IPL 2024: 3 players who starred and 2 who flopped in the MI vs RCB match ft. Virat Kohli & Jasprit Bumrah
The Mumbai Indians (MI) crushed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by seven wickets in Match 25 of IPL 2024 at the Wankhede on Thursday, April 11.
After Hardik Pandya won the toss and opted to bowl, it was all one-way traffic. The Royal Challengers managed 196/8, a score that was below par given the conditions and distinctly below par given the composition of their bowling attack. Mumbai cruised home in the 16th over to boost their net run rate.
Here are three players who starred and two who flopped in the MI vs RCB IPL 2024 match.
#5 Star - Dinesh Karthik (RCB)
RCB got Dinesh Karthik's entry point wrong, and he couldn't get going against Shreyas Gopal at the start of his innings. However, the keeper-batter was as deadly as ever at the death and carted the MI bowlers to all corners of the ground.
Karthik was particularly severe on Akash Madhwal as he used a wide range of reverse-sweeps, slogs and pulls to terrorize the uncapped Mumbai bowler.
He made a masterful fifty to take Bengaluru to a somewhat respectable total, but it was never going to be enough.
#4 Flop - Glenn Maxwell (RCB)
A few years ago, Glenn Maxwell was one of the most maligned figures in the IPL for his consistently poor form and lack of application. After a couple of good seasons, he seems to have reverted to his former self.
Maxwell was deceived completely by a regulation googly from Shreyas Gopal and was trapped in front of the stumps. He notched up yet another duck in the IPL to leave RCB in tatters in the middle overs.
Maxwell also sent down a terrible over that went for 17 runs and dropped two catches, one of which was an admittedly tough one at first slip. It was a disastrous display from the Aussie.
#3 Star - Jasprit Bumrah (MI)
Only one bowler escaped punishment in unforgiving conditions at the Wankhede, and that was the inimitable Jasprit Bumrah. The ace spearhead was at his deadly best, as he picked up five wickets while conceding just 21 runs to break the back of the RCB batting lineup.
Bumrah dismissed Virat Kohli early and came back to scalp four more wickets at the death. His two-wicket burst in the 17th over shaved a good 10-15 runs off RCB's total, while another one in the 19th virtually put the game to bed. He's easily the best bowler in the world.
#2 Flop - Virat Kohli (RCB)
With the Orange Cap on his head, Virat Kohli was expected to make the most of the flat surface at the Wankhede. However, after playing out the first two overs, the superstar batter found himself forced to take on Bumrah, who outsmarted him.
Kohli's approach has been under immense scrutiny, and despite scoring a good amount of runs, he hasn't been able to champion his team's cause often enough in IPL 2024.
#1 Star - Suryakumar Yadav (MI)
Stop the press - the world's No. 1 T20I batter is back, and back with a bang. Suryakumar Yadav played his second innings since his long injury-enforced hiatus, and he ensured that he didn't take long to get back in the thick of the action.
Suryakumar sent the ball to all sections of the Wankhede crowd, striking five fours and four sixes in a sensational display of hitting. He notched up the fastest half-century of his IPL career, off just 17 balls, and made a mockery of the chase.
MI look a completely different side with a fit and firing SKY at No. 3.