MUMBAI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru survived a batting blitz from Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya to win a thriller by 12 runs on Monday in the IPL and spoil Jasprit Bumrah’s return from an injury.
Mumbai named Bumrah in the XI as the India bowler returned three months after he missed the final day of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney due to a back injury.
Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar hit 67 and 64 to steer Bengaluru to 221-5 after being invited to bat first at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
In reply, Pandya smashed a 15-ball 42 and Tilak Varma struck 56, but five-time champions Mumbai finished on 209-9 for their fourth defeat in five matches this season.
Hardik’s elder brother and Bengaluru spinner Krunal Pandya held his nerve to bowl the final over when Mumbai needed 19 runs but lost three wickets including two on the first two balls.
Krunal, a left-arm spinner, returned figures of 4-45 in Bengaluru’s third win in four matches.
Patidar was named player of the match, but said, “This award goes to the bowling unit. It is not easy to stop any team, especially at this ground, and the way they have done it, was incredible.”
“The way the fast bowlers executed their plans was amazing. The way KP (Krunal Pandya) bowled that last over, it was not easy and the way he bowled was amazing. The way he has shown the courage was fantastic.”
Mumbai slipped to 99-4 including former captain Rohit Sharma out for 17, but Hardik and the left-handed Varma put on 89 runs to turn on the heat with fours and sixes.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Varma and then Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood took down Pandya for his second wicket in the 19th over to derail the chase.
Left-arm medium-pace bowler Yash Dayal also took two key wickets including Rohit, bowled for 17 after he came in as an impact substitute, and Suryakumar Yadav for 28.
Earlier, Hardik took two wickets and Bumrah registered figures of 0-29 in Bengaluru’s mammoth total as Kohli and Patidar bossed the opposition bowling.
“Having him (Bumrah) makes any team in the world very special,” Hardik said of his pace ace. “He came in and did his job, very happy to have him.”
Kohli lost opening partner Phil Salt on the second ball of the match off New Zealand left-arm quick Trent Boult, but soon took on the bowlers with regular boundaries.
He put on 91 runs for the second wicket with left-hander Devdutt Padikkal, who hit 37 off 22 balls, and reached his fifty off 29 balls with a six.
Padikkal fell but Kohli put together 48 runs with Patidar until Hardik hit back.
Hardik sent back Kohli and then England’s Liam Livingstone, out for a duck, in the space of four deliveries.
The runs kept coming as Patidar was joined by Jitesh Sharma, who hit an unbeaten 40, and the two hammered 69 runs off 27 balls.
Jitesh finished with a flourish in his 19-ball knock laced with two fours and four sixes despite a disciplined last over from Bumrah.
Bengaluru edge Mumbai to spoil Bumrah’s return in IPL
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Bengaluru edge Mumbai to spoil Bumrah’s return in IPL
- Virat Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar hit 67 and 64 to steer Bengaluru to 221-5
- Hardik Pandya smashed a 15-ball 42 and Tilak Varma struck 56 as Mumbai finished on 209-9
Carlos Alcaraz joins other tennis stars in first-ever tennis event at Marlins’ loanDepot Park
- It was a one-time event — the first time tennis has ever been played at loanDepot Park — and also featured rising Brazilian standout Joao Fonseca and women’s stars Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula
- Alcaraz: I’m having a lot of fun. Getting the energy from the people, playing in some places that we are not used to. It’s exciting
MIAMI: Carlos Alcaraz wanted to play in front of an energetic crowd at the inaugural Miami Invitational.
The No. 1 men’s tennis player got his wish, drawing a roar of applause when he stepped onto the court and electric cheers throughout an exhibition event Monday night at loanDepot Park, the home of Major League Baseball’s Miami Marlins.
It was a one-time event — the first time tennis has ever been played at loanDepot Park — and also featured rising Brazilian standout Joao Fonseca and women’s stars Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula.
Alcaraz defeated the 24th-ranked Fonseca 7-5, 2-6, 10-8 in a thrilling singles match, their first time facing each other. Anisimova topped Pegula 6-2, 7-5 earlier in the night. Alcaraz and Pegula also beat Anisimova and Fonseca in a mixed doubles 10-point tie breaker.
“I just expect that the people are going to get entertained by watching us play,” Alcaraz said before the match. “I think it’s unusual watching us play in these kinds of stadiums and court. I’m really excited about playing here with Joao. I’m just excited to see how people are going to respond.”
The 22-year-old Alcaraz recently wrapped up the 2025 season, ending the campaign with the ATP’s year-end No. 1 ranking, tour-highs of 71 match wins and eight trophies and a pair of Grand Slam titles that lifted his career total to six.
He’s still been busy during the exhibition season, which also included an exhibition event in Newark, New Jersey, on Sunday in which Alcaraz played a singles match against two-time US Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe.
“I’m having a lot of fun,” Alcaraz said. “Getting the energy from the people, playing in some places that we are not used to. It’s exciting. It’s been great so far, and I’m enjoying it a lot.”
The crowd Monday included Inter Miami stars Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who became MLS champions just a couple days ago in the final match of their decorated careers.
Anisimova, a US Open and Wimbledon finalist this year, and Pegula, who reached the US Open semis, both noted that Monday’s exhibition was a great way to prepare for the upcoming season in a new environment.
“I think we love playing tennis and we love competing,” Pegula said. “Being able to change what that looks like a little bit where it’s not something we do 95 percent of the year is always really nice and refreshing for us. I think it’s great for the sport. It gives it a diff look for the fans, for everyone that’s involved. For players, it kind of keeps us refreshed and kind of brings you back to why you’re playing.”
