Hurricane Hardik Pandya hit the Wankhede Stadium. Tilak Varma came up with a whirlwind knock too. But the duo’s dazzling display was not enough for Mumbai Indians against a robust Royal Challengers Bengaluru in a marquee clash of the Indian Premier League here on Monday night (April 7, 2025).

The duo’s effort ensured a thriller. But it did not change the tide in the favour of the home team, instead Royal Challengers ended a 10-year jinx at the Wankhede.

Hardik and Tilak’s 89-run association off just 34 balls brought Mumbai Indians within touching distance of overhauling RCB’s 221 for five and set a record for the highest successful run-chase in IPL history at the Wankhede. But a timely ball-change – a new rule introduced to counter the impact of dew – helped RCB register a 12-run win.

While Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya – who excelled upon returning to his old home venue – kept their cool by bowling three superb overs at the death, the game was set up by the RCB batters who gave their bowlers the much-needed cushion on a batting paradise with the dew setting in.

Virat Kohli dazzled the crowd with his fastest IPL fifty since 2018. The maestro also went past the 13,000-run mark in T20 cricket.

Captain Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma were red-hot in their finishing act as RCB added 121 runs in the latter half despite Jasprit Bumrah marking his return to action with an economical spell.

When Hardik joined Tilak in the middle, MI was tottering at 99 for four in 12 overs and the game all but done and dusted.

But the duo caused mayhem to give MI an outside chance.

With 41 required off 19 balls, RCB opted for a drier ball and it did the trick with Bhuvneshwar dismissing Tilak in the next over and Josh Hazlewood forcing Hardik into a false stroke in the penultimate over.

It meant Krunal had to defend 19 runs in the last over. And he struck thrice as the MI lower-order mistimed consistently.

Scoreboard

ROYAL CHALLENGERS

Phil Salt b Boult 4 (2b, 1×4), Virat Kohli c Dhir b Hardik 67 (42b, 8×4, 2×6), Devdutt Padikkal c Jacks b Vignesh 37 (22b, 2×4, 3×6), Rajat Patidar c Rickelton b Boult 64 (32b, 5×4, 4×6), Liam Livingstone c Bumrah b Pandya 0 (2b), Jitesh Sharma (not out) 40 (19b, 2×4, 4×6), Tim David (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (lb-1, w-7): 8; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs): 221.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-4 (Salt, 0.2 overs), 2-95 (Padikkal, 8.6), 3-143 (Kohli, 14.1), 4-144 (Livingstone, 14.3), 5-213 (Patidar, 18.6).

MUMBAI INDIANS BOWLING

Boult 4-0-57-2, Chahar 2-0-29-0, Bumrah 4-0-29-0, Jacks 1-0-10-0, Santner 4-0-40-0, Hardik 4-0-45-2, Vignesh 1-0-10-1.

MUMBAI INDIANS

Rohit Sharma (Impact player for Vignesh) b Dayal 17 (9b, 2×4, 1×6), Ryan Rickelton lbw b Hazlewood 17 (10b, 4×4), Will Jacks c Kohli b Krunal 22 (18b, 2×4, 1×6), Suryakumar Yadav c Livingstone b Dayal 28 (26b, 5×4), Tilak Varma c Salt b Bhuvneshwar 56 (29b, 4×4, 4×6), Hardik Pandya c Livingstone b Hazlewood 42 (15b, 3×4, 4×6), Naman Dhir c Dayal b Krunal 11 (6b, 1×4, 1×6), Mitchell Santner c David b Krunal 8 (4b, 1×6), Deepak Chahar c David b Krunal 0 (1b), Trent Boult (not out) 1 (1b), Jasprit Bumrah (not out) 0 (1b); Extras (lb-1, w-6): 7; Total (for nine wkts. in 20 overs): 209.

FALL OF WICKETS

1-21 (Rohit, 1.4), 2-38 (Rickelton, 3.4), 3-79 (Jacks, 9.4), 4-99 (Suryakumar, 11.6), 5-188 (Tilak, 17.4), 6-194 (Hardik, 18.1), 7-203 (Santner, 19.1), 8-203 (Chahar, 19.2), 9-209 (Naman, 19.5).

RCB BOWLING

Bhuvneshwar 4-0-48-1, Dayal 4-0-46-2, Hazlewood 4-0-37-2, Suyash 4-0-32-0, Krunal 4-0-45-4.

Toss: MI; PoM: Patidar.

RCB won by 12 runs.

MI 157/4 in 15 overs

Tilak Varma (36) and Hardik Pandya (33) were at the crease