Contrasting fifties from openers Aaron Finch and Devdutt Padikkal, and a typical whirlwind knock from AB de Villiers powered Royal Challengers Bangalore to a strong 201/3 against Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2020 match in Dubai.
Despite yet another failure with the bat for skipper Virat Kohli, RCB managed to end the innings on a strong note thanks to de Villiers, who smashed an unbeaten 55 off 24 balls, with four sixes and as many boundaries.
The last five overs produced 78 runs, with Shivam Dube scoring a superb 27-run cameo off 10 balls, including three sixes in the last over bowled by James Pattinson.
Put into bat, RCB openers Finch (52 off 35 balls) and Padikkal (54 off 40) gave their team a flying start. The duo added 81 runs for the first wicket.
Padikkal's innings was studded with five boundaries and two sixes. He also shared a 62-run stand for the third wicket with de Villiers.
Once Finch got out to a Trent Boult slow ball, in came Kohli. But he looked as rusty as the last match during his 11-ball stay, falling to spinner Rahul Chahar for just three runs.
Dube and de Villiers, however, ensured there were no further setbacks, putting on 47 runs in just 17 balls to take the score beyond the 200-run mark.
