Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians, 5th Match, IPL 2023: Talking Points

Mumbai Indians got off to a poor start in the powerplay

Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and decided to have a bowl first in their home return after four years. The decision proved to be the right one as the RCB bowlers reduced MI to 20/3 inside the powerplay. All the big names of Ishan Kishan, Cameron Green and Rohit Sharma failed to show resistance against the new ball bowlers, Mohammad Siraj was very impressive and made life very hard for the batters early on in the game. Mumbai Indians’ batters couldn’t get going in the powerplay and the momentum was shifted in the direction of the Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Tilak Verma rescued the Mumbai Indians

Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma added 28 runs for the 4th wicket as they tried to rebuild the innings. The IPL debutant Michael Bracewell broke this stand with the wicket of scratchy-looking Suryakumar in the 9th over. But the partnership of 50 runs for the 5th wicket between Varma and the debutant Nehal Wadhera gave the glucose that the team needed. Wadhera impressed one and all by smashing a couple of lusty blows to Karn Sharma, but the leg-break bowler had the last laugh as he picked the wicket of Wadhera in the very next ball. 

Read More: IPL 2023: News – ‘It was a phenomenal win’ – Virat Kohli after RCB’s victory

Royal Challengers Bangalore bowlers were brilliant in their first outing at home

Royal Challengers Bangalore used 7 bowlers with Siraj, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Bracewell, and Harshal Patel scalping a wicket each. But the impressive performance came from the leg break bowler Karn Sharma who finished with the figures of 4-0-32-2. Karan Sharma was also very impressive in the spins department and RCB will be very happy with how their bowlers performed in their season opener.

Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis took Royal Challengers Bangalore off to a flyer

Chasing a target 172, Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli came out with an aggressive intent and hammered each and every MI bowlers to all parts of the ground. The shots they played were pleasing to the eyes and gave a perfect homecoming for the hosts. While du Plessis smashed his 26th IPL fifty, Virat Kohli amassed his 45th IPL half-century.

148 run partnership helped the home side cruise to victory

Faf and Virat added 148 runs for the first, giving MI no chance in the contest. However, the debutant Arshad Khan dismissed Faf du Plessis (73 off 43) in the 15th over and gave some respite for the team. Glenn Maxwell and Kohli finished things pretty quickly in the 17th over as RCB won the match by 8 wickets.