HIGHLIGHTS Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Mumbai Indians IPL 2026 Match 54 - Result, Scorecard

Welcome back for RCB's reply with the bat. The MI players are in a huddle near the ropes with SKY pumping up his lads. Now, they scatter across the park to take their respective fielding spots. Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell are the two RCB openers. MI use their Impact Sub option as Rohit Sharma is subbed out, making way for Raghu Sharma. A Sharma swap then. And it will be Deepak Chahar who will bowl the first over. Bethell will take the strike. A slip in place for the left-hander. Off we go again...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

A big task ahead with the ball - Given how the MI bowling unit has struggled this season, defending this total is going to be quite a challenge for them against an in-form RCB batting unit. Jasprit Bumrah will have to bring their A-game and strike early. This ground does not offer much by way of history or data to lean on, but if the first innings was anything to go by, the ball is very much in the game here. With the surface offering nip and variable bounce, RCB will have their work cut out, and navigating the Powerplay safely will be their priority. All the ingredients are in place for a cracking run chase.

MI stumble in the last stretch - Just when MI were looking to shift gears, Rasikh Salam stepped in to break the 82-run stand and sent Naman Dhir back. Tilak was well settled at the crease but had to recalibrate after losing Jacks, and while he put together a mature and well-compiled half-century, he fell right after reaching the milestone. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rasikh were outstanding in the death, strangling MI at every opportunity and denying them the finishing kick they were desperately searching for, eventually restricting them to a middling 166.

Early slip-up followed by a rebuild - The surface had a bit of nip and touch hold to it, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar made full use of it. Ageless and precise, he picked off MI's three big wickets inside four overs, leaving them reeling at 28/3. Rohit showed some proactiveness but could not stay long, and SKY's golden duck only deepened the trouble. MI needed someone to hold things together, and Tilak, along with Dhir, answered that call. The two batted watchfully through the middle overs, navigating the variable bounce with patience, taking minimal risk and reconstructing the innings nicely. At the halfway stage, MI were 82/3, looking good to go.

The maestro of bowling is up for a chat - Bhuvneshwar Kumar slips on the Purple Cap. Shares that it is a tricky wicket, with a few deliveries coming on nicely while others challenged the batters. Bhuvneshwar adds that the team went in with a few specific plans and executed them really well. Speaking about the dismissal of Rohit Sharma, he says he anticipated Rohit might charge down the track, which is why he went with the knuckleball. Against Suryakumar Yadav, who was new to the crease, the plan was to keep it simple and bowl the normal length ball. Kumar says the length ball has been the most effective option on this surface. Bhuvi feels the dew could hand RCB an advantage in the chase. Opines that batters who focused on timing the ball rather than trying to muscle it did well on this surface. He backs his batters to chase down this total.

Strong finish with the ball - Excellent execution of plans from RCB towards the backend. They just conceded 17 runs in the last 3 overs and prevented MI from a strong finish. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the orchestrator of it all, picking up a four-wicket haul on a two-paced surface, trumping everyone else on the park. He just keeps getting better and better with time, and that is why he is counted as one of the IPL greats. MI would feel they left a few runs out there, as they kept losing wickets at crucial stretches of the innings that kept derailing any momentum they tried to build. This was never a 200-plus surface, but the position they were in through the 17th over suggested a total somewhere in the 180 territory was well within reach.

Rasikh Salam to Deepak Chahar, Perfect finish from Rasikh Salam! He bowls the slower bumper, on middle, Deepak Chahar uses his feet and swings at it but misses. The batters do not bother to take the bye. However, Chahar takes the review for a wide. As soon as the replay comes up, the players start to make their way out, as they pretty much know the outcome of the review. Ball Tracking confirms that the ball is below the head of the batter and it is a fair delivery. Mumbai Indians finish on 166/7!

Rasikh Salam to Corbin Bosch, Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, Corbin Bosch pulls it away through mid-wicket for just one.

Rasikh Salam to Corbin Bosch, So far, so good from Rasikh Salam! Pace off, good length and just outside off, keeps very low, almost hugs the ground. Corbin Bosch slashes at it but gets nowhere near it.

Rasikh Salam to Corbin Bosch, Hard length and on middle, slower as well, Corbin Bosch whips it away towards deep mid-wicket for a couple of runs.

Rasikh Salam to Deepak Chahar, Fuller and on middle, angles in, Deepak Chahar heaves it away to deep square leg for a run.

Rasikh Salam to Corbin Bosch, Back of a length and on middle, Corbin Bosch pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Out goes Raj Bawa and in walks Deepak Chahar. It will be Corbin Bosch on strike at the start of the over. Rasikh Salam will close out the innings for RCB. 3-0-37-1 so far for Salam.

Josh Hazlewood to Raj Bawa, OUT! CAUGHT! Josh Hazlewood finishes his spell with a wicket. He looks for the yorker, but serves a low full toss, on middle. Raj Bawa looks to go down the ground but cannot quite get under it. His bat turns in his hands, and he ends up spooning it towards mid off, where Rajat Patidar takes a dolly. MI are 161/7 now.

Josh Hazlewood to Corbin Bosch, Short of a length and angling down the leg side, Corbin Bosch looks to help it away but gloves it behind. Jitesh Sharma, the keeper, dives to his left and gets a good glove on it to make the stop. Just one.

Halt! The physio is out to perform the concussion check. The test is complete, and Raj Bawa is fine to continue.

Josh Hazlewood to Raj Bawa, An off-cutter, dug into the surface, on middle, kicks off a bit. Raj Bawa looks to pull but takes his eyes off the ball. It brushes his glove before clattering onto the helmet and rolls behind. They cross.

Josh Hazlewood to Raj Bawa, Excellent yorker, on middle, tailing away, Raj Bawa digs it back to the bowler.

Josh Hazlewood to Raj Bawa, Back of a length and into the body of the batter, Raj Bawa takes his bottom hand off and tucks it towards square leg. He strolls for the single, but seeing that no one is near the ball, decides to take the second and makes it.

Josh Hazlewood to Raj Bawa, Fuller one and on middle, Raj Bawa swipes it off the inner half of the bat to deep mid-wicket for a brace.

A crucial wicket for RCB as Bhuvi continues his magic effortlessly. That could potentially take a few runs off the total. Corbin Bosch is the new batter in. Josh Hazlewood (3-0-27-0) will bowl the penultimate over.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tilak Varma, OUT! DRAGGED ON! Bhuvneshwar Kumar has four to his name now. He sees the batter move across and bowls this wide outside off. Tilak Varma knows that fine leg is up in the circle, goes down and across to scoop it away. He takes it on the full, but unfortunately, it catches the inside edge and crashes back onto the stumps, with Varma on the ground. Rohit Sharma is very disappointed in the dugout.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Raj Bawa, A full toss, on the pads, Raj Bawa flicks it away to deep mid-wicket for one.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Raj Bawa, Good length and on middle, Raj Bawa stabs it back to the bowler.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tilak Varma, Nails the yorker this time, on off, Tilak Varma jams it out off the toe-end of the bat towards mid-wicket for a run.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tilak Varma, FOUR! Connects this time! Bhuvi misses the yorker just by an inch, serving a low full toss, under the bat. Tilak Varma is quick to get his hands through and thumps it back past the bowler for a boundary. 150 UP FOR MI.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tilak Varma, A slower one, full and outside off, keeps it inside the tramline, Tilak Varma has a slash at it but misses.

Righto, last 3 overs to go. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-0-17-3) will bowl out. He replaces Romario Shepherd.

Rasikh Salam to Raj Bawa, Make that four twos in the over! A dipping low full toss, on middle, Raj Bawa drills it down the ground wide of long on for a brace. 13 runs off the over!

Rasikh Salam to Raj Bawa, Pace off, full and on leg, Raj Bawa clips it with soft hands towards the vacant square leg region and comes back for the second. Third double of the over.

Rasikh Salam to Raj Bawa, Much fuller and around off, Raj Bawa drives it firmly towards sweeper cover for a couple of runs.

Rasikh Salam to Tilak Varma, Back of a length and on middle, Tilak Varma tucks it through mid-wicket for a single.

Rasikh Salam to Tilak Varma, FOUR! FIFTY FOR VARMA! Off 37 balls. This is his 9th IPL fifty. A fantastic knock from him, and it has come when his team needed it. Now, he will look to accelerate even more, like we have seen before, when he scored the ton against GT. Short of a length and outside off, Tilak Varma gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it through point for a boundary.

Rasikh Salam to Tilak Varma, Slower one, on a length and on leg, Tilak Varma nudges it through mid-wicket and runs the first one hard. He sees that Devdutt Padikkal is just a bit lazy to get to the ball and hurries back for the second. Good running!

Good over from Shepherd. He has been pretty economical this evening. Rasikh Salam (2-0-24-1) returns into the attack, replacing Josh Hazlewood.

Romario Shepherd to Raj Bawa, FOUR! Nicely done! Banged into the pitch, on middle. Raj Bawa bends his back to sway away from the line of it and ramps it over the keeper's head for a boundary. Still, just 5 runs and a wicket off the over.

Romario Shepherd to Raj Bawa, On a length and on middle, Raj Bawa steps across and tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Romario Shepherd to Raj Bawa, Slightly fuller in length, outside off, Raj Bawa throws his hands at it but fails to connect.

Romario Shepherd to Raj Bawa, Back of a length and on middle, angling into the batter, Raj Bawa blocks it back to the bowler.

STRATEGIC BREAK​​​​​​! Another budding partnership is broken by RCB at a very crucial time. They have executed their lines and lengths to perfection so far. Most of their deliveries have finished on the stumps, giving the MI batters very little room to free their arms. MI will bank on Tilak Varma to bat till the end and push the score beyond that 180-run mark. He is closing in on his fifty and the onus is on him to provide a strong finish. Raj Bawa is the new batter in for MI at number 7.  Now then, RCB use their Impact Sub option by bringing in Devdutt Padikkal, while Suyash Sharma is subbed out.

Suyash Sharma is substituted by Devdutt Padikkal

Romario Shepherd to Will Jacks, OUT! CAUGHT! Romario Shepherd strikes a crucial blow for his side. He serves this a touch fuller, on middle and angling in a bit. Will Jacks backs away and looks to hit it through the line, but his bat turns in his hands upon contact. It goes off the bottom half of the bat and flies towards deep mid-wicket, where Jacob Bethell moves forward and takes a fine catch. MI lose half their side now, with 132 runs on the board.

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, Hard length and on middle, angling in, Tilak Varma pats it down to long on for a single.

Josh Hazlewood to Will Jacks, Hazlewood bends his back and digs it in short, over middle. Jacks stands tall on top of the bounce and pulls it along the ground towards wide long on. Krunal Pandya sprints to his right and makes a tumbling stop, saving a couple of runs for his side.

Josh Hazlewood to Will Jacks, Keeps it on a back of a length, on middle and leg. Jacks backs away to open up the off side. He punches well but can't beat backward point.

Josh Hazlewood to Will Jacks, Attacking the front pad with a good-length delivery. Will wrists it to mid-wicket.

Josh Hazlewood to Will Jacks, Into the surface, over middle. Jacks chips it a bit uppishly off the back foot to the right of mid-wicket. Virat Kohli goes after it and slides before getting rid of the ball quickly but he cannot prevent the second run.

Josh Hazlewood to Tilak Varma, Angled in into the left-hander, on a good length. Varma pushes it in front of mid on and hurries to the other end.

Josh Hazlewood to Tilak Varma, Was there an edge? Jitesh Sharma seems to have heard something but there is no reaction from Josh Hazlewood. Rajat Patidar eventually opts against the review. Cross-seam, angled down leg, on a back of a length. Varma walks across for the scoop but misses as the ball goes behind to the keeper. The ball passed close to the gloves but the UltraEdge shows a flat line.

Josh Hazlewood to Tilak Varma, Hits the good length, on middle and leg. Tilak stabs it down on the leg side.

Josh Hazlewood is back on.

Suyash Sharma to Tilak Varma, Suyash pushes it through at 96.7 kph, and the length stays short, on off. This kicks up a bit, but Tilak adjusts well to knock it through mid on for a run.

Suyash Sharma to Will Jacks, Drops it short, on off. Jacks taps it to long on and gets to the other end.

Suyash Sharma to Tilak Varma, From around the wicket now, short and flat, on off. Tilak chops it down in front of point. They cross.

Suyash Sharma to Tilak Varma, SIX! Tilak Varma goes big! Looped up by Suyash, on middle and leg. Tilak needs no second invitation as he drops to a knee quickly and clobbers it over mid-wicket for half a dozen.

Suyash Sharma to Will Jacks, Flighted delivery, full and on off. Jacks eases it to long on for one.

Suyash Sharma to Tilak Varma, Serves the googly, on a good length, on middle. Tilak works it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Rasikh Salam to Will Jacks, FOUR! Edged away! Fractionally short, outside off. Will has a poke at it and the ball goes off the outside edge, beating the diving keeper to his right for a boundary.

Rasikh Salam to Will Jacks, Beaten! On a hard length, in the channel. Jacks has a waft at it and is beaten on the outside edge.

Rasikh Salam to Will Jacks, Full and in line with the off stump. This is pushed to cover.

A timely wicket for RCB with a bit of fortune. Will Jacks walks out to bat now.

Rasikh Salam to Naman Dhir, OUT! TIMBER! Whoa, that shot through, and there is nothing Naman Dhir could have done about it. Cross-seam ball by Salam angled in at the sticks, on a back of a length, on middle. Dhir moves away from the stumps to force it away with a horizontal bat. The ball does not rise at all and slips under the bat to crash into the lower half of the leg stump. The 82-run stand has been broken. MI are 110/4 now.

Rasikh Salam to Naman Dhir, FOUR! Finesse this time from Dhir. Pace on now at 132.6 kph, on a short of a good length, over off. Naman hangs back and uses the pace to steer it with an open bat face between short third and backward point. Jacob Bethell goes after it but the ball wins the race. Bethell avoids crashing into the advertising boards by hopping over them.

Rasikh Salam to Naman Dhir, FOUR! Crunched away! Salam starts with the off-pace delivery, bowled on a good length. Dhir gets the width to free his arms and he slams it all along the ground to the left of extra cover.

Rasikh Salam replaces Romario Shepherd.

Krunal Pandya to Naman Dhir, Sliding on with the arm, on a nagging length at the sticks. Dhir hops and punches it to long off for another single.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Keeps it nice and full, on middle. Varma pushes it to long on and turns the strike over.

Krunal Pandya to Naman Dhir, Full and on middle and leg, this is worked towards backward square leg for a run. The 100 comes up for MI.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Flatter and shorter, pushed across. Varma goes for the cut. Ends up chopping it and the ball bounces over the keeper for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, SIX! That has gone into the stands! Floated up at 81 kph, a bit too full, on middle and leg. Tilak Varma gets down on a knee and plays the slog sweep over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Krunal Pandya to Naman Dhir, Speared in on a length, following the batter. Naman flicks it to deep square leg for a single.

Romario Shepherd to Naman Dhir, Good comeback from Romario Shepherd after conceding a six on the first ball. Hits the back of a length, on off and middle. Naman gets on top of the bounce and clips it through mid-wicket for one more. 9 runs off the over.

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, Darted in at the hips, on a back of a length. Varma turns it through square leg and gets to the other end.

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, Goes wide on the crease on the around-the-wicket angle. Bashes the hard length, over off. Tilak arches back and steers it to backward point.

Romario Shepherd to Naman Dhir, Following the batter, on a good length. Naman whips it to wide long on and crosses over.

Romario Shepherd to Naman Dhir, Better from Romario. Hits the top of off, Naman punches it on the up to cover.

Romario Shepherd to Naman Dhir, SIX! Romario Shepherd is welcomed back with a biggie. Cross-seam ball banged into the surface, on middle and leg. This comes just around the waist and Dhir nails the pull over deep square leg for a six.

Krunal Pandya to Naman Dhir, Not that short, pushed through on the leg stump line. Naman Dhir goes on the back foot and pulls it to deep square leg for a run. At halfway, MI are 82/3.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, A bit round-armish, at 101.6 kph, short outside off. Tilak Varma hangs back and heaves it through mid-wicket for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Naman Dhir, At 99.1 kph, full, around off, Dhir drives it to long off for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Pitched fuller, on the leg stump line. Tilak Varma flicks it nicely between long on and deep mid-wicket for a run.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Short, across the left-hander, Tilak presses back and cuts it wide of backward point for a couple of runs. Bethell, the sweeper on the off side, cuts it off in the deep to his right. This brings up the 50-run partnership between Tilak and Naman.

Krunal Pandya to Naman Dhir, The in-drifter on a length, on leg. Naman Dhir gently taps it across to deep mid-wicket for a single. They look to pinch in the double, but it's not on.

Suyash Sharma to Naman Dhir, Stump-to-stump, smidge fuller and on middle and leg. Naman Dhir works this googly down to long on for a single.

The physio rushes out for Naman Dhir, and the umpires use this stoppage to call for the Strategic Break. MI have managed to get a partnership going after the initial blows in the Powerplay. With this being the first game of the season in Raipur, there were plenty of unknowns around the surface, and it has turned out to be a challenging pitch to bat on. Apart from the variable bounce, the odd ball has also held up on the batters, making it difficult for them to trust the surface and hit through the line. On such pitches, bowling sides can easily end up going searching for wickets, and from RCB's perspective, the key will be to keep things simple and keep the stumps in play as much as possible.

Suyash Sharma to Naman Dhir, Quicker one, a googly, short on off, skids through at 98.1 kph. Naman Dhir is hurried on the pull shot, but inside edges on the back pad and it rolls to point.

Suyash Sharma to Naman Dhir, SIX! Clean strike! He is getting nicely settled out there. Suyash drops it on a fuller length, around off and middle. Naman Dhir picks the length nicely, plants the front foot ahead with a big stride and smokes it over long on for a cracking six.

Suyash Sharma to Tilak Varma, Dishes out the googly, short and outside off. It stays a tad low and Tilak punches it to mid off for a run.

Suyash Sharma to Naman Dhir, Pushed through, full and outside off. Dhir lunges forward and eases the drive to deep extra cover for a single.

Suyash Sharma to Tilak Varma, Nicely tossed up, full and just outside off. Varma drills it along the ground to long on for a run.

It will be spin from both ends as Suyash Sharma comes on. A slight hold-up as the physio is out to attend to Tilak Varma.

Game stopped due to : Play Halted

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Quicker through the air, touch short on middle. Tilak Varma plays with the spin and steers it to the deep mid-wicket for a single. Moving ahead steadily, are MI. The partnership between these two now reads 37 runs.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, WIDE! Geez, that's a projectile from Krunal. At 118.8 kph, this is short and it flies over the batter's head. Tilak looks to ramp it over the keeper and misses. Jitesh leaps a bit to grab it over his head. Wide called.

Krunal Pandya to Naman Dhir, Pushed fuller, around off. Dhir leans on and drives it inside-out through wide mid off for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Slows it up, pitching it outside leg, on a length. Varma plays off the back foot and nudges it softly to the mid-wicket region for a run.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Short and across off, this is guided to backward point.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Overthrows! Tossed up, on middle, on a fractionally fuller length. Tilak dinks it into the deep mid-wicket region and crosses for a single. Virat Kohli scores a direct hit at the batting end, and the ball deflects away to the off side. With the backup fielder a bit too wide there, they cross over for the second run as well.

Krunal Pandya to Tilak Varma, Good running! Begins from around the stumps and lands it on a length, on leg. Tilak turns it to the right of square leg and they charge back for the second run.

First look at spin as Krunal Pandya comes into the attack. Drinks came on between overs for the two batters, seemingly without the umpires' permission, and the officials were quick to step in and send them back.

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, Angles it onto the pads, on a length. Tilak works it to the square leg region for a single. Tidy start for Shepherd. Just 4 runs from his first.

Romario Shepherd to Naman Dhir, Hard length, around off, steered off the back foot into the cover-point gap for a quick run.

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, Bangs it in from around the stump, using the wider angle. Slants it into the batter and generates good bounce. Tilak is hurried on the pull shot, gets the top edge but it lands safely in the short fine leg region. Jitesh runs to his right and collects it. One taken.

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, Nagging length, on off, punched off the back foot to cover.

Romario Shepherd to Tilak Varma, Oh, the spitting cobra! Kicks up from a good length, on top of off. Tilak Varma has no answer to the extra bounce and is forced onto the back foot. He fends it off the splice with soft hands, and the ball rolls back to the bowler on the bounce.

Romario Shepherd to Naman Dhir, Short of a length, on middle, Dhir short-arm jabs it to deep mid-wicket's right for a single.

Done with the Powerplay. Romario Shepherd has been called into attack.

Rasikh Salam to Tilak Varma, Another off pace delivery that stays low, on a length, outside off. Tilak tries to run it away to the third man region, but misses. At the end of the Powerplay, MI are 53/3.

Rasikh Salam to Tilak Varma, Dropped! Oh, dear! That was a routine chance and Suyash Sharma has shelled it. Rasikh did all the tricks to get that scalp, but it wasn't to be. Slower and short of a length on the leg stump. Tilak charges down the track, looking to go big, but the change of pace does him in completely. He can only top edge it to Suyash at mid-wicket. Suyash runs across to his left, decides to dive for it, and makes a complete mess of what should have been a straightforward chance as the ball bursts through. Two taken.

Rasikh Salam to Naman Dhir, At 135.1 kph, short on middle. Dhir miscues the pull shot but it lands on the bounce in front of Jacob Bethell at deep square leg. One taken.

Rasikh Salam to Naman Dhir, FOUR! Runs away! A bit of extra bounce on it, as this is bashed on a good length, angled at the pads. Naman Dhir uses his wrists and pace to guide the ball to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary. 50 UP FOR MI!

Rasikh Salam to Tilak Varma, On a length, on middle and leg. Varma nudges it off the back foot to the mid-wicket region for a quick run.

Rasikh Salam to Tilak Varma, FOUR! A schoolboy error from Shepherd which costs RCB a boundary! Back of a length, just around off. Tilak presses back and crisply punches it to cover. Romario Shepherd moves a bit too much to his right, and the ball spins the other way to race away to the fence.

Change? Yup. Here's Rasikh Salam into the attack for the last over of the Powerplay, replacing Josh Hazlewood.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Naman Dhir, Fuller and coming back in, on middle and leg. Naman wrists it to mid-wicket.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Naman Dhir, FOUR! Lovely shot! Bowled on a good length, on the off stump at 136.3 kph. Dhir lets the ball come to him and plays it right under his eyes. He extends his hands and just punches it neatly through covers for a boundary.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tilak Varma, Fuller and attacking the front pad, Varma brings his bat out in front and pats it in front of mid on for a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tilak Varma, Bhuvi switches to over the wicket, angling away and the length is pulled back. Tilak shimmies down the track and stays leg side before guiding it wide of backward point for a couple of runs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tilak Varma, Fuller and on off, Tilak keeps it out with his bat close to the front pad.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Tilak Varma, Nearly a hat-trick! From around the wicket, on a back of a length, just outside the off stump. This angles in before leaving Tilak off the deck. Varma presents a straight bat for the block but is beaten.

Will Bhuvneshwar Kumar continue? Yes, surely will. 2-0-10-3 so far are his bowling figures. He has 20 wickets now this season, and has snatched the Purple Cap from Anshul Kamboj of CSK.

Josh Hazlewood to Naman Dhir, Much better from Hazlewood. Delivers it on a good length and keeps it nice and tight, around the off stump. Naman stabs it down in front of cover. He is keen for a single, but Tilak sends him back.

Josh Hazlewood to Naman Dhir, FOUR! Dhir gets it away this time! Hazlewood lands it slightly full, on middle at 142.3 kph. Dhir collapses his back knee to get under the ball and hoicks it aerially behind square leg, beating the chasing Jacob Bethell in the deep to his left.

Josh Hazlewood to Tilak Varma, Bashes the hard length, on off. Tilak stands tall and steers it behind point for a single to get off the mark.

Josh Hazlewood to Naman Dhir, Leg bye. Skidding through, on a back of a length, on middle. Dhir stays back and has a swipe across the line but misses. A leg bye is taken as the ball goes off the thigh pad in front of point.

Josh Hazlewood to Naman Dhir, In the channel, on a good length. Naman extends his hands for the drive but ends up chopping it down on the off side.

Josh Hazlewood to Naman Dhir, Hurls it on a length, on off, Dhir pushes it to point.

MI are shellshocked by what has hit them. They need a steady partnership to get back on track. Tilak Varma comes in at number 5.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Suryakumar Yadav, OUT! TAKEN! Two in two for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. A golden duck for Suryakumar Yadav, and his lean run continues. Seam-up ball by Bhuvneshwar this time at 137.2 kph, on a good length, honing in on the off stump. Suryakumar pushes out in front with hard hands. It goes off the outside edge to Virat Kohli, who is stationed at a slightly wide slip. Kohli moves to his right and gets low to take a good catch. Bhuvi will be on a hat-trick at the start of the next over. MI are 28/3 in 3 overs.

The season just keeps getting better and better for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He has fished out both the MI openers in successive overs. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav arrives at the crease at number 4.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Rohit Sharma, OUT! EDGED AND GONE! The knuckleball does the trick for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Floated up to the batter by Bhuvneshwar, outside off. This curves away as Rohit just pushes at the ball tentatively with no real conviction. He pays the price as the ball takes the outside edge and goes behind. It is dipping on the keeper, Jitesh Sharma, but he does well to dive to his right and snaffle it with his gloves under the ball.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Rohit Sharma, FOUR! Nicely done! Fractionally short, on off. Rohit lets the ball come to him and plays it late. Glides it with an open bat face to the left of deep backward point for a boundary.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Naman Dhir, Miscued but safe! Pitched up by Bhuvi, outside off. Dhir frees his arms and swings hard, looking to go down the ground. It goes down to deep backward point off a thickish outside edge. Josh Hazlewood gets around to his right and cuts it off. Just a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Naman Dhir, A mix-up but no harm done! Slightly fuller, on off. Naman springs onto the front foot again and taps it with a straight bat between cover and mid off before setting off for the run. He is nearly halfway through before Rohit sends him back. Luckily for him, there was a fumble which allowed him to get home.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Naman Dhir, Serves it on a good length, in and around the off stump. Dhir gets on the front foot and punches it to the left of the bowler. Kumar sticks out the left hand and makes the stop.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Naman Dhir, Wide! Sprayed down leg by Bhuvi, Dhir fails to help the length ball away.

JUST IN - Down in Chennai, in the afternoon game, CSK have defeated LSG by 5 wickets. It did get a bit tense in the death overs, but they eventually managed to chase down 204 with four balls to spare. With CSK winning their sixth game of the season, they move up to the fifth spot, and the race for a top 4 finish has just gotten more intense now. Back to Raipur. Bhuvneshwar Kumar to continue.

Josh Hazlewood to Rohit Sharma, SIX! Top edge, but it goes all the way! Josh Hazlewood goes for 16 runs in his first over. Hazlewood sticks to the short ball, over middle. Rohit gives the bowler the charge and attempts the pull, looking to play it in front of square this time. He fails to get on top of the bounce and a top edge is found. It sails over the slip cordon and goes over the deep third fence.

Josh Hazlewood to Rohit Sharma, SIX! Just over! Josh goes short, over middle and leg. Rohit takes on the short ball and plays the pull towards deep backward square leg. Jacob Bethell is not entirely on the ropes and back pedals before leaping across to his right but the ball clears him and drops beyond the fence.

Josh Hazlewood to Rohit Sharma, A ripper from Hazlewood! Angling in, on the off stump, on a good length. Rohit presents a straight bat to cover the line but the ball lands and straightens to go past the outside edge.

Josh Hazlewood to Rohit Sharma, Little too straight, on the pads. Rohit misses out on the tickle. The ball clips the pads and dribbles to the right of deep fine leg for a couple of leg byes.

Josh Hazlewood to Rohit Sharma, FOUR! Up and over! This is on a shortish length, over middle. Rohit backs away just at the point of release and exposes all three stumps. He gets the desired length and flat bats it back over mid off. Not quite from the middle of the bat but the ball has enough legs to win the race against Rajat Patidar.

Josh Hazlewood to Rohit Sharma, Right on the money! In the channel, bowled on a good length. Rohit makes a watchful leave.

Perfect start for the Royal Challengers and Bhuvi. He just continues to pick wickets with insane consistency. Naman Dhir is the new batter in for MI. Josh Hazlewood to operate from the opposite end.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Ryan Rickelton, OUT! CAUGHT! A real soft dismissal, and that is wicket number 18 of the season for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Into the surface, on the shorter side, on middle. Rickelton gets on his toes and shapes up to whip it away on the leg side. The ball comes on slower than he expected and he ends up spooning it off the lower half of the blade to mid off. Rajat Patidar gobbles it up easily.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Ryan Rickelton, Beaten all ends up! From around the wicket now, angling back in, on a good length. Rickelton looks to flick it away but is beaten on the inside edge by the nip-backer and catches it high on the thigh pad.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Rohit Sharma, Almost chopped it back onto the stumps! At 135.5 kph, on a nagging length, on the off stump. Rohit stays back to deal with it but the ball jags back in off the deck to catch the inside edge. It deflects onto the back leg before going wide of point for a run.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Ryan Rickelton, Bhuvneshwar goes fuller now and gets the ball to curve away. Ryan pushes out in front and gets it off the outer half through point. They cross.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Rohit Sharma, Rohit is off the mark. Bhuvi hits the top of off, Sharma waits on the back foot and drops it with soft hands in front of point for a quick single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Ryan Rickelton, Action straight away! Pushed across the left-hander, on a length. Rickelton presses forward but the ball seems to have stopped on him. He plays it well in front of his body and chips it towards mid off. Rajat Patidar moves across to his left and dives, but the ball does not carry. It deflects away off his body, allowing a single.

In all readiness for this blockbuster clash to get underway in Raipur. The two umpires have made their way out to the middle. Rajat Patidar has his men in a huddle before they scatter throughout the park. Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton walk out to the crease as MI's opening pair. And it will be Bhuvneshwar Kumar who will open the attack for RCB. Rickelton is on strike. A slip in place. Here we go!

A quick word from RCB's smasher - Tim David says they have identified the shortcomings from their recent losses but insists the focus remains on backing the strengths that have brought them success this season. He adds that it is important to go out with a clear mind. David says the rain did not allow RCB much preparation time yesterday. Believes that they have an experienced group that understands what it takes in big moments. Tim shares that the focus remains on controlling the controllables, regaining momentum after back-to-back defeats, and getting stuck into an important game in the playoff race.

Impact subs nominated by MI - Raghu Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Shardul Thakur and Trent Boult.

Mumbai Indians (Playing XI) - Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (WK), Naman Dhir, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah and AM Ghazanfar.

Impact subs nominated by RCB -  Devdutt Padikkal, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Swapnil Singh and Venkatesh Iyer.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Virat Kohli, Jacob Bethell, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma and Rasikh Salam.

The captain of the Mumbai Indians - Suryakumar Yadav is happy to bat first on the black-soil surface, believing runs on the board could prove crucial in such a big game. Mentions that MI will look to put their best foot forward tonight despite the pressure situation. SKY confirms that they are unchanged for this game. Believes that this IPL has been tough for bowlers overall and adds that the beauty of T20 cricket lies in how teams respond to setbacks.

The skipper of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Rajat Patidar says the decision to bowl first is pretty obvious to him. He describes the surface as good and a bit hard, and says the plan is simple - restrict the opposition and chase the target down. On returning to Raipur after many years, he adds that the conditions are not unfamiliar to his side. Patidar takes a moment to appreciate the atmosphere, calling out the strong support for his side. Adds that everyone in the camp is looking forward to playing here. When asked about bouncing back from recent losses, he says the losses have happened, but what matters now is staying in the present and playing to their strengths, with the focus firmly on themselves rather than the opposition. Patidar confirms RCB are going in with the same side. On areas of improvement, Patidar says it is not about one or two specific things. He stresses that if they do well in the Powerplay, with both bat and ball, and play to their potential in that phase, the results will follow.

TOSS - Still no Hardik Pandya for MI. Suryakumar Yadav has walked out for the coin flip. Rajat Patidar is present alongside him. The coin goes up and comes down in favour of Patidar. Royal Challengers Bengaluru elect to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Graeme Swann starts by noting that it is warm and predicts that dew will play a role as the game progresses. On dimensions, he points out it is a fairly big ground, with 68 meters on one side, 64 on the other, and 75 meters straight down the ground. Swann says his immediate instinct is to bat first. Aaron Finch draws attention to the colour of the surface, which changes slightly as you move along it. He crouches down to feel the pitch and flags that the cracks are moving, which tells him it is seriously dry underneath. He believes the fast bowlers will have a big role to play, especially with the new ball, if they can extract movement off those cracks. As a batter, Finch says, you would want to give yourself a couple of extra balls to get in. Swann then says the cracks, which look like crazy paving running down the surface, are excellent news for a spinner. He still considers it a decent batting surface, pointing to the last game on this strip where New Zealand scored over 200, and India knocked it off in just 15 overs. Finch takes the opposite view. He says he would bowl first, let a bit of dew settle things down, and then look to chase the target down later.

Urvil goes berserk in Chennai - In the afternoon clash between CSK and LSG, Urvil Patel unleashed ball striking of the highest quality. A blistering 65 off just 23 balls from CSK's number three left the crowd awestruck, with him reaching his fifty in only 13 balls, the joint-fastest in the league's history alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. His onslaught broke the back of the chase, leaving CSK needing just 73 more runs from 60 balls with 8 wickets in hand.

MI fighting to stay alive - With just 3 wins in 10 games, Mumbai stand on the brink of elimination. A loss tonight and the five-time champions will be out of the playoff race. They were sent on a leather hunt by RCB earlier this season in Mumbai, where they conceded 240. The bowling woes have been well documented for MI, with them taking the second fewest wickets this season while also having the worst economy rate. The positives have come with the bat, with Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton averaging 94 as an opening pair this season, while Rickelton’s 33 sixes are the third most.

RCB seek winning return - Placed fourth with 6 wins in 10 games, Bengaluru come into the contest on the back of consecutive defeats and will be eager to return to winning ways. A victory tonight will take them to the top of the table. Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal have all crossed the 300-run mark this season, with Patidar smashing 30 sixes, the most among non-openers this season. Krunal Pandya has been a key all round figure for RCB, picking up 27 wickets since IPL 2025, joint second-most among spinners, with 22 of them coming in the middle overs.

Giants clash in Raipur - The Indian Premier League returns to Raipur after nearly a decade with a blockbuster clash between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Mumbai Indians. Two star-studded units with massive fanbases set the stage for a high-profile Sunday night encounter. Despite the reputation and quality on both sides, there has been a gulf between them this season, but the hope is that the difference on the points table does not reflect on the field.

... MATCH DAY ...

Passion everywhere - Few rivalries in the Indian Premier League carry the kind of emotion and noise that surrounds Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians, and Match 54 at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium promises another blockbuster chapter. But while the fanbases remain equally loud, the journeys of the two teams this season have been vastly different. Defending champions RCB exploded out of the gates, winning four of their first five games, including a victory over Mumbai, but their campaign has slowed dramatically with three defeats in the last five, and they now enter this clash on the back of two straight losses. Mumbai, meanwhile, find themselves down in ninth place with just three wins in ten matches, though their latest victory has at least injected some belief into a season that has constantly threatened to slip away. Firepower searching for rhythm - RCB's biggest setback has been the injury to Phil Salt, after which their batting lost some fluency, with Jacob Bethell yet to truly settle into the side. Virat Kohli, though, continues to lead from the front with 379 runs in 10 games, anchoring the innings while others attack around him. The real destruction has come from Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, with the skipper especially enjoying a stunning campaign, striking at 200 and already smashing 30 sixes this season. Jitesh Sharma is still waiting for that get-going contribution, but the lower middle order remains dangerous thanks to Tim David, who has almost become a cheat code for RCB, averaging 58 while delivering impactful cameos regularly. Romario Shepherd and Krunal Pandya further strengthen the lineup with their all-round abilities, giving RCB enviable batting depth. Experience holding fort - With the ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has rolled back the years, using swing and accuracy brilliantly to pick up 17 wickets, while Josh Hazlewood has formed a potent partnership alongside him. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma have quietly handled the spin duties effectively, combining for 17 wickets and controlling the middle overs. RCB also have flexibility through Shepherd and Rasikh Salam as additional bowling options, but their recent struggles have largely come from the inability of all departments to click together at the same time, when the batting fires, the bowling falters, and vice versa. Playoffs hopes fading - Mumbai Indians are no strangers to slow starts, but unlike previous seasons, they haven't managed to turn things around in time. Sitting ninth on the table, even winning all their remaining games may not guarantee them a playoff spot, leaving little margin for error from here on. The mid-season injury to Rohit Sharma disrupted their momentum further, but his blistering 84 off 44 in the last game was a reminder of how quickly he can shift momentum. Alongside him, Ryan Rickelton has been Mumbai's standout batter with 380 runs in just 8 games, including an unbeaten century, and their opening partnership has easily been MI’s most effective combination this season. Big names yet to fire - Naman Dhir has quietly enjoyed one of his best IPL seasons, but Mumbai's biggest concern remains the underwhelming form of their Indian core - Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya have all struggled for consistency, hurting the balance of the side badly. Will Jacks, meanwhile, has added some much-needed balance with his all-round contributions. Their bowling hasn't quite carried the usual Mumbai threat either. AM Ghazanfar has been exceptional with 12 wickets, but after him, Ashwani Kumar and Shardul Thakur have just six wickets each, which underlines their lack of penetration. More surprisingly, even Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult have been neutralised by opposition batters this season. However, the inclusion of Raghu Sharma has brought some control, while Deepak Chahar has looked decent both with the new ball and at the death. Kohli vs Rohit - Legacy battle! Whenever RCB and MI meet, the spotlight inevitably shifts toward two modern giants of Indian cricket. Virat Kohli has piled up 1030 runs against the Mumbai Indians, while Rohit Sharma has scored 867 runs against the RCB, making this yet another chapter in a rivalry that has defined an IPL era. There's another intriguing subplot too - the Pandya brothers on opposite sides, with both pride and bragging rights on the line. Runs expected - The Raipur surface has generally been known to favour batters with its even bounce and shorter boundaries, often producing high-scoring contests. But with pressure mounting on both camps for different reasons, execution with the ball could end up deciding the game more than pure batting power. Form (Last 5 completed games, most recent first) - RCB - LLWWL | MI - WLLLW. Momentum vs Survival! Mumbai Indians still hold the overall head-to-head edge 19-16, but RCB have won the last two meetings, including earlier this season. One side is trying to stop a slide before it becomes a crisis, while the other is desperately trying to keep its season alive. When these two giants collide, form rarely tells the full story, because beyond the points table, this rivalry is built on pressure, personalities, and moments that tend to linger long after the final ball.