IPL 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Mumbai Indians in thrilling Super Over game

Even after putting 201 on the board and then having to defend 90 from the last five overs, the Royal Challengers Bangalore registered their second win of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League only in the Super Over at the Dubai International Stadium on Monday.

For the second straight day of this edition, a team came alive from the dead. But unlike the record-breaking Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians agonisingly fell short of a sensational win.

The scenes at the Dubai International Stadium were similar to those of Sharjah. It appeared the batting side had left it too late chasing a big total while the opposition had to hold their nerve to close off the game. However, the ominous hitting of T20 cricket came to the fore as Mumbai Indians fell one run short of the target to force a Super Over, the second of the season.

Navdeep Saini’s 19th over, which went for 12 runs, was crucial but the right-arm pacer did a notch better in the Super Over, giving away just seven runs. Even the dream combination of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers felt the jitters in an excellent over from Jasprit Bumrah but the duo knocked off the required runs, not untill the last ball, to give RCB two points.

Put in, RCB began in fine fashion and ended strongly, posting 201/3. Openers Aaron Finch (52, 35b, 7x4, 1x6) and Devdutt Padikkal (54, 40b, 5x4, 2x6) put on 81. The Challengers didn’t squander the strong foundation, with de Villiers (55, 24b, 4x4, 4x6) and Padikkal forging an alliance of 62 for the third wicket.

Washington Sundar’s (1/12) excellent show of 3-0-7-1 in the first Powerplay gave RCB a massive advantage in their defence. At the end of six overs, the defending champions were 35/2. Victory looked distant but not impossible when Mumbai were 112/4 after 15 overs with a required run rate being 18.

That’s when the lop-sided encounter turned into a nail-biting affair. Ishan Kishan (99, 58b, 2x4, 9x6) and Kieron Pollard (60 not out, 24b, 3x4, 5x6) exhibited merciless hitting as Mumbai reminded RCB of their familiar failings.

Left-arm pacer Isuru Udana had 19 runs to defend in the final over. He denied Kishan a well-deserved century. With five needed off the last ball, he banged it short and wide only to see Pollard pull it easily for a four to bring the scores level.

For RCB, De Villiers kept wickets to accommodate an extra spinner in Adam Zampa. The under-performing Dale Steyn and Umesh Yadav were replaced by Udana and Gurkeerat Singh.

The changes didn’t bring a flawless show but RCB wouldn’t mind the nervy win against an opponent they had lost seven out of their last eight matches until Monday’s humdinger.