RCB registered an 18 run win against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. Image Credit: ANI
In a high-scoring Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Mumbai Indians (MI) by 18 runs thanks to explosive half-centuries from Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, and Rajat Patidar. Mumbai was held to 222/5 despite a late blitz from Sherfane Rutherford. With openers Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton attacking the RCB spinners from the start, the Mumbai Indians launched an explosive innings as they chased a formidable 241-run mark. With aggressive strokeplay, the pair put together a rapid start, reaching 39/0 in just three overs. Despite the mounting required run rate, MI kept pace early on and ended the powerplay strongly at 62/0, keeping themselves in contention in the high-scoring chase.
However, Rohit Sharma’s hamstring injury forced him to leave the field during the sixth over, upsetting Mumbai’s rhythm at the top. Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma gave RCB their first strike in the eighth over, dismissing the dangerous Rickelton for 37 off 22 balls, an innings that featured three fours and three sixes. Suyash made another significant breakthrough in the same over when he dismissed Tilak Varma for only one run, giving RCB the upper hand.
The Mumbai Indians were 99/2 at the midway point, still within reach but under growing strain due to the rising asking rate. Suryakumar Yadav, who had hit a quick 33 off 22 balls with five boundaries, was bowled by all-rounder Krunal Pandya in the 13th over, dealing an additional blow to the innings. After 14 overs, MI fell to 138/3 with this wicket, and they will need a strong finish to continue the pursuit. With an aggressive effort, captain Hardik Pandya attempted to resuscitate the innings, scoring 40 off just 22 balls, including a six and six fours.
Mumbai was temporarily in the hunt thanks to Hardik’s comeback, but RCB pacer Jacob Duffy struck a vital punch in the next over, dismissing Hardik at a pivotal moment. Rasikh Salam Dar dismissed Naman Dhir (1) in the next over as MI fell to 154/5.
The Mumbai Indians finished at 222/5 in 20 overs thanks to Sherfane Rutherford’s undefeated 31-ball 71, which included one four and nine massive sixes. But in the high-scoring match, the five-time winners lost by 18 runs. Suyash Sharma claimed two wickets for RCB.
RCB reached a huge score earlier thanks to a 120-run partnership between Salt (78 in 36 balls, with six fours and six sixes) and Virat, as well as a 65-run partnership between Virat (50 in 38 balls, with five fours and a six) and captain Patidar (53 in 20 balls, with four boundaries and five sixes). Later, David’s vicious hitting (34* in 16 balls, with two fours and three sixes). Openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli got off to a great start after MI put them to bat first, with Salt hitting a four against the pacer in the opening over and Virat hitting Trent Boult for a six.
Against Boult and Jasprit Bumrah, the pace duo, RCB kept hitting fours and sixes. But Salt blasted off with three sixes and a four in the fifth over against Mitchell Santner, scoring 22 runs and assisting RCB in reaching the 50-run threshold in 4.2 overs. Salt (47*) and Virat Kohli (22*) remained undefeated as RCB finished at 71/0 after six overs.
Salt hit Mayank Markande for two fours and two sixes in his eighth over, which was hammered for twenty more runs. With four boundaries and four sixes, Salt reached his first fifty of the season in twenty-five balls. Virat reached the 100-run mark in 8.4 overs after hitting two fours in the subsequent over.
RCB was 115/0 halfway through their innings, with Virat (35*) and Salt (78*) undefeated. With a brilliant catch from Hardik Pandya at extra-cover, Shardul’s golden arm ended the 120-run opening partnership. In 10.5 overs, RCB was 120/1. Rajat Patidar, the captain, began his innings against Markande with a hat-trick of sixes in the twelfth over. In Shardul’s 13th over, Virat and Rajat both scored four runs, Patidar hit a massive six over backward point, and the bowler took three wides, bringing the total number of runs in the over to 23. In 12.1 overs, RCB scored 150 runs.
In just 14 balls, Patidar amassed a 50-run partnership against Boult by scoring four and six. After reaching his second fifty of the year in 37 balls, Virat was killed by Hardik. In 14.4 overs, RCB was 185/2. The captain of the RCB resumed his assault, reaching his fifty in 17 balls with five sixes and four boundaries. However, he was dismissed by Santner for a twenty-ball fifty-three with five sixes and four boundaries, with a catch falling to Tilak Varma. In 16 overs, RCB was 194/3.
RCB achieved 200 runs in 16.5 overs thanks to a single from Jitesh Sharma. David (27*) and Jitesh (10*) were undefeated as RCB approached the final over at 230/3. David (34* in 16 balls, including two fours and three sixes) and Romario Shepherd (2*) were undefeated as RCB finished their innings at 240/4.
(With Agency Inputs)
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