the chase in a 47-run partnership off 30 balls, but after both got out Mumbai lagged behind the asking rate.
Impact substitute Sherfane Rutherford scored a gallant, not out 71, hitting four sixes in the final over but it was too little too late for Mumbai.