The Fort Worth Press - Bumrah 5-21 wrecks RCB before SKY seals easy Mumbai IPL win

The ace Indian pacer's masterful 5-21 won him the player-of-the-match and restricted the star-studded RCB line up to 196-8 after Hardik Pandya won the toss and decided to field first at the home ground in Mumbai.

Bumrah removed his fellow India superstar Virat Kohli (3) before rookie pacer Akash Madhwal took England's Will Jacks's (8) wicket in the fourth over to leave RCB reeling at 2-23.

RCB skipper Faf du Plessis rebuilt the innings on a placid Mumbai track with young Rajat Patidar, who hit an impressive 26-ball 50 with four sixes and three fours.

South African pacer Gerald Coetzee took Patidar's wicket and Australian superstar Glenn Maxwell (0) failed again to leave RCB in trouble 4-108 in the 13th over.

Skipper Plessis fell to Bumrah, who returned to demolish the RCB middle-order, for 40-ball 61. Bumrah also removed Mahipal Lomoror (0) on the very next ball to leave the visitors at 6-153 in the 17th over.

End of innings heroics by veteran Dinesh Karthik, who hit an unbeaten 23-ball 53, took RCB to 196-8 as Bumrah took two more scalps of rookies Saurav Chauhan and Vijaykumar Vyashk to finish his match-defining spell.

Speaking after the game, Bumrah said that the T20 format "is very harsh for the bowlers".

"I try to not be a one-trick pony, I have worked on this early in the career. People start to line you up. I want to have different skills," ace India pacer said.

Mumbai openers Ishan Kishan and Rohit Sharma set up the chase with a century partnership before Kishan, who hit five sixes in his 34-ball 69, fell in the ninth over with the team at 1-101.

Sharma, who scored a steady 24-ball 38, built another partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, who hit a 19-ball 52.

Sharma was removed by Jacks with Mumbai at 2-139. But Yadav's blitz propelled the home team to 176 in the 14th over before rookie Vyashk took his scalp.

Pandya and young Tilak Verma finished the job for the home team in the 16th over.

Mumbai's skipper said that he was "lucky to have Bumrah" in his side.

"He does this over and over again and every time I ask him and he gets the wickets. He has so much experience and the confidence," he added.

L.Coleman--TFWP