IPL 2021: Virat Kohli lauds collective team effort against Mumbai Indians

Royal Challengers Bangalore skipper Virat Kohli was delighted with his team’s collective effort after they defeated reigning champions Mumbai Indians by a big margin of 54 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.

RCB was able to put a par score of 165 runs after fifties from Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell while the bowlers were able to wrap up Mumbai Indians innings at 111 runs.

In fact, at one stage it looked like RCB will post more than 180 runs but MI bowlers were able to bounce back in the death overs. On the other hand, MI got off to a decent start as Rohit Sharma and Quinton de Kock added 57 runs for the opening stand but then the defending champions veered off the track.

MI lost eight wickets for 30 runs as they crumbled like a pack of cards. In fact, no MI batters were able to get to double digits as Harshal Patel bagged a hat-trick. Furthermore, Yuzvendra Chahal bowled a superb spell as he scalped three wickets for 11 in his four overs whereas Maxwell snared two wickets in his quota of four overs. Moreover, Maxwell scored 56 runs off just 37 balls and he was awarded the Player of the Match for his all-round performance.

Harshal Patel troubled the Mumbai batsmen with his slower deliveries and took four wickets. Patel dismissed Hardik Pandya and Kieron Pollard on consecutive deliveries and it was the game for RCB.

Virat Kohli said in the post-match presentation, “Very happy and especially the way we won. It was a difficult start with the loss of Devdutt [Padikkal] in the second over. The way Jasprit [Bumrah] bowled that over, totally set the game up for MI.

It was important from thereon for us to stamp our presence in the game and take a little bit of risk. I got off to a good start and KS [Srikar Bharat] took the pressure off me, Maxi’s [Maxwell] innings was unbelievable as well. I thought we got par, 166 is par here, still felt like 10-15 more with the way we bowled. 8 for 30 was unbelievable against such a strong batting lineup”.

Kohli added, “You have to get into the bowler’s space every now and then, especially when you are up against world-class performers like Bumrah, you have to be at our level best. Tonight I don’t think there’s no complaints whatsoever, I will give it a 10 especially on the field. Maybe in batting I will give it 8, we should’ve got 20-25 more – really put the opposition under pressure and not allow them to come back after a breakthrough”.

RCB will look to continue the winning momentum and they have won six matches out of the 10 they have played. The Virat Kohli-led team will next face Rajasthan Royals at the same venue on 29th September.