IPL 2021 is set to begin with the opening match between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Friday. The two teams share a great cricketing rivalry and their contests have always lived up to the billing. Cricwizz takes a look at some of the entertaining and thrilling contests between the two teams ahead of IPL 2021 opener.
RCB beat MI by 2 runs in 2013 IPL
Asked to bat first, RCB made a below-par score of 154/5 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Chris Gayle anchored the innings, batting the full 20 overs for 92 not out off 58 balls with 11 fours and 5 sixes. Mumbai began the chase, with a fifty-run opening stand between captain Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar, and later Dinesh Karthik taking over the anchor’s role.
With 10 runs needed off 6 balls, with a settled Karthik at 60, and Ambati Rayudu at 18, it was Mumbai’s match to lose, and they lost in style. Vinay Kumar dismissed Kathik and Rayudu on the second ball and third ball to turn the match into RCB’s favour. With 8 needed off 2 balls, Kieron Pollard smashed the second-last ball for a four, but could manage just a single on the last ball to lose the match by 2 runs. Gayle was named man of the match for his 92 not out.
- Stats alert: RCB have lost most matches to MI across all T20 tournaments. They have lost 19, won 9, and one tied match won via super over in 29 matches against MI.
- Trivia: MI started the 2013 tournament with Ponting as skipper but the Australian stepped down as captain after few losses. It paved the way for Rohit Sharma to don the captain’s hat, and he led Mumbai to their maiden IPL trophy in that edition.
RCB beat MI in super over in 2020 IPL
RCB won the match in super over after the match was tied. But this match is more known for Mumbai’s Ishan Kishan’s brilliant counter-attacking innings of 99, and his partnership of 119 runs in 8.3 overs with Kieron Pollard (60 not out) but eventually they fell short by a run. In the super-over, a tired Kishan could not bat and watch it from the dug out, as MI could manage just 7 runs before it was overhauled by RCB easily.
Earlier, chasing 202 for a win, MI needed 19 runs in the last over, and Ishan Kishan slammed the third and fourth ball for sixes before being caught in the deep on the fifth ball and was dismissed for 99. With 5 runs needed off 1 balls, Pollard could manage just 4 runs for the match to end in a tie.
- Trivia: IPL 2020 saw as many as 4 super overs – the most in any single edition.
- Stats: Kishan and three other players - Virat Kohli, Prithvi Shaw and Chris Gayle – have been dismissed for 99 in IPL. Two other players – Chris Gayle and Suresh Raina – have been not out on 99 in IPL.
2011 Champions League T20 final between RCB vs MI
Mumbai was led by Harbhajan Singh in the 2011 Champions League T20 final against RCB. Bhajji chose to bat first on a slow turner in Chennai. They were bowled out for 139, with James Franklin top-scoring with 41. RCB looked in control at 67/2 in 10.3 overs, and needed another 73 runs. But Bhajji spun a web around RCB batsmen who fell like nine pins and were bowled out for 108 to lose the final by 31 runs. Bhajji was named man of the match for his 3/20.
- Stats: It was Mumbai’s first ever title in any competition, and came a year after their heart-breaking loss to CSK in 2010 IPL final.
- Trivia: Only two players from that Mumbai Indians XI are currently in 2021 Mumbai squad. They are SuryaKumar Yadav and Kieron Pollard. And one Mumbai player from that XI plays in the current RCB squad. It is YS Chahal.
Cover photo courtesy: BCCI
