There’s no doubt that Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals, especially at Wankhade has always been a dramatic episode every IPL season. The rivalry once again commenced on Monday evening as the Rajasthan Royals gave a visit to the home of the Mumbai Indians. And once again, it was a fiery duel in between the two.
The Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to field first. The Mumbai Indians were playing their first home game in IPL 2024 and were expecting to please the crowd with a fantastic performance but the Royals had some other ideas.
Trent Boult started the proceedings for RR with the new ball and claimed Mumbai’s favorite son Rohit Sharma (0 off 1) in the very first over. Immediately the next delivery, Boult went on trapping Naman Dir (0 off 1). Mumbai brought their impact sub in the form of Dewald Brevis early on right after the first over but that didn’t work as well. Trent Boult sent Brevis (0 off 1) back to the sheds without allowing to open his account. Ishaan Kishan tried to slog but was soon sent back on a test match line & length delivery by Nandre Burger. MI, in front of their home crowd collapsed like a house of cards. The Rajasthan Royals’ bowling attack was literally breathing fire. Hardik Pandya walked in when he found his team 20 for 4 and started building a partnership. Tilak Varma alongside Pandya (32 off 29) took some risk but failed to convert his knock into a big innings. Just when a partnership was building, Chahal came into the attack and broke it. Yuzvendra Chahal tossed the delivery up and Hardik (34 off 21) lofted it straight into the hands of Rovman Powell in the deep. Tim David (17 off 24) tried to swing the bat but ended up being caught by Trent Boult. The Mumbai tail didn’t wag as well as they lost Gerald Coetzee (4 off 9). Jaspirt Bumrah & Akash Madhwal remained unbeaten on 8 and 4 respectively.
With just 125 on the board, the Rajasthan Royals were all set to chase an easy total.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (10 off 6) started with a boundary on the third ball he faced but soon was perished on a delivery by Mumbai’s 17 year old young bowling sensation, Kwena Maphaka. Jos Buttler (13 off 16) also was sent back early by Akash Madhwal. And so was the case with Sanju Samson (12 off 10). In walked Riyan Parag and once again proved why he is the next big thing at the IPL. The young batter once again carried the Rajasthani side and went on scoring a brilliant half century. A coming of age season this is turning out to be for the boy from Assam. Ravichandran Ashwin (16 off 16) too had a handy run a ball contribution. Parag’s cameo of 54 not out off 39 balls sealed the deal for the Rajasthan Royals as he went on scoring the winning runs as RR won by 6 wickets. Riyan Parag went for a hook hitting a four, guiding the Rajasthan Royals to their 3rd consecutive victory in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The recent victory by the Royals saw them sitting on the top of the league table.
With their momentum roaring high, the Rajasthan Royals now go home and play against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday, 6th of April 2024. On the other hand the Mumbai Indians need to assess themselves and try making the most out of their home ground advantage as they stay in Mumbai and play against the Delhi Capitals at the Wankhade.
The Sportz Planet Desk,
Atharva Shetye.
