IPL 2023: Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Match 54 – Talking Points and Who Said What?

Mumbai Indians. (Photo Source: BCCI/IPL)

Mumbai Indians registered a massive 6-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore in Match 54 of IPL 2023 as they chased down the target of 200 in just 16.3 overs. Mumbai got off to a great start as openers Rohit Sharma (7 off 8) and Ishan Kishan (42 off 21) added 51 runs off 28 balls for the first wicket. Following their dismissals, Suryakumar Yadav and Nehal Wadhera (52 off 34) took matters in their own hands and put on a massive 140-run stand off 64 balls for the third wicket and took their team closer to victory. Wadhera finished off the game with a six against Harshal Patel in the 17th over and completed his half-century.

Earlier, after being put in to bat first, RCB were in a spot of bother as they lost Virat Kohli (1 off 4) and Anuj Rawat (6 off 4) inside the powerplay. Seeing their team in disarray, captain Faf du Plessis (65 off 41) and Glenn Maxwell (68 off 33) added 120 runs for the third wicket to bail their team out of trouble. Following their dismissals, a brilliant finish by Dinesh Karthik (30 off 18) helped RCB finish their innings on 199/6. Jason Behrendorff was the pick of the bowlers for MI with his spell of 3/36 in four overs.

Here are the Talking Points from the MI vs RCB clash-

Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell’s 120-run stand

After losing two early wickets, captain du Plessis and Maxwell got together at the crease and stitched a massive 120-run partnership off just 61 balls. The duo took on MI’s bowling and whacked their bowlers all around the ground to bail their team out of trouble.

While Maxwell hit eight fours and four sixes to notch up 68 runs off 33 deliveries, Faf played a 65-run inning sin 41 deliveries, guided by five fours and three sixes.

Suryakumar Yadav’s breathtaking knock

After not getting to the best of the starts in IPL 2023, Suryakumar brought his ‘A game’ to the fore against RCB and scored a sensational 83 off just 35 balls. His innings was studded with seven fours and six gigantic sixes as he mercilessly smacked RCB bowlers all around the ground.

Jason Behrendorff shines with the ball

The left-arm seamer was the pick of the bowlers for MI as he picked up 3/36 in his four-over spell. His three-wicket haul included the prized scalps of Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell.

Winning Skipper, Rohit Sharma said:

It is a good pitch. If you apply yourselves, you can get runs. Those four guys played well. Akash was with us last year as well. We saw the skillset. We wanted to give him a role. He is quite confident. He leads his Uttarakhand team. He knows what field he needs. We restricted them to less than 200. Was a great effort, It could have been 220 or more. I have no idea what a safe score is. The last four games we have seen excess of 200 has been scored. Most of the teams are taking risks and it is coming off. The batters are taking risks and 200 plus scores are being chased. The mindset of the batters is to do something special for the team and it is coming off as well.

Losing Skipper, Faf du Plessis said:

I think we were at least 20 runs short, in context of the wicket. They are a strong chasing team and they bat deep. We didn’t capitalise in the last five overs, disappointed due to the lack of runs in those five overs. You need to say 200 is a good score (to motivate the players), needed to make sure you take the pace off. They capitalized the first 6 overs with the pace on. He (SKY) is one of the best, when he gets going, it’s difficult to shut him down. Siraj has been fantastic in the first half of IPL. He got away with it for a really long time, but the guys are going to come out and play positively. Towards the back end of the tournament when the wickets get slower, you need to make sure you are around 60 runs in the first 6 overs.

Player of the Match, Suryakumar Yadav (83 off 35), said:

Much needed from team’s point of view. I am very happy to win a home game like this. I mean they come up with a plan. They tried to make me hit to the bigger part. Take the pace off and bowl slow. I said Nehal let’s hit it hard and hit it into the gaps and run hard. Your practice has to be the same what you intend to do in matches. I know where my runs are. We have open net sessions. I know my game. I don’t do anything different.