IPL 2020: Royal Challengers Bangalore win Super Over thriller against Mumbai Indians

AB de Villiers plays a shot during the match against Mumbai Indians. (IPL)

Dubai - Kohli and De Villiers survived Super Over drama for RCB

The Indian Premier League (IPL) produced another gladiatorial battle - 24 hours after the Rajasthan Royals' stunning win over the Kings XI Punjab rewrote the record books at the historic Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
And this time it was the Dubai International Cricket Stadium that witnessed a slugfest as only a Super Over decided the winners on an unforgettable Monday night.
After 40 dramatic overs, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (201 for three) and the Mumbai Indians (201 for five) remained unseparated in the scoreboard.
While RCB, batting first, made scored 79 runs in the final five overs of their innings to reach the magic 200-mark, the Mumbai Indians ended up with the same score, scoring 79 runs their final four overs.
But it was the RCB that won the cliffhanger in the Super Over as Navdeep Saini managed to restrict the Mumbai Indians to just seven runs before Ab de Villiers and Virat Kohli survived some drama from a Jasprit Bumrah Super Over replete with yorkers and slow bouncers to take their team home.
Earlier, in a desperate need to put their campaign back on track, the Royal Challengers Bangalore managed to post a challenging total of 201 for three.
But in the end, even a 200 plus target was not enough as Ishan Kishan (99, 58 balls, 2 fours and nine sixes) played the innings of his life and shared a 119-run partnership with the unstoppable Kieron Pollard (60 not out, 24 balls, 3 fours, 5 sixes) to help the defending champions stage an incredible fightback to take the match into the Super Over.
At 78 for four in the 12th over, the Mumbai Indians were gasping for breath, but Kishan and Pollard launched a stunning counter attack to set the stage for a dramatic Super Over.
"It was a great game, Jasprit is their best bowler, so getting those eight runs in the Super Over was a challenge. Happy that we managed to do that," a relieved Kohli said after hitting the match-winning boundary.
But earlier, Kohli's wretched form with the bat continued.
The RCB nevertheless found inspiration from their two openers - Australian white-ball captain Aaron Finch (52, 35 balls, seven fours, one six) and Devdutt Padikkal (54, 40 balls, five fours, two sixes).
The two openers put on 81 runs for the first wicket partnership.
But after Trent Boult dismissed Finch, skipper Kohli (3 off 11 balls) struggled to middle the ball before leg-spinner Rahul Chahar (1/31) put him out of his misery.
It was then that AB de Villiers (55, 24 balls, four fours, four sixes) illuminated the Dubai International Cricket Stadium with his stunning assault on the Mumbai Indians bowlers.
Such was the dominance of the South African batting genius that the Royal Challengers Bangalore ended up scoring 79 runs in the last five overs of their innings.
Of course, the 36-year-old De Villiers was well supported by left-hander Shivam Dube (27 not out, 10 balls, one four, three sixes).
Rohit Sharma probably hoped for a better display from his bowlers after putting the RCB in.
And the 29-year-old Padikkal, who scored his second half century of the tournament, couldn't stop admiring De Villiers who put the Mumbai bowlers to the sword.
"It was just amazing to bat with him. I was just standing there and watching him bat," said Padikkal who shared 62 runs for the third wicket with the South African.
"It's a dream come true to be honest. I was watching him from the stands until a few years ago, now I can play with him, it's a special feeling!"

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