Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians, IPL, 2026 May 10 Full score card

Salam survives and RCB get home! Full and around off. Salam pushes it back to the bowler, but Bawa gets a hand on it and the ball deflects away towards long on. Both batters are quick to spot the opportunity and scamper for two. Corbin Bosch charges in and fires it back to the keeper, who collects and breaks the stumps. Salam flings himself into a dive and drags his bat inside the crease. The third umpire is called in to check for the run out. Salam had flung himself into a dive, and while the bat popped out of his hand on landing, it was in contact with the willow when he made his ground. The third umpire confirms it. What a dramatic end to an absolute nail-biter in Raipur. A low-scoring thriller, living worth the billing. RCB WIN BY 2 WICKETS. And with that, the Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants are officially knocked out of the playoff race.

Is that a run out? The RCB players don't think so, and they are swarming the field. The third umpire has a look and confirms that Rasikh Salam has put in a match-winning dive. The bat popped out of his hand, but it was in contact with the willow when he made his ground, and it will be NOT OUT.

Slower one, across the right-hander, on a good length. Bhuvneshwar Kumar miscues it down to long off for a single. RCB need 2 runs from the last delivery!

SIX! JUST OVER! My word, he has cleared the ropes. A magnificent strike from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Fuller and wide outside off. Bhuvi gets forward and opens the face, slicing it over sweeper cover with an inside out lofted shot. The fielder leaps but the ball sails over him for six runs.

WIDE! Dear me! Slower bumper, but way, way too high over the batter's head. Bhuvneshwar Kumar lets it fly back to the keeper. Wide called. RCB need 9 runs from 3 balls.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar walks out to bat now.

OUT! TAKEN EASILY​​! Raj Bawa has picked up the most important wicket for his side. Fuller this time and wide outside off. Shepherd is well outside his crease and looks to slice it through the off side, but gets nowhere near the middle of it. The ball flies off the toe end and is sliced straight to Varma at backward point, who leaps and takes it comfortably. RCB lose their 8th wicket.

Well bowled! Stays around the stump and bowls a wide yorker, outside off. Romario Shepherd swings hard, but is beaten by a whisker on the outside edge. Romario Shepherd and Rasikh Salam converge for a chat to review for a wide, but they decide not to. A crucial, crucial dot ball from Bawa.

Two Wides! The pressure is showing on Raj Bawa. Tries to keep it away from the hitting arc of the batter, but bowls it too wide, outside the tramline. Rasikh Salam swings and misses and the ball rolls back to the keeper. Ryan Rickelton releases an underarm throw to the batting end, but misses his shy and the batters complete the bye. 10 needed off 5 balls now.

Oh, goodness! This just doesn't rise from a short length, outside off. Romario Shepherd swings with all his might to pull into the stands, but the ball stays underground and squirts off the toe end to deep mid-wicket for a single. 12 needed off 5 balls.

A change of bat for Romario Shepherd as he's chipped the toe end.

Good execution this time! A wide yorker, outside off, Romario Shepherd fails to get under the ball and drills it back to the bowler off the toe end. Oh, dear! The buzzer of doom goes off in Raipur for MI. Raj has overstepped and it is a No Ball. A Free Hit coming up...

What a time to bowl a No Ball!

WIDE! Bowls from around the stump, Raj pushes it wide across the batter, on a fuller length. Romario Shepherd stays put and throws everything left in the tank, but misses to connect. The ball breaches the tramline and it is called a wide.

Who will bowl the final over? MI have options in terms of spin and also a seamer in the face of Raj Bawa. It will be Raj Bawa to bowl the final over and try and defend 14 runs.

Pinpoint yorker around leg. Shepherd cannot get his bat to it again, and the ball clips the toe of his left boot and trickles down towards cover-point. A leg bye is taken, and Romario retains the strike.

This is world-class death bowling by Bumrah. Nails in another searing yorker around leg. Shepherd tries to jam it out but misses completely, and the ball clips his front pad and squirts away to the left of the keeper. Both batters fancy a bye and set off, but the keeper does well to collect it on the move and fires at the stumps, but misses.

MI lose both their reviews! Bumrah spears it into the batter, on a fuller length, angling from middle to leg. Romario Shepherd gets a touch across in the crease and tries to work it across the line, but plays all over it and is hit on the front pad. A massive, confident appeal for LBW, but the umpire shakes his head. Bumrah is pumped up and wants it to be reviewed. SKY walks up to him to have a chat. Rickelton is a bit reluctant, but Suryakumar trusts his bowler and takes the review. UltraEdge shows no bat involved, and Ball Tracking shows that the ball is projected to miss the leg stump. So, the on-field decision is upheld.

Well bowled! Slower bumper from Bumrah, angled into the batter. Romario Shepherd ducks under it. The ball bounces in front of Ryan Rickelton, who does well to gather it. 16 needed off 9.

Length ball, around off, Rasikh runs it behind to deep third for a single only.

Full, tailing in on leg, Romario Shepherd flicks it to deep square leg for a single. 150 UP FOR RCB!

RCB needed 18 off 12 balls. Surely, Jasprit Bumrah has to bowl the 19th over, right? Yes, it will be Bumrah. Also, Rasikh Salam has come out to bat ahead of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

OUT! TAKEN! Sensational athleticism by Tilak Varma and this game is far from being over. Full and around off. Krunal goes deep in his crease and looks to clear the boundary downtown, but does not get the timing right and hits it flat to the left of long on. Tilak Varma tracks it to his left and takes a stunning catch, but his momentum is taking him over the rope. He keeps his composure, flicks the ball back into the playing area before crossing the boundary. He comes back in and completes the catch. The third umpire has a look, and the replays confirm that it is a clean catch. Krunal Pandya walks back and is received with a huge round of applause by his teammates. But he would be gutted to have not got the job done for his side. RCB are 149/7, needing 18 off 12 balls.

Has Tilak Varma pulled off a stunning catch here? He seems confident, and if Tilak has pulled it off, then it's another big twist in this game. Replays show that, indeed, Tilak has done it, and eventually AM Ghazanfar does get the wicket of Krunal Pandya.

SIX! Oh, my days! Krunal is down, flat on the ground, but he has dumped it into the stands. Shades of Maxwell vs Afghanistan in the 2023 World Cup. Full and around off on a lower trajectory. Krunal gets down early and picks it up beautifully, and slog-sweeps it cleanly over the deep mid-wicket fence for a biggie.

Short, on middle and leg, Krunal pulls off the back foot to deep square leg. He can't run due to cramps and the batters do not cross.

SIX! Sprinkles salt on the wounds! A lot fuller, around off. Pandya clears the front leg and smokes it over wide long on for a massive six.

A big miss! Short and outside off. Krunal walks across and tries to belt it down the ground but gets nowhere near the middle of it. The ball loops up to deep mid-wicket, where Naman and Tilak converge from either side. Dhir gets to it first and takes the catch to his right, but his momentum is carrying him towards the rope. He tries to flick the ball back into the playing area, but Varma does not attempt to take the catch, believing that Dhir had touched the ropes. Instead of releasing the throw, Tilak got into a bit of an argument with Dhir, but thankfully for MI, the batters did not run.

What's happened here? First of all, did Naman Dhir flick the ball before his leg landed over the ropes? The third umpire is having a look. Tilak Varma didn't go for the catch as he felt that it was a six, but actually it wasn't. No six, no catch and no run taken either. Bizarre stuff.

Oh, prodigious turn. Spins in from outside off, on a length. Krunal does not read the carrom ball, but manages to keep it out to the off side.

Time for Jasprit Bumrah? MI only have one over of Bumrah left and the other two frontline seamers are now bowled out as well, which means Suryakumar Yadav will have to find a couple of overs from elsewhere. There's another slight halt in play as Krunal Pandya continues to struggle with his fitness. The 12th man is out and Pandya has a bit of nutrition intake and is ready to go again. Also, it will be AM Ghazanfar to bowl the 18th over.

Closes out a superb over! Off-pace delivery, short and over off. Krunal pulls it to deep mid-wicket for only a run. Just 6 runs from Chahar's last. He is done with his spell, with figures reading 4-0-33-2.

Takes pace off, at 119.5 kph, this is dug in short, around off. Romario Shepherd slices the ball on the pull shot, and it goes on a couple of bounces to deep mid-wicket for a single.

In-between length, angling outside off. Krunal waits back and punches it along the ground to long off for just a single.

Slightly shorter, outside off. Shepherd knocks it off the back foot, through the cover-point gap for an easy single.

Half-tracker, around off, Pandya waits for the off-cutter to arrive and swats it on the bounce to the left of long on for a single.

Krunal Pandya has taken a blow to the body and is down on the ground with some pain. As he falls down, he seems to have pulled his hamstring as well, and the physio is out to have a look. A bit of a wait, but thankfully, Pandya is good to go again.

Game stopped due to : Play Halted

Ouch! That must have hurt. A deceptive slower ball, on a hard length, stays slightly low, on the leg stump line. Krunal Pandya is early into the pull shot and is well beaten before being hit on the stomach. Krunal is looking uncomfortable and is down on the ground.

WIDE! Not an ideal start. Slower bumper, at just 116.4 kph, over the head. Krunal walks forward, but decides to leave. Wide given for height.

Wow, what a contest we are having in Raipur. MI still believe. Romario Shepherd is the new batter in at 8. Deepak Chahar (3-0-27-2) to bowl out.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Corbin Bosch goes bang, bang. A golden duck for Tim David. Cross-seam ball, bowled on a hard length, over middle. David swivels as he tries to pull it off the front foot, but the ball comes on slower than he expected. It grazes the toe end of the blade and goes behind, where the keeper, Ryan Rickelton snaffles it with ease. Bosch is done for the night, finishing with figures of 4-1-26-4. RCB need 36 runs from 24 balls.

Bosch has the last laugh. This game refuses to settle down in a straight line. With RCB needing 36 runs from 25 balls, Tim David walks to the crease at number 7.

OUT! CAUGHT! Jitesh Sharma holes out. Bosch goes into the surface again but this is wider on off. Jitesh Sharma advances down the track again and is made to reach out as he looks to flay it over point. Ends up slicing it towards deep point, where Naman Dhir settles under it and makes no mistake. A good little hand from Jitesh comes to an end.

SIX! Nicely done! Bosch bangs it in short, over off and middle. Sharma walks inside the line of the ball and uses the pace to hook it over the long leg fence for a six.

Falls well short! This is on middle. Pandya attempts the pull but the ball is not all that short. He mistimes it aerially and the ball lands well in front of Raj Bawa at deep square leg. Just a single.

Served on a back of a length at 142.8 kph, on off. Krunal Pandya shimmies down the track and flat bats it to mid off.

SIX! Krunal made it look so easy. Bosch hits the back of a length, on middle. Pandya picks up the length quickly and swings across with the angle. Pummels it over mid-wicket and it goes all the way.

Last 5 overs left. RCB need 49 runs to win. Corbin Bosch (3-1-13-2) is back on, replacing Raj Bawa.

Off-cutter, on a back of a length, on off. Krunal runs it down to deep third to pick up a single.

FIFTY FOR KRUNAL! From 32 balls. An outstanding knock from the all-rounder on a challenging surface. Time and again, he has shown his value to this RCB outfit, whether it be with the bat or the ball. Full and angled in on the off stump. Pandya has a heave across the line. It comes off the inner half and goes wide of deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Attacking the front pad with a good-length ball. Krunal tugs it to mid-wicket.

From around the wicket for the left-hander. Bumrah spots Krunal backing away and he follows him with a length delivery. Pandya does not pick the slower one and is slightly early into the stroke. Chips it away from Bumrah to his right. Sharma was keen for a single but was sent back.

Fuller now, around off. Jitesh knocks it back past the bowler with a straight bat. It goes to the right of mid off and the batters cross over for one.

FOUR! Top shot! Fractionally short and equally wide on off. Jitesh presses back and gets on top of the bounce. He punches it with a high elbow and the ball races past cover for a four.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Well, this is getting more and more interesting now. Unfortunately for MI, Raj couldn't back up a fantastic wicket-maiden bowled by Bosch. But you can't blame the youngster, as he hasn't bowled much in these situations in the IPL. SKY has trusted his pacers so far, with Jacks and Ghazanfar held back after bowling two overs each. In fact, MI have not even introduced Raghu Sharma into the attack as yet. So, a lot of tough decisions have to be made from Suryakumar Yadav. On the other hand, Krunal Pandya is playing a gem of a knock for his team, inching close to his fifty. And with two big hitters yet to come next, they would like to keep the tempo up with 57 needed off 36 balls. Alright, it's time for Jasprit Bumrah (2-0-10-0) now. Can he produce a wicket for his side here? Let's see...

At 132 kph, on middle and leg, on a good length. Krunal Pandya brings his bat out in front and whips it past mid-wicket. Tilak Varma sprints to his left at long on and gets low to make the stop. He lays half a hand on it and the ball threatens to trickle behind into the fence, but Tilak recovers to prevent the boundary and keeps it down to two runs. Just the over RCB needed after the wicket maiden from Corbin Bosch. 16 runs off it.

Wide! From around the wicket, an off-cutter, dug in short but it goes beyond the tramline on off. Krunal offers no shot.

Wide! A proper bumper this time by Bawa but this is too high. Pandya lets it go.

FOUR! Cracked away! Pace off and into the surface, over middle. Krunal stands tall and plays the pull off the front foot. Hits it all along the ground to the right of deep square leg for a boundary. 12 runs off the over with a ball to go.

Drags the length back and keeps it around the off pole. Jitesh dabs it behind point and turns the strike over.

SIX! Jitesh Sharma has had enough of ball watching. Fuller and at the sticks. Jitesh backs away to give himself room and swings through the line with mid off inside the circle. He tonks it way over the fence for a biggie. The 100 is up for RCB.

Six balls without a run for Jitesh. He will be starting to feel the pressure. Angled in on a back of a length, on middle. Sharma stabs it down on the strip.

Down leg, on a short of a length. Pandya stays inside the line and shovels it wide of deep fine leg. Jasprit Bumrah moves to his right to cut it off. There is a slight fumble, but that does not cost MI an extra run. Just a single.

That was a sensational over from Bosch. MI are tightening the screws now. The asking rate is nearly 10.5. Raj Bawa (1-0-8-0) is back on.

Wow! Superb stuff from Corbin Bosch. A wicket maiden. Bosch puts in a bit of effort behind this one. On a nagging length, on middle. Jitesh is taken aback as the ball kicks up but manages to fend it off. RCB need 73 runs off 42 balls.

So far, so good from Bosch. Delivers it on a hard length, on off. Jitesh angles it in front of backward point and sets off for the run before being sent back by his partner.

Hits the deck hard, on middle. The ball skids through a bit and stays a bit low but Jitesh blocks it out from the crease.

Bosch goes slightly wide on the crease and pushes the length up, on middle. Sharma covers the line and defends it out.

Bashes the hard length, over off. Jitesh stays back to keep it out.

Another massive moment in the game as Bethell falls. Jitesh Sharma is the next batter in at number 6. He has been short of runs this season and this is a huge opportunity for him to get the job done for his side.

OUT! CAUGHT! Jacob Bethell could not have picked out the fielder in the deep any better. Corbin Bosch strikes on his return to the attack. This is a length ball, angled into the pads. Bethell plays a wristy flick and has no intention of keeping it on the ground. He fails to pick the gap and hits it straight down the throat of Tilak Varma at deep square leg. Tilak seems to have lost the ball in the lights for a moment, but managed to hold on close to his chest eventually. The 55-run stand has been broken. RCB are 94/4, needing 73 runs from 47 balls.

RCB need 73 runs from 48 balls. MI are in desperate need of a wicket here to get back into the game. Corbin Bosch (1-0-13-1) is back on. He replaces Raj Bawa.

Another single to end the over, 12 off it. Bowled from around the wicket and angled down leg. Jacob Bethell sits down and sweeps it down to deep backward square leg for a run.

Floated full and on leg, eased down to long on for one more by KP.

Nicely flighted, very full and on leg. Bethell looks to work it away but is beaten in flight, getting an inside edge onto the pads. The ball trickles away into the off side and they get a single.

Dragged length around off, stays low as well and Pandya pulls it away to deep mid-wicket for a run.

SIX! Swung away over the ropes. Tossed up, much fuller on middle and leg, Krunal Pandya takes a step forward, and slog sweeps it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie. This brings up the 50-run stand between Krunal and Bethell.

Slightly quicker through the air, on a length and on leg. Pandya lunges ahead and clips it wide of deep mid-wicket for a single. The batters go for the second run as well and make it as the throw at the bowler's end is just wide. Had that hit, Behell might have been in trouble.

Short of a length, angled across the batter. Pandya lets the ball come on and angles it towards backward point for a quick single. 85 needed now off 54 balls.

Nice changeup from Bawa. A slower bumper, dug in well short and around leg. Pandya tries to come forward and pull it away but is well beaten.

Slightly short and down leg, worked off the hips and down to deep backward square leg for a single.

Back of a length and outside off, dabbed away wide of point for a single.

FOUR! Stylishly done. Pitched up, around off, Krunal Pandya gets across a touch and gracefully lifts the ball back over the bowler's head for a boundary.

Dug in short and angled into the batter, pulled away down to fine leg for a single.

Raj Bawa has been called into the attack. MI's 6th bowling option of the night.

Fullish length outside off, hit away to the right of the deep point fielder for a single. 93 needed from 60 balls.

AM Ghazanfar pulls the length back smartly and angles it in from outside off. Krunal Pandya gets a stride in and looks to play a late dab but the ball slides on and brushes the pads before rolling down to short third. KP looks for the run but is sent back as an appeal for LBW is turned down. There is also a shy at the keeper's end as Pandya scampers back but it is wide and ends up resulting in an overthrow. There is a review taken for LBW, but the impact is outside the line of the off stump. Not Out!

Review time. Ryan Rickelton thinks it is pad first, but he feels the impact could be outside the line. After a discussion, Suryakumar Yadav takes the review. The replays confirm it is pad first, but the impact is indeed outside the line. NOT OUT!

FOUR! Too full again, and this time, Krunal Pandya puts it away. Tossed up on off, Pandya gives it a real thump as he swats it dead straight down the ground for a boundary.

Stays around the wicket and flights it fuller on middle, drifting it in. Bethell looks to flick but gets an inside edge onto the pads and the ball rolls into the off side for a single.

Comes around the wicket to Krunal and floats it fuller on middle. Pandya strokes it through mid on and turns the strike over.

A tad shorter, lands it outside leg stump. Bethell rocks back and hoicks it off the inside half of the blade and behind square leg for one.

STRATEGIC BREAK! The match is interestingly poised with RCB needing 102 runs in 66 balls on what has been a tricky surface to bat on. The dew does not seem to have settled in just yet, but as the ball loses its hardness, one feels the unpredictability of the pitch could ease slightly and make strokeplay easier for the batters. Krunal Pandya has looked busy since his arrival, and it is now about converting this start for both batters as RCB look to take control of the chase. AM Ghazanfar to bowl after the break.

Just another single for Bethell, who isn't able to convert his aggressive strokes into anything meaningful at the moment. Tossed up, full on leg, Bethell shimmies down the pitch again and drives it along the ground to long off for a run.

Another one that's floated up on the pads, Pandya works it 'round the corner on the leg side and picks up a single.

WIDE! Flighted one, full and down the leg side. Pandya fails to tickle it away.

FOUR! Swept hard and into the gap as well. Floated up on middle and leg, Krunal Pandya gets down on one knee and sweeps it firmly through square leg for a welcome boundary.

A bit quicker through the air, around off, and sliding on. Bethell rocks back and cuts it through backward point for one.

Tossed up, very full and angled into the batter. Jacob Bethell comes down the pitch, backs away and ends up squeezing it out to covers.

Jacks shortens the length and drifts into the pads. Pandya tucks it away to deep mid-wicket for one.

Halt! Krunal Pandya is receiving medical attention out in the middle. The physio is out there, helping him through a few stretches. Pandya is back on his feet and ready to resume.

Game stopped due to : Play Halted

In-angler bashed on a hard length. Jacob hops on the toes and eases it to square leg.

Extra bounce from a good length, on off. Krunal Pandya tries to block, but is hit flush on the stomach as the ball grazes his gloves. It rolls into the off side, and they hustle for a single. Bosch is constantly hitting those heavy lengths, which is making the batters a bit uncomfortable due to the variable bounce.

Hard length, in the channel, at 136.7 kph. Jacob Bethell guides it towards deep third for a single.

Oh, another mix-up, but the damage is averted. On a short of a good length, on middle. Krunal takes a baby step forward and tucks it in front of the short mid-wicket fielder. He charges ahead slightly for a single, but suddenly stops and seeing Bethell charge through, he hurries to get to the other end.

On a good length, just outside off, this is punched between cover and backward point for a single.

Needed a direct hit! Raj had one stump to aim at. Hard length, nipping in and around off. Krunal Pandya gets on the toes and dabs it to backward point and rushes through for a single. Raj Bawa picks up and throws in a motion but misses his shy at the batting end, allowing Bethell to scoot through.

Dropped short, on middle and leg, Pandya gets back and across before knocking it down to long on for a run. Only 4 runs from Jacks' first.

Well bowled! Floats it up, on a fuller length, sliding onto the pads. Krunal Pandya gets on the front foot to block, but plays over the line and is hit on the front pad.

Pulls the length back a bit, on middle. Bethell rocks back and pulls it to deep mid-wicket. Robin Minz, the sub fielder moves the other way, but is quick to make amends and stops it. A single taken. 50 UP FOR RCB!

Full and around off, Krunal shimmies down the track and drives it to long off for a single.

Sharp turn, from middle to off, at 86.8 kph. Krunal leans on and dabs it with soft hands to short third.

From around the stump, this is pushed through, full, on off. Jacob drives it away to deep cover for a single.

The Powerplay certainly belonged to MI and RCB now need 120 off 84 balls. With that said, Will Jacks is brought into the attack now.

Big swing and a miss! On a back of a length, wide outside off. Krunal Pandya does not move his feet at all, and has a waft at it, but the ball whistles past his blade. Not called a wide. RCB end their Powerplay with 47/3 on the board.

Huge nip-backer from off, on a hard length. Krunal Pandya is tucked up for space. Tries to block it down the pitch, but the ball takes the inside edge, deflects off the thigh pad and drops well in front of the first slip fielder.

It seems like the ball has been lost in the crowd and the fourth umpire is out with a box of balls. The batters are also having a closer look at it, but now the previous ball has been thrown back by the crowd, so no change of a ball for now.

SIX! Helped on its way! Bosch bangs it short and angles it at the body line of the batter. Krunal Pandya waits for it, swivels on the toes, uses the pace and pulls it over the long leg fence for a 77-meter six.

Angled across off, on a hard length. Krunal stays back and square cuts it away, but finds the backward point fielder midway. Sharp fielding by Raj Bawa there.

Off the mark right away! Back of a length, around off, Krunal steers it behind point for a couple of runs.

Three wickets lost inside the Powerplay and RCB are in big trouble now. Krunal Pandya is sent up the order, in at number 5.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Perfect start for Bosch and problems are rising now for RCB. Corbin hits the hard length and targets the top of the stumps. Rajat Patidar gets across and tries to adjust to the bounce while attempting the pull shot, but only manages a thick top edge. The ball balloons up in the night sky over the keeper. Ryan Rickelton calls for the catch, calmly settles under it and takes a straightforward catch. The hosts lose their skipper and RCB are 39/3, needing 128 runs from 89 balls.

First bowling change of the innings as Corbin Bosch comes in to replace Jasprit Bumrah.

Straighter and fuller, just outside off, Rajat knocks it in front of the cover fielder and pinches a single.

Oh, nearly a catch! From around the stump, Chahar bowls a full ball, around the off pole. It holds on a touch and Jacob Bethell chips it to the left of the bowler. Deepak sticks out his right hand but the ball clips his fingers and rolls to mid off for a single.

Jags back in a touch, at 133.3 kph, on top of off. Rajat Patidar arches back and knocks it to deep point for a run.

FOUR! In the air but in the gap as well! Hard length, wide outside off. Patidar has enough room to free his arms and cuts it over cover-point for a boundary. That was a loose ball from Chahar.

This one nips in a touch, on a fuller length, on middle. Patidar lets the ball come in and then blocks it off the front foot.

On a back of a length, around off, Rajat camps back and punches it to SKY at cover.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru need 135 runs from 96 balls. Third over on the bounce for Deepak Chahar. 2-0-20-2 so far.

That has flown through! Bumrah digs it on a hard length, outside off. Bethell has the width to cash in but the ball sails over the flailing blade. There seemed to be a bit of noise as the ball went past the bat. Ryan Rickelton could not gather it cleanly but there was no edge.

Wide! Down leg, on the fuller side. Jacob misses out on the glance.

Two leg byes! Bumrah strays on the pads, on the shorter side. Bethell fails to lay any bat on the tickle. The ball catches the thigh pad and goes down to deep fine leg for a couple of leg byes.

In the corridor, on a short of a length. Rajat guides it to deep third and crosses over.

Wide! Dug in short, on middle and leg. Patidar ducks under it. Too high for the umpire's liking.

Opened him up! Bumrah continues to be a bit too short, on off. Bethell hangs back to deal with it, but the ball straightens to square him up. It goes off an outside edge to deep third for one.

Too straight again, a bit fuller this time. Patidar flicks it off the pads through square leg for a run.

Slanting into the hips, on the shorter side. Bethell attempts the tickle. The ball takes a bit of bat and goes down to deep fine leg off the thigh pad. Single taken.

Two big wickets for MI halfway into the Powerplay. And suddenly, 166 is looking like a pretty good total. In walks the RCB captain, Rajat Patidar, at number 4.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! An absolute beauty by Deepak Chahar. Just too good for even the best of batters. From around the wicket, he lands it on a good length, in line with the off stump. Padikkal is caught in his crease and is forced to play at it due to the angle. The ball lands and nips away off the seam enough to graze the outside edge. The keeper, Ryan Rickelton, does the rest behind the stumps. RCB are 24/2, chasing 167.

SIX! Flayed away! Deepak Chahar moves away from the length that has been working for him. He bangs it in short and offers width. Padikkal flashes and flashes hard at it. It goes more off the outer half and flies over the deep third fence for a six.

A confident shout for caught behind but turned down! Deepak Chahar was the only one to go up.  From around the wicket, full and around off. Padikkal shimmies down the track to negate the swing. Ends up yorking himself and looks to squeeze it out but misses. The noise was of the bat hitting the turf and there was no bat involved.

Oh, that stayed low. Into the surface, outside off. Padikkal swivels to shovel it away but is beaten all ends up as the ball goes under his bat.

Going across, on a short of a length. Padikkal looks to glide it down to deep third, but there is a man at third slip, who cuts it off.

Lovely shape for Chahar. Full and swinging away from the left-hander. Padikkal shoulders arms.

Tidy start by Bumrah. He kept it tight, giving no room. Deepak Chahar to continue from the other end.

Bumrah hits the top of off, Padikkal hangs on the back foot and runs it down to deep third with an open bat face for a single.

In the channel, on a good length, nipping away off the seam. DDP makes a watchful leave.

Fuller now at 140.8 kph, at the sticks. Bethell brings his bat out in front to unleash the straight drive. He mistimes it to the right of mid on for one more.

A bit too straight and too straight as well, around leg. Padikkal nudges it square on the leg side and gets to the other end.

At 136 kph, on a short of a good length, on middle and leg. Bethell rises with the bounce to fend it off but the ball gets big on him to ping him on the bottom hand. It drops beside the strip on the leg side. They cross.

Off the edge? The men behind the bat go up belatedly, and seeing that, Jasprit Bumrah also goes up. The appeal dies down and the replays show that there was daylight between the ball and the bat. On a hard length, over off. Jacob stands tall to keep it out with an angled bat but the ball nips away to go past the bat.

Despite losing Kohli, this was a productive first over for the Royal Challengers. They need 153 runs from 114 balls. And here's MI's spearhead, Jasprit Bumrah.

FOUR! Padikkal is away. Swinging back in at the hips, on a back of a length. Devdutt walks inside the line and glances it neatly to deep fine leg for a boundary.

Beaten! Seam-up ball, on a good length, in and around the off stump. Padikkal looks to cover the line with a straight bat. The ball threatens to swing back in but just goes across the left-hander and has beaten DDP on the outside edge.

A huge moment in the game already as RCB lose Kohli in the first over. Chahar has spring in his steps, and why not? Devdutt Padikkal is in at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT! A golden duck for Virat Kohli. Back-to-back ducks for the chase master. Moving away in the air, on a length, outside off. Kohli springs onto the front foot and rather than timing it, he goes hard on the lofted drive. He tries to play it on the rise but the bat turns in his hands upon contact. It goes flat towards mid off, where Raj Bawa moves to his right and takes a good catch.

Wide! Whoa, that went away a long way. Chahar pushes the length up but the line starts a bit too wide and it swings beyond the tramline on off. Kohli lets it go.

Drags the length back and the line is tighter, on the off stump. Bethell dabs it behind point from the crease and crosses over.

FOUR MORE! On the off side this time. Pitched up by Chahar, curving away from the left-hander. Bethell leans into the drive nicely and extends his hands to caress it through covers to pick up a boundary.

FOUR! Bethell and RCB are up and running! A gentle inswinger at 131.4 kph, on a good length, on middle. Bethell lets the ball come to him and brings his wrists into play. Clips it off the pads between mid-wicket and mid on to get going.

Perfect finish from Rasikh Salam! He bowls the slower bumper, on middle, Deepak Chahar uses his feet and swings at it but misses. The batters do not bother to take the bye. However, Chahar takes the review for a wide. As soon as the replay comes up, the players start to make their way out, as they pretty much know the outcome of the review. Ball Tracking confirms that the ball is below the head of the batter and it is a fair delivery. Mumbai Indians finish on 166/7!

Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, Corbin Bosch pulls it away through mid-wicket for just one.

So far, so good from Rasikh Salam! Pace off, good length and just outside off, keeps very low, almost hugs the ground. Corbin Bosch slashes at it but gets nowhere near it.

Hard length and on middle, slower as well, Corbin Bosch whips it away towards deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Fuller and on middle, angles in, Deepak Chahar heaves it away to deep square leg for a run.

Back of a length and on middle, Corbin Bosch pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Out goes Raj Bawa and in walks Deepak Chahar. It will be Corbin Bosch on strike at the start of the over. Rasikh Salam will close out the innings for RCB. 3-0-37-1 so far for Salam.

OUT! CAUGHT! Josh Hazlewood finishes his spell with a wicket. He looks for the yorker, but serves a low full toss, on middle. Raj Bawa looks to go down the ground but cannot quite get under it. His bat turns in his hands, and he ends up spooning it towards mid off, where Rajat Patidar takes a dolly. MI are 161/7 now.

Short of a length and angling down the leg side, Corbin Bosch looks to help it away but gloves it behind. Jitesh Sharma, the keeper, dives to his left and gets a good glove on it to make the stop. Just one.

Halt! The physio is out to perform the concussion check. The test is complete, and Raj Bawa is fine to continue.

An off-cutter, dug into the surface, on middle, kicks off a bit. Raj Bawa looks to pull but takes his eyes off the ball. It brushes his glove before clattering onto the helmet and rolls behind. They cross.

Excellent yorker, on middle, tailing away, Raj Bawa digs it back to the bowler.

Back of a length and into the body of the batter, Raj Bawa takes his bottom hand off and tucks it towards square leg. He strolls for the single, but seeing that no one is near the ball, decides to take the second and makes it.

Fuller one and on middle, Raj Bawa swipes it off the inner half of the bat to deep mid-wicket for a brace.

A crucial wicket for RCB as Bhuvi continues his magic effortlessly. That could potentially take a few runs off the total. Corbin Bosch is the new batter in. Josh Hazlewood (3-0-27-0) will bowl the penultimate over.

OUT! DRAGGED ON! Bhuvneshwar Kumar has four to his name now. He sees the batter move across and bowls this wide outside off. Tilak Varma knows that fine leg is up in the circle, goes down and across to scoop it away. He takes it on the full, but unfortunately, it catches the inside edge and crashes back onto the stumps, with Varma on the ground. Rohit Sharma is very disappointed in the dugout.

A full toss, on the pads, Raj Bawa flicks it away to deep mid-wicket for one.

Good length and on middle, Raj Bawa stabs it back to the bowler.

Nails the yorker this time, on off, Tilak Varma jams it out off the toe-end of the bat towards mid-wicket for a run.

FOUR! Connects this time! Bhuvi misses the yorker just by an inch, serving a low full toss, under the bat. Tilak Varma is quick to get his hands through and thumps it back past the bowler for a boundary. 150 UP FOR MI.

A slower one, full and outside off, keeps it inside the tramline, Tilak Varma has a slash at it but misses.

Righto, last 3 overs to go. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-0-17-3) will bowl out. He replaces Romario Shepherd.

Make that four twos in the over! A dipping low full toss, on middle, Raj Bawa drills it down the ground wide of long on for a brace. 13 runs off the over!

Pace off, full and on leg, Raj Bawa clips it with soft hands towards the vacant square leg region and comes back for the second. Third double of the over.

Much fuller and around off, Raj Bawa drives it firmly towards sweeper cover for a couple of runs.

Back of a length and on middle, Tilak Varma tucks it through mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! FIFTY FOR VARMA! Off 37 balls. This is his 9th IPL fifty. A fantastic knock from him, and it has come when his team needed it. Now, he will look to accelerate even more, like we have seen before, when he scored the ton against GT. Short of a length and outside off, Tilak Varma gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it through point for a boundary.

Slower one, on a length and on leg, Tilak Varma nudges it through mid-wicket and runs the first one hard. He sees that Devdutt Padikkal is just a bit lazy to get to the ball and hurries back for the second. Good running!

Good over from Shepherd. He has been pretty economical this evening. Rasikh Salam (2-0-24-1) returns into the attack, replacing Josh Hazlewood.

FOUR! Nicely done! Banged into the pitch, on middle. Raj Bawa bends his back to sway away from the line of it and ramps it over the keeper's head for a boundary. Still, just 5 runs and a wicket off the over.

On a length and on middle, Raj Bawa steps across and tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Slightly fuller in length, outside off, Raj Bawa throws his hands at it but fails to connect.

Back of a length and on middle, angling into the batter, Raj Bawa blocks it back to the bowler.

STRATEGIC BREAK​​​​​​! Another budding partnership is broken by RCB at a very crucial time. They have executed their lines and lengths to perfection so far. Most of their deliveries have finished on the stumps, giving the MI batters very little room to free their arms. MI will bank on Tilak Varma to bat till the end and push the score beyond that 180-run mark. He is closing in on his fifty and the onus is on him to provide a strong finish. Raj Bawa is the new batter in for MI at number 7.  Now then, RCB use their Impact Sub option by bringing in Devdutt Padikkal, while Suyash Sharma is subbed out.

Suyash Sharma is substituted by Devdutt Padikkal

OUT! CAUGHT! Romario Shepherd strikes a crucial blow for his side. He serves this a touch fuller, on middle and angling in a bit. Will Jacks backs away and looks to hit it through the line, but his bat turns in his hands upon contact. It goes off the bottom half of the bat and flies towards deep mid-wicket, where Jacob Bethell moves forward and takes a fine catch. MI lose half their side now, with 132 runs on the board.

Hard length and on middle, angling in, Tilak Varma pats it down to long on for a single.

Hazlewood bends his back and digs it in short, over middle. Jacks stands tall on top of the bounce and pulls it along the ground towards wide long on. Krunal Pandya sprints to his right and makes a tumbling stop, saving a couple of runs for his side.

Keeps it on a back of a length, on middle and leg. Jacks backs away to open up the off side. He punches well but can't beat backward point.

Attacking the front pad with a good-length delivery. Will wrists it to mid-wicket.

Into the surface, over middle. Jacks chips it a bit uppishly off the back foot to the right of mid-wicket. Virat Kohli goes after it and slides before getting rid of the ball quickly but he cannot prevent the second run.

Angled in into the left-hander, on a good length. Varma pushes it in front of mid on and hurries to the other end.

Was there an edge? Jitesh Sharma seems to have heard something but there is no reaction from Josh Hazlewood. Rajat Patidar eventually opts against the review. Cross-seam, angled down leg, on a back of a length. Varma walks across for the scoop but misses as the ball goes behind to the keeper. The ball passed close to the gloves but the UltraEdge shows a flat line.

Hits the good length, on middle and leg. Tilak stabs it down on the leg side.

Josh Hazlewood is back on.

Suyash pushes it through at 96.7 kph, and the length stays short, on off. This kicks up a bit, but Tilak adjusts well to knock it through mid on for a run.

Drops it short, on off. Jacks taps it to long on and gets to the other end.

From around the wicket now, short and flat, on off. Tilak chops it down in front of point. They cross.

SIX! Tilak Varma goes big! Looped up by Suyash, on middle and leg. Tilak needs no second invitation as he drops to a knee quickly and clobbers it over mid-wicket for half a dozen.

Flighted delivery, full and on off. Jacks eases it to long on for one.

Serves the googly, on a good length, on middle. Tilak works it to deep mid-wicket for one.

FOUR! Edged away! Fractionally short, outside off. Will has a poke at it and the ball goes off the outside edge, beating the diving keeper to his right for a boundary.

Beaten! On a hard length, in the channel. Jacks has a waft at it and is beaten on the outside edge.

Full and in line with the off stump. This is pushed to cover.

A timely wicket for RCB with a bit of fortune. Will Jacks walks out to bat now.

OUT! TIMBER! Whoa, that shot through, and there is nothing Naman Dhir could have done about it. Cross-seam ball by Salam angled in at the sticks, on a back of a length, on middle. Dhir moves away from the stumps to force it away with a horizontal bat. The ball does not rise at all and slips under the bat to crash into the lower half of the leg stump. The 82-run stand has been broken. MI are 110/4 now.

FOUR! Finesse this time from Dhir. Pace on now at 132.6 kph, on a short of a good length, over off. Naman hangs back and uses the pace to steer it with an open bat face between short third and backward point. Jacob Bethell goes after it but the ball wins the race. Bethell avoids crashing into the advertising boards by hopping over them.

FOUR! Crunched away! Salam starts with the off-pace delivery, bowled on a good length. Dhir gets the width to free his arms and he slams it all along the ground to the left of extra cover.

Rasikh Salam replaces Romario Shepherd.

Sliding on with the arm, on a nagging length at the sticks. Dhir hops and punches it to long off for another single.

Keeps it nice and full, on middle. Varma pushes it to long on and turns the strike over.

Full and on middle and leg, this is worked towards backward square leg for a run. The 100 comes up for MI.

Flatter and shorter, pushed across. Varma goes for the cut. Ends up chopping it and the ball bounces over the keeper for a single.

SIX! That has gone into the stands! Floated up at 81 kph, a bit too full, on middle and leg. Tilak Varma gets down on a knee and plays the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Speared in on a length, following the batter. Naman flicks it to deep square leg for a single.

Good comeback from Romario Shepherd after conceding a six on the first ball. Hits the back of a length, on off and middle. Naman gets on top of the bounce and clips it through mid-wicket for one more. 9 runs off the over.

Darted in at the hips, on a back of a length. Varma turns it through square leg and gets to the other end.

Goes wide on the crease on the around-the-wicket angle. Bashes the hard length, over off. Tilak arches back and steers it to backward point.

Following the batter, on a good length. Naman whips it to wide long on and crosses over.

Better from Romario. Hits the top of off, Naman punches it on the up to cover.

SIX! Romario Shepherd is welcomed back with a biggie. Cross-seam ball banged into the surface, on middle and leg. This comes just around the waist and Dhir nails the pull over deep square leg for a six.

Not that short, pushed through on the leg stump line. Naman Dhir goes on the back foot and pulls it to deep square leg for a run. At halfway, MI are 82/3.

A bit round-armish, at 101.6 kph, short outside off. Tilak Varma hangs back and heaves it through mid-wicket for a single.

At 99.1 kph, full, around off, Dhir drives it to long off for a single.

Pitched fuller, on the leg stump line. Tilak Varma flicks it nicely between long on and deep mid-wicket for a run.

Short, across the left-hander, Tilak presses back and cuts it wide of backward point for a couple of runs. Bethell, the sweeper on the off side, cuts it off in the deep to his right. This brings up the 50-run partnership between Tilak and Naman.

The in-drifter on a length, on leg. Naman Dhir gently taps it across to deep mid-wicket for a single. They look to pinch in the double, but it's not on.

Stump-to-stump, smidge fuller and on middle and leg. Naman Dhir works this googly down to long on for a single.

The physio rushes out for Naman Dhir, and the umpires use this stoppage to call for the Strategic Break. MI have managed to get a partnership going after the initial blows in the Powerplay. With this being the first game of the season in Raipur, there were plenty of unknowns around the surface, and it has turned out to be a challenging pitch to bat on. Apart from the variable bounce, the odd ball has also held up on the batters, making it difficult for them to trust the surface and hit through the line. On such pitches, bowling sides can easily end up going searching for wickets, and from RCB's perspective, the key will be to keep things simple and keep the stumps in play as much as possible.

Quicker one, a googly, short on off, skids through at 98.1 kph. Naman Dhir is hurried on the pull shot, but inside edges on the back pad and it rolls to point.

SIX! Clean strike! He is getting nicely settled out there. Suyash drops it on a fuller length, around off and middle. Naman Dhir picks the length nicely, plants the front foot ahead with a big stride and smokes it over long on for a cracking six.

Dishes out the googly, short and outside off. It stays a tad low and Tilak punches it to mid off for a run.

Pushed through, full and outside off. Dhir lunges forward and eases the drive to deep extra cover for a single.

Nicely tossed up, full and just outside off. Varma drills it along the ground to long on for a run.

It will be spin from both ends as Suyash Sharma comes on. A slight hold-up as the physio is out to attend to Tilak Varma.

Game stopped due to : Play Halted

Quicker through the air, touch short on middle. Tilak Varma plays with the spin and steers it to the deep mid-wicket for a single. Moving ahead steadily, are MI. The partnership between these two now reads 37 runs.

WIDE! Geez, that's a projectile from Krunal. At 118.8 kph, this is short and it flies over the batter's head. Tilak looks to ramp it over the keeper and misses. Jitesh leaps a bit to grab it over his head. Wide called.

Pushed fuller, around off. Dhir leans on and drives it inside-out through wide mid off for a single.

Slows it up, pitching it outside leg, on a length. Varma plays off the back foot and nudges it softly to the mid-wicket region for a run.

Short and across off, this is guided to backward point.

Overthrows! Tossed up, on middle, on a fractionally fuller length. Tilak dinks it into the deep mid-wicket region and crosses for a single. Virat Kohli scores a direct hit at the batting end, and the ball deflects away to the off side. With the backup fielder a bit too wide there, they cross over for the second run as well.

Good running! Begins from around the stumps and lands it on a length, on leg. Tilak turns it to the right of square leg and they charge back for the second run.

First look at spin as Krunal Pandya comes into the attack. Drinks came on between overs for the two batters, seemingly without the umpires' permission, and the officials were quick to step in and send them back.

Angles it onto the pads, on a length. Tilak works it to the square leg region for a single. Tidy start for Shepherd. Just 4 runs from his first.

Hard length, around off, steered off the back foot into the cover-point gap for a quick run.

Bangs it in from around the stump, using the wider angle. Slants it into the batter and generates good bounce. Tilak is hurried on the pull shot, gets the top edge but it lands safely in the short fine leg region. Jitesh runs to his right and collects it. One taken.

Nagging length, on off, punched off the back foot to cover.

Oh, the spitting cobra! Kicks up from a good length, on top of off. Tilak Varma has no answer to the extra bounce and is forced onto the back foot. He fends it off the splice with soft hands, and the ball rolls back to the bowler on the bounce.

Short of a length, on middle, Dhir short-arm jabs it to deep mid-wicket's right for a single.

Done with the Powerplay. Romario Shepherd has been called into attack.

Another off pace delivery that stays low, on a length, outside off. Tilak tries to run it away to the third man region, but misses. At the end of the Powerplay, MI are 53/3.

Dropped! Oh, dear! That was a routine chance and Suyash Sharma has shelled it. Rasikh did all the tricks to get that scalp, but it wasn't to be. Slower and short of a length on the leg stump. Tilak charges down the track, looking to go big, but the change of pace does him in completely. He can only top edge it to Suyash at mid-wicket. Suyash runs across to his left, decides to dive for it, and makes a complete mess of what should have been a straightforward chance as the ball bursts through. Two taken.

At 135.1 kph, short on middle. Dhir miscues the pull shot but it lands on the bounce in front of Jacob Bethell at deep square leg. One taken.

FOUR! Runs away! A bit of extra bounce on it, as this is bashed on a good length, angled at the pads. Naman Dhir uses his wrists and pace to guide the ball to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary. 50 UP FOR MI!

On a length, on middle and leg. Varma nudges it off the back foot to the mid-wicket region for a quick run.

FOUR! A schoolboy error from Shepherd which costs RCB a boundary! Back of a length, just around off. Tilak presses back and crisply punches it to cover. Romario Shepherd moves a bit too much to his right, and the ball spins the other way to race away to the fence.

Change? Yup. Here's Rasikh Salam into the attack for the last over of the Powerplay, replacing Josh Hazlewood.

Fuller and coming back in, on middle and leg. Naman wrists it to mid-wicket.

FOUR! Lovely shot! Bowled on a good length, on the off stump at 136.3 kph. Dhir lets the ball come to him and plays it right under his eyes. He extends his hands and just punches it neatly through covers for a boundary.

Fuller and attacking the front pad, Varma brings his bat out in front and pats it in front of mid on for a single.

Bhuvi switches to over the wicket, angling away and the length is pulled back. Tilak shimmies down the track and stays leg side before guiding it wide of backward point for a couple of runs.

Fuller and on off, Tilak keeps it out with his bat close to the front pad.

Nearly a hat-trick! From around the wicket, on a back of a length, just outside the off stump. This angles in before leaving Tilak off the deck. Varma presents a straight bat for the block but is beaten.

Will Bhuvneshwar Kumar continue? Yes, surely will. 2-0-10-3 so far are his bowling figures. He has 20 wickets now this season, and has snatched the Purple Cap from Anshul Kamboj of CSK.

Much better from Hazlewood. Delivers it on a good length and keeps it nice and tight, around the off stump. Naman stabs it down in front of cover. He is keen for a single, but Tilak sends him back.

FOUR! Dhir gets it away this time! Hazlewood lands it slightly full, on middle at 142.3 kph. Dhir collapses his back knee to get under the ball and hoicks it aerially behind square leg, beating the chasing Jacob Bethell in the deep to his left.

Bashes the hard length, on off. Tilak stands tall and steers it behind point for a single to get off the mark.

Leg bye. Skidding through, on a back of a length, on middle. Dhir stays back and has a swipe across the line but misses. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the thigh pad in front of point.

In the channel, on a good length. Naman extends his hands for the drive but ends up chopping it down on the off side.

Hurls it on a length, on off, Dhir pushes it to point.

MI are shellshocked by what has hit them. They need a steady partnership to get back on track. Tilak Varma comes in at number 5.

OUT! TAKEN! Two in two for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. A golden duck for Suryakumar Yadav, and his lean run continues. Seam-up ball by Bhuvneshwar this time at 137.2 kph, on a good length, honing in on the off stump. Suryakumar pushes out in front with hard hands. It goes off the outside edge to Virat Kohli, who is stationed at a slightly wide slip. Kohli moves to his right and gets low to take a good catch. Bhuvi will be on a hat-trick at the start of the next over. MI are 28/3 in 3 overs.

The season just keeps getting better and better for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He has fished out both the MI openers in successive overs. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav arrives at the crease at number 4.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! The knuckleball does the trick for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Floated up to the batter by Bhuvneshwar, outside off. This curves away as Rohit just pushes at the ball tentatively with no real conviction. He pays the price as the ball takes the outside edge and goes behind. It is dipping on the keeper, Jitesh Sharma, but he does well to dive to his right and snaffle it with his gloves under the ball.

FOUR! Nicely done! Fractionally short, on off. Rohit lets the ball come to him and plays it late. Glides it with an open bat face to the left of deep backward point for a boundary.

Miscued but safe! Pitched up by Bhuvi, outside off. Dhir frees his arms and swings hard, looking to go down the ground. It goes down to deep backward point off a thickish outside edge. Josh Hazlewood gets around to his right and cuts it off. Just a single.

A mix-up but no harm done! Slightly fuller, on off. Naman springs onto the front foot again and taps it with a straight bat between cover and mid off before setting off for the run. He is nearly halfway through before Rohit sends him back. Luckily for him, there was a fumble which allowed him to get home.

Serves it on a good length, in and around the off stump. Dhir gets on the front foot and punches it to the left of the bowler. Kumar sticks out the left hand and makes the stop.

Wide! Sprayed down leg by Bhuvi, Dhir fails to help the length ball away.

JUST IN - Down in Chennai, in the afternoon game, CSK have defeated LSG by 5 wickets. It did get a bit tense in the death overs, but they eventually managed to chase down 204 with four balls to spare. With CSK winning their sixth game of the season, they move up to the fifth spot, and the race for a top 4 finish has just gotten more intense now. Back to Raipur. Bhuvneshwar Kumar to continue.

SIX! Top edge, but it goes all the way! Josh Hazlewood goes for 16 runs in his first over. Hazlewood sticks to the short ball, over middle. Rohit gives the bowler the charge and attempts the pull, looking to play it in front of square this time. He fails to get on top of the bounce and a top edge is found. It sails over the slip cordon and goes over the deep third fence.

SIX! Just over! Josh goes short, over middle and leg. Rohit takes on the short ball and plays the pull towards deep backward square leg. Jacob Bethell is not entirely on the ropes and back pedals before leaping across to his right but the ball clears him and drops beyond the fence.

A ripper from Hazlewood! Angling in, on the off stump, on a good length. Rohit presents a straight bat to cover the line but the ball lands and straightens to go past the outside edge.

Little too straight, on the pads. Rohit misses out on the tickle. The ball clips the pads and dribbles to the right of deep fine leg for a couple of leg byes.

FOUR! Up and over! This is on a shortish length, over middle. Rohit backs away just at the point of release and exposes all three stumps. He gets the desired length and flat bats it back over mid off. Not quite from the middle of the bat but the ball has enough legs to win the race against Rajat Patidar.

Right on the money! In the channel, bowled on a good length. Rohit makes a watchful leave.

Perfect start for the Royal Challengers and Bhuvi. He just continues to pick wickets with insane consistency. Naman Dhir is the new batter in for MI. Josh Hazlewood to operate from the opposite end.

OUT! CAUGHT! A real soft dismissal, and that is wicket number 18 of the season for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Into the surface, on the shorter side, on middle. Rickelton gets on his toes and shapes up to whip it away on the leg side. The ball comes on slower than he expected and he ends up spooning it off the lower half of the blade to mid off. Rajat Patidar gobbles it up easily.

Beaten all ends up! From around the wicket now, angling back in, on a good length. Rickelton looks to flick it away but is beaten on the inside edge by the nip-backer and catches it high on the thigh pad.

Almost chopped it back onto the stumps! At 135.5 kph, on a nagging length, on the off stump. Rohit stays back to deal with it but the ball jags back in off the deck to catch the inside edge. It deflects onto the back leg before going wide of point for a run.

Bhuvneshwar goes fuller now and gets the ball to curve away. Ryan pushes out in front and gets it off the outer half through point. They cross.

Rohit is off the mark. Bhuvi hits the top of off, Sharma waits on the back foot and drops it with soft hands in front of point for a quick single.

Action straight away! Pushed across the left-hander, on a length. Rickelton presses forward but the ball seems to have stopped on him. He plays it well in front of his body and chips it towards mid off. Rajat Patidar moves across to his left and dives, but the ball does not carry. It deflects away off his body, allowing a single.

In all readiness for this blockbuster clash to get underway in Raipur. The two umpires have made their way out to the middle. Rajat Patidar has his men in a huddle before they scatter throughout the park. Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton walk out to the crease as MI's opening pair. And it will be Bhuvneshwar Kumar who will open the attack for RCB. Rickelton is on strike. A slip in place. Here we go!

A quick word from RCB's smasher - Tim David says they have identified the shortcomings from their recent losses but insists the focus remains on backing the strengths that have brought them success this season. He adds that it is important to go out with a clear mind. David says the rain did not allow RCB much preparation time yesterday. Believes that they have an experienced group that understands what it takes in big moments. Tim shares that the focus remains on controlling the controllables, regaining momentum after back-to-back defeats, and getting stuck into an important game in the playoff race.

Impact subs nominated by MI - Raghu Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Shardul Thakur and Trent Boult.

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI) - Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (WK), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah and AM Ghazanfar.

Impact subs nominated by RCB -  Devdutt Padikkal, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Swapnil Singh and Venkatesh Iyer.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma and Rasikh Salam.

The captain of the Mumbai Indians - Suryakumar Yadav is happy to bat first on the black-soil surface, believing runs on the board could prove crucial in such a big game. Mentions that MI will look to put their best foot forward tonight despite the pressure situation. SKY confirms that they are unchanged for this game. Believes that this IPL has been tough for bowlers overall and adds that the beauty of T20 cricket lies in how teams respond to setbacks.

The skipper of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Rajat Patidar says the decision to bowl first is pretty obvious to him. He describes the surface as good and a bit hard, and says the plan is simple - restrict the opposition and chase the target down. On returning to Raipur after many years, he adds that the conditions are not unfamiliar to his side. Patidar takes a moment to appreciate the atmosphere, calling out the strong support for his side. Adds that everyone in the camp is looking forward to playing here. When asked about bouncing back from recent losses, he says the losses have happened, but what matters now is staying in the present and playing to their strengths, with the focus firmly on themselves rather than the opposition. Patidar confirms RCB are going in with the same side. On areas of improvement, Patidar says it is not about one or two specific things. He stresses that if they do well in the Powerplay, with both bat and ball, and play to their potential in that phase, the results will follow.

TOSS - Still no Hardik Pandya for MI. Suryakumar Yadav has walked out for the coin flip. Rajat Patidar is present alongside him. The coin goes up and comes down in favour of Patidar. Royal Challengers Bengaluru elect to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Graeme Swann starts by noting that it is warm and predicts that dew will play a role as the game progresses. On dimensions, he points out it is a fairly big ground, with 68 meters on one side, 64 on the other, and 75 meters straight down the ground. Swann says his immediate instinct is to bat first. Aaron Finch draws attention to the colour of the surface, which changes slightly as you move along it. He crouches down to feel the pitch and flags that the cracks are moving, which tells him it is seriously dry underneath. He believes the fast bowlers will have a big role to play, especially with the new ball, if they can extract movement off those cracks. As a batter, Finch says, you would want to give yourself a couple of extra balls to get in. Swann then says the cracks, which look like crazy paving running down the surface, are excellent news for a spinner. He still considers it a decent batting surface, pointing to the last game on this strip where New Zealand scored over 200, and India knocked it off in just 15 overs. Finch takes the opposite view. He says he would bowl first, let a bit of dew settle things down, and then look to chase the target down later.

Urvil goes berserk in Chennai - In the afternoon clash between CSK and LSG, Urvil Patel unleashed ball striking of the highest quality. A blistering 65 off just 23 balls from CSK's number three left the crowd awestruck, with him reaching his fifty in only 13 balls, the joint-fastest in the league's history alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. His onslaught broke the back of the chase, leaving CSK needing just 73 more runs from 60 balls with 8 wickets in hand.

MI fighting to stay alive - With just 3 wins in 10 games, Mumbai stand on the brink of elimination. A loss tonight and the five-time champions will be out of the playoff race. They were sent on a leather hunt by RCB earlier this season in Mumbai, where they conceded 240. The bowling woes have been well documented for MI, with them taking the second fewest wickets this season while also having the worst economy rate. The positives have come with the bat, with Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton averaging 94 as an opening pair this season, while Rickelton’s 33 sixes are the third most.

RCB seek winning return - Placed fourth with 6 wins in 10 games, Bengaluru come into the contest on the back of consecutive defeats and will be eager to return to winning ways. A victory tonight will take them to the top of the table. Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal have all crossed the 300-run mark this season, with Patidar smashing 30 sixes, the most among non-openers this season. Krunal Pandya has been a key all round figure for RCB, picking up 27 wickets since IPL 2025, joint second-most among spinners, with 22 of them coming in the middle overs.

Giants clash in Raipur - The Indian Premier League returns to Raipur after nearly a decade with a blockbuster clash between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Mumbai Indians. Two star-studded units with massive fanbases set the stage for a high-profile Sunday night encounter. Despite the reputation and quality on both sides, there has been a gulf between them this season, but the hope is that the difference on the points table does not reflect on the field.

... MATCH DAY ...

Passion everywhere - Few rivalries in the Indian Premier League carry the kind of emotion and noise that surrounds Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians, and Match 54 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium promises another blockbuster chapter. But while the fanbases remain equally loud, the journeys of the two teams this season have been vastly different. Defending champions RCB exploded out of the gates, winning four of their first five games, including a victory over Mumbai, but their campaign has slowed dramatically with three defeats in the last five, and they now enter this clash on the back of two straight losses. Mumbai, meanwhile, find themselves down in ninth place with just three wins in ten matches, though their latest victory has at least injected some belief into a season that has constantly threatened to slip away. Firepower searching for rhythm - RCB's biggest setback has been the injury to Phil Salt, after which their batting lost some fluency, with Jacob Bethell yet to truly settle into the side. Virat Kohli, though, continues to lead from the front with 379 runs in 10 games, anchoring the innings while others attack around him. The real destruction has come from Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, with the skipper especially enjoying a stunning campaign, striking at 200 and already smashing 30 sixes this season. Jitesh Sharma is still waiting for that get-going contribution, but the lower middle order remains dangerous thanks to Tim David, who has almost become a cheat code for RCB, averaging 58 while delivering impactful cameos regularly. Romario Shepherd and Krunal Pandya further strengthen the lineup with their all-round abilities, giving RCB enviable batting depth. Experience holding fort - With the ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has rolled back the years, using swing and accuracy brilliantly to pick up 17 wickets, while Josh Hazlewood has formed a potent partnership alongside him. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma have quietly handled the spin duties effectively, combining for 17 wickets and controlling the middle overs. RCB also have flexibility through Shepherd and Rasikh Salam as additional bowling options, but their recent struggles have largely come from the inability of all departments to click together at the same time, when the batting fires, the bowling falters, and vice versa. Playoffs hopes fading - Mumbai Indians are no strangers to slow starts, but unlike previous seasons, they haven't managed to turn things around in time. Sitting ninth on the table, even winning all their remaining games may not guarantee them a playoff spot, leaving little margin for error from here on. The mid-season injury to Rohit Sharma disrupted their momentum further, but his blistering 84 off 44 in the last game was a reminder of how quickly he can shift momentum. Alongside him, Ryan Rickelton has been Mumbai's standout batter with 380 runs in just 8 games, including an unbeaten century, and their opening partnership has easily been MI’s most effective combination this season. Big names yet to fire - Naman Dhir has quietly enjoyed one of his best IPL seasons, but Mumbai's biggest concern remains the underwhelming form of their Indian core - Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya have all struggled for consistency, hurting the balance of the side badly. Will Jacks, meanwhile, has added some much-needed balance with his all-round contributions. Their bowling hasn't quite carried the usual Mumbai threat either. AM Ghazanfar has been exceptional with 12 wickets, but after him, Ashwani Kumar and Shardul Thakur have just six wickets each, which underlines their lack of penetration. More surprisingly, even Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult have been neutralised by opposition batters this season. However, the inclusion of Raghu Sharma has brought some control, while Deepak Chahar has looked decent both with the new ball and at the death. Kohli vs Rohit - Legacy battle! Whenever RCB and MI meet, the spotlight inevitably shifts toward two modern giants of Indian cricket. Virat Kohli has piled up 1030 runs against the Mumbai Indians, while Rohit Sharma has scored 867 runs against the RCB, making this yet another chapter in a rivalry that has defined an IPL era. There's another intriguing subplot too - the Pandya brothers on opposite sides, with both pride and bragging rights on the line. Runs expected - The Raipur surface has generally been known to favour batters with its even bounce and shorter boundaries, often producing high-scoring contests. But with pressure mounting on both camps for different reasons, execution with the ball could end up deciding the game more than pure batting power. Form (Last 5 completed games, most recent first) - RCB - LLWWL | MI - WLLLW. Momentum vs Survival! Mumbai Indians still hold the overall head-to-head edge 19-16, but RCB have won the last two meetings, including earlier this season. One side is trying to stop a slide before it becomes a crisis, while the other is desperately trying to keep its season alive. When these two giants collide, form rarely tells the full story, because beyond the points table, this rivalry is built on pressure, personalities, and moments that tend to linger long after the final ball.