IPL 2021, MI vs RCB: Virat Kohli’s men win last-ball thriller, see pics

Rohit Sharma eased off the pressure after lofting Chahal over mid-on for the first six of the season but was soon run out after a slight confusion between the MI skipper and Chris Lynn, giving RCB their first breakthrough. (BCCI/IPL)

Harshal Patel starred with the ball, picking a fifer and AB de Villiers provided the finishing touch, giving RCB their first win of the season. (BCCI/IPL)

Royal Challengers Bangalore began the Indian Premier League 2021 with a number of dropped catches. In the tournament’s opening match between RCB and Mumbai Indians, RCB dropped thrice as the Rohit Sharma-led side made 159/9 in 20 overs. (BCCI/IPL)

It became a comedy of errors when the captain himself dropped a catch and looked to have hurt himself. Krunal Pandya smashed it hard, Kohli moved to the left, tried to go reverse cup style and spilled the catch. The ball burst through his hands and hit him on the face, just under his right eye. RCB fans must be relieved to see Kohli continuing to play, even though he shifted his position. (BCCI/IPL)

Glenn Maxwell joined skipper Virat Kohli in the middle with RCB trying to rebuild after two wickets falling inside the powerplay. (BCCI/IPL)

AB de Villiers kept RCB’s hopes alive after the righthander smashed 15 runs off the 18th over bowled by Boult as well as struck two crucial boundaries against Bumrah in the penultimate over. (BCCI/IPL)

RCB were cruising, thanks to the Big Show and MI were desperately looking for a breakthrough. Jasprit Bumrah was brought back to the attack and he got the job done for the team, dismissing the RCB skipper in the 13th over. (BCCI/IPL)

With 3 runs required off the last 3 deliveries, de Villiers ran himself out in an attempt to steal a double but RCB got off the line, winning on the last ball. (BCCI/IPL)

RCB got to the target off the last ball, as AB de Villiers (48) exploded into life in the final few overs of the match. (BCCI/IPL)

Harshal Patel was back to bowl the final over of the innings and managed to get rid of Krunal Pandya and Keiron Pollard on consecutive deliveries, and then castled Jansen’s stumps in the same over, becoming the first-ever bowler in IPL history to register a fifer against the Mumbai Indians. (BCCI/IPL)