AB de Villiers only contributed 19 in the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s defeat to the Mumbai Indians, while Imran Tahir was expensive for the Rising Pune Supergiant.
There were two hat tricks throughout Friday’s IPL action – the first time that’s ever happened. Ironically, neither West Indian leg-spinner Samuel Badree, nor Australian paceman Andrew Tye, were on the winning sides.
The Mumbai Indians won their third match in four as they overcame the odds to defeat the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Virat Kohli returned to skipper RCB, and it was as if he never left, after amassing 62 off 47 balls as he led the side to 142-5 on a difficult track.
Chris Gayle (22) fell three runs short of becoming the first in history to reach 10 000 career T20 runs, while De Villiers struggled to get going with a 21-ball 19.
The Mumbai Indians were in complete disarray at first as Barde’s hat trick set the side back to 7-4. That was when Kieron Pollard came to the crease in unfamiliar circumstances. Usually a blaster towards the end of the innings, he was in as early as the third over, and proved that he’s got the game to do so.
He kept his side afloat with 70 off just 47 balls, which included three fours and five sixes. Krunal Pandya supported him with 37 off 30, as they sealed the four-wicket victory with seven balls to spare.
In Rajkot meanwhile, the Gujarat Lions, who topped the group-stages last season but were thoroughly outplayed in their first two games of this season which saw them take just one wicket, finally got themselves on the board.
Tye was brought in to mend a desperately poor Lions bowling attack, and his 5-17, which included a hat trick in the final over, prevented the Rising Pune Supergiant from running away with a huge total. Captain Steve Smith top-scored with 43, while there were handy contributions from Ben Stokes (25) and Rahul Tripathi (33) to get them to 171-8.
They were blown away however by the opening pair of incoming T20 Global Destination League recruit Brendon McCullum and West Indian veteran Dwayne Smith, as the pair smacked their way to 94 inside nine overs.
Smith (47) and McCullum (49) fell in quick succession, but Suresh Raina (35) and Aaron Finch (33) were on hand to keep the momentum going.
Tahir, who went in to the match as the Purple Cap holder for having the most wickets in the tournament, didn’t have the best of outings, conceding 53 runs for his one wicket. The Lions won with two overs to spare to win their first match of the season.
Photo: BCCI/IPL/Cricinfo
