AB De Villiers helped RCB win a last-ball thriller in the IPL 2021 season opener against Mumbai Indians. He scored 48 off just 27 balls as Bangalore beat defending champions Mumbai Indians by 2 wickets in the season opener in Chennai. Mumbai continued their trend of losing their first games in the tournament. On the other hand, Virat Kohli’s men will be relieved after getting over the line in what was a tight finish for them. This was the first time ever they won a season opener whenever they have been involved in the first game of a season.  More about the match in detail below.

Chasing 160 to win, RCB were well placed after losing two wickets in the powerplay. Skipper Virat Kohli (33) added 52 runs with Glenn Maxwell  (39) before Kohli yet again fell to Jasprit Bumrah. Maxwell perished in the very next over as he was caught at short third-man by Mumbai Indians newbie Marco Jansen.

With RCB 103 for 4 in the 15th over,  the side was in a bit of bother when AB De Villiers walked out to bat. He yet again took the side out of trouble and almost took them home before he was run out in the final over of the game with the side needing seven runs in the final over.

The Mumbai bowlers bowled and fielded well to take the game onto the last over after Kohli and Maxwell’s 52-run stand. Bumrah and Jansen took two wickets apiece.

Also Read: IPL 2021: Watch- Virat Kohli’s Epic Reaction To Glenn Maxwell’s 100 Metre Six

Harshal Patel Starred For RCB With The Ball

Earlier in the game, Harshal Patel took five for 27 to limit Mumbai Indians to 159/9 in the season opener. He became the first bowler in the IPL to take a fifer against the five-time champions.

Rohit Sharma was run-out for 19 which was an early blow to the team. Chris Lynn, playing his first game for the side, scored a 35-ball 49 and missed his fifty trying to hit a big shot. Suryakymar Yadav (31) and Ishan Kishan (28) scored quick runs, but Harshal’s spell in the final overs meant that Mumbai Indians could not pose a big total on the board.

All of his five wickets came at the death with Patel picking up three wickets in the final over including Krunal Pandya (7) and Kieron Pollard (7). Patel was rightly adjudged as the Man of the Match for his matchwinning spell.

“Absolutely happy to be back. When they traded me they told me my role was going to be bowling in the death and that is something that I have worked on for a couple of years. Happy to be here and with the faith they have shown in me. I was just focussed on my execution and the most important thing was to make use of my momentum” said an elated Harshal Patel after his matchwinning performance.

Brief Scores

Royal Challengers Bangalore 160 for 8 (de Villiers 48, Maxwell 39, Bumrah 2-26, Jansen 2-28) beat Mumbai Indians 159 for 9 (Lynn 49, Yadav 31, Patel 5-27) by two wickets

Also Read: IPL 2021: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore: Who Said What?