IPL: RCB keep play-off hopes alive with a crucial win
Royal Challengers Bangalore have claimed their 3rd victory of 2018. They defeated Mumbai Indians by 14 runs at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Batting first, the hosts posted 167/7. In response, Mumbai lost wickets early but the Pandya brothers tried to weave their magic but couldn't take Mumbai home. Notably, RCB bowled well at the death. Here are the important stats of this fixture.
Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli has been doing a lot of running between the wickets. The right-handed batsman has run the most singles by a batsman in this IPL season, with 113 to his name. Chennai Super Kings' Ambati Rayudu is on second spot the list with 108 followed by Sunrisers Hyderabad skipper Kane Williamson at 103.
Royal Challengers Bangalore definitely have bowling issues. In today's match, the Bangalore bowlers gave away 23 runs in extras, the highest 'free-runs' conceded in 2018 IPL so far.
The last time Virat Kohli batted at number 4 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore was 50 innings ago, on 24 May 2014, against Chennai Super Kings at Bengaluru. Kohli scored 73 off 49 balls in that fixture. Since moving up the order, in 49 innings, Kohli has scored 2,103 runs an average of 55.34 and a strike rate of 139.83.
Hardik Pandya is now the joint-highest wicket-taker (11) in the 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League. He shares the spot with Mumbai team-mate Mayank Markande, Trent Boult and Siddarth Kaul.
Before today's match, JP Duminy had a stunning batting average of 281 in his six Twenty20 innings at the Chinnaswamy. Unfortunately, he was run out for a 29-ball 23.
