Mustafizur Rahman brought back memories of his rookie days with his cerebral variations but an impressive rear-guard action from Anuj Rawat took Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a respectable 173 for six in the IPL opener on Friday. However on a good batting track, the total might not be enough to stop CSK.
Pacer Tushar Deshpande (0/47 in 4 overs) was smashed for 25 runs by southpaw Rawat (48 off 25 balls), who added invaluable 95 runs for the sixth wicket off 50 balls with veteran Dinesh Karthik (38 not out off 25 balls).
Rawat, who initially was cautious, launched into Deshpande, whose natural length is on the shorter side. Three sixes and a four turned the course as RCB knocked 83 runs in their last 6 overs. Rawat hit four fours and three sixes in his innings before being run out by Dhoni on the last ball of the innings. With that run out, Dhoni got involved in 24 run outs in IPL - most by anyone.
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This was after Mustafizur took four wickets in his first two overs to reduce RCB to 78 for five.
'Fizz' as he is known in the cricketing fraternity wouldn't have got a first eleven nod had Matheesha Pathirana been fit to represent the 'Yellow Brigade'.
Brought in the Powerplay to stop a rampaging Faf du Plessis (35 off 23), Mustafizur, gauging the pace of the track, didn't keep it too full and bowled between the 7-8 metre length to extract enough bounce to get a couple of dismissals.
Virat Kohli made 21 off 20 balls in his first competitive game in more than two months.
Having got to face only six deliveries in the Powerplay, Kohli's first attacking stroke was a pull six off Maheesh Theekshana (0/36 in 4 overs) but he never looked in rhythm after a two-month paternity break as a mistimed pull led to his dismissal. Ajinkya Rahane had catched it at deep mid-wicket but as he was about slide out, he flicked it inside for Rachin Ravindra to complete the relay catch.
Rahaman's best delivery however was one that cleaned up Green when he rolled his wrists to bowl a cutter with a wobbly seam.
At the onset, Deepak Chahar (1/37 in 4 overs) did look woefully short of match practice, as his loopy outswingers got harsh treatment first up from Du Plessis. But RCB's joy was short-lived as the skipper was caught in the deep after a brisk knock.
Rajat Patidar's (0) wretched run since England Tests continued as he nicked one to Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind stumps.
The break in momentum for RCB worked in Chahar's favour as a change of ends saw him bowl one that pitched on back of length and moved a shade to have Glenn Maxwell caught behind
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