After Mumbai Indians easily reached their 200-run chase at the Wankhede, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis acknowledged he was upset with his team’s performance in the final five overs.
For the third wicket, Du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell added 120 runs in just 62 deliveries, setting up a strong finish. However, after Maxwell was bowled over by Jason Behrendorff in the 13th over, Mahipal Lomror and du Plessis both fell victim to the bowler in the following ten deliveries, and Royal Challengers were only able to score 53 runs in the final 35 balls.
“At least 20 runs,”
Faf du Plessis told the broadcaster when asked how short his team were from a potentially winning score.
“I think in the context of the wickets so far this season it feels like anything under 220 with Mumbai’s powerful batting line-up, and obviously they are a strong chasing team and bat very deep,” du Plessis said. “So we were very disappointed.”
“I think we didn’t capitalize in those last five overs. That’s when on a wicket like this you can really do some damage. So disappointed with the last five overs and the lack of runs.”
Rohit Sharma, the captain of the Mumbai Indians, applauded quick bowler Akash Madhwal for his performance at the very end. Wanindu Hasaranga and Kedar Jadhav were the targets of Madhwal’s final over, which saw him allow just six runs.
“He (Madhwal) was with us last year as well and we saw the skillset he brings. All we wanted to do was give him that specific role so he focuses on that and we told him this is what you have to do,” Rohit said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
“I know these are tough overs to bowl but he’s quite confident. When I speak to him, the responses that I get, he is quite confident. He is a leader as well. He leads his Uttarakhand team. So he has got a lot of knowledge about how he wants to bowl, what sort of field placements he wants to have.”
Additionally, according to Rohit, Royal Challengers appeared ready to score in the region of 220 runs. He applauded his squad for controlling the situation in the final few overs, something the side has had trouble doing all season.
“It was crucial what we did there at the back end. Restricting them to less than 200 was a great effort,”
Rohit said.
“At one stage it was looking 220 or something like that and the way we bowled in the last part, it could have been 220 or maybe more.”
Ishan Kishan started the Mumbai Indians’ pursuit off in style by smashing his way to 42 off 21 deliveries. However, in the fifth over, Hasaranga got him caught behind before lbw-trapping Rohit.
Suryakumar Yadav and Nehal Wadhera, though, put an end to any hopes of a Royal Challengers revival with an 83 off only 35 balls.
The fastest goal of 200 or more has ever been chased down in the IPL, as Suryakumar’s six sixes and seven fours helped Mumbai achieve this feat in 16.3 overs.
“He (Suryakumar) is one of the best isn’t he? When he gets going, he’s really difficult to bowl to,”
du Plessis said.
“He makes a captain extremely gray because he’s got so many options. You don’t feel like you can really shut him down,” he said. “That’s why I said he is one of the greats at the moment.”