IPL 2022, MI vs RCB: Royal Challengers Bangalore compound Mumbai Indians' woes

Rawat, Kohli shine as Bangalore sail to 7-wkt win; Surya's knock in vainFor a team brimming with talent, most of Mumbai Indians' batting line-up has been turning up with a cold bat. Against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Saturday night it was no different. Amidst the ruins, Suryakumar Yadav stood tall with a 37-ball unconquered 68 (5x4, 6x6) which helped the former champions to 151/6 in 20 overs at the MCA stadium in Pune. AS IT HAPPENED | SCORECARD | POINTS TABLEBut matches are hardly won on individual brilliance as Faf du Plessis' men handed the struggling five-time champions a seven-wicket defeat. The loss, their fourth consecutive this IPL season, leaves Mumbai in danger of making an early exit. While MI batsmen struggled, RCB had no such trouble as they closed out the match at 152/3 with nine balls to spare.

Leading the RCB charge was 22-year-old Anuj Rawat, who scored a stroked-filled 47-ball 66 (2x4; 6x6), while Virat Kohli joined the party with a 36-ball 48 (5x4). Into his second IPL season, Rawat showed no nerves against the MI bowling attack, which seemed pedestrian. The opener showed his attacking instinct early when he danced down to track to send a maximum in the second over bowled by Jaydev Unadkat. He displayed an array of shots, before his run was cut short by a brilliant piece of fielding by Ramandeep Singh, who effected a direct hit.

Earlier, coming into bat with his team placed at 60/2, Suryakumar's focus hardly wavered as he took upon himself to resurrect his team's innings. With Unadkat (13 n. o), he was involved in a 72-run partnership. For a man known as SKY, space was the limit. When a player in form is at the crease, you can ill-afford to put a foot wrong, and Mohammed Siraj was handed a lesson