Mumbai: Rohit Sharma led Mumbai Indians to the top of the table and a likely play-offs berth with a match-winning half-century in the five-wicket win over struggling Royal Challengers Bangalore at Wankhede Stadium here on Monday.
The stylish right-hander, who turned 30 on Sunday, has been in indifferent form and scored 58 here last Monday in losing cause against Pune Supergiant.
This time though, Rohit ensured his unbeaten 37-ball 56, studded with one six and six boundaries, would be sweeter as it included the winning shot. Mumbai Indians back on top of the table with 16 points from 10 games and are almost assured of a top four finish.
For last year finalists, AB de Villiers showed promise with a 27-ball 43 and Pawan Negi (35) provided some late fireworks to take RCB to a respectable score 162/8. Negi was ably supported by Kedar Jadhav (28). The duo put on 54 runs for the sixth wicket before Mitchell McClenaghan (3/34) dismissed both in the last over. Skipper Virat Kohli (20) looked in good touch, hitting two elegant sixes but gave it away.
The hosts lost Parthiv Patel (0) first ball to Aniket Choudhary (1/32) but Nitish Rana and Jos Buttler gave hosts a rousing start of 55/1 in six overs. Rana (27) got going with two boundaries off Yuzvendra Chahal (1/36) while Buttler welcomed Adam Milne with three boundaries in his first over.
Negi (2/17) was impressive with the ball also and removed both the set batsmen. Buttler (33, 21b, 4x4, 1x6) chipped straight to Travis Head and as the chase slowed down, Rana tried to break shackles but Head took a sharp catch at the mid-wicket boundary of Negi again.
Chahal dismissed Kieron Pollard (17) as Head took a third catch and Krunal Pandya had to retire after facing just two balls, leaving Mumbai looking down the barrel.
Rohit then gave wings to the chase with two boundaries off Choudhary in the 15th over and carried on first with Karn and later Hardik (14 not out).
Batting first, RCB got their act together after failing to get past 100 twice in the last three games. Openers Kohli and Mandeep Singh (17) gave them a decent start but both offered easy catches accepted gleefully by the home side.
de Villiers started with a six and boundary and then began to consolidate against spinners Karn Sharma and Krunal but lost Travis Head (12), who holed out to Hardik off Krunal after a 45-run stand.
The South Africa skipper was looking in good touch and the crowd sat up in anticipation of the sort of fireworks he launched in making an unbeaten 133 to guide RCB to 235. Krunal (2/34) dismissed him immediately after getting hit for six and was animated in celebrations after making it four dismissals out of four against AB.
Watson couldn’t do much on his comback and an accurate Jasprit Bumrah (1/33) sent his bails flying. Negi hit three sixes including two off Malinga in a single over in his 23-ball cameo.
