Patidar Turns Bowlers’ Nightmare in RCB’s IPL Clash
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s valiant chase fell 18 runs short of Mumbai Indians’ 241 in an IPL 2026 thriller. Captain Rajat Patidar’s savage innings lit up the scoreboard, but MI clung on. Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh’s JioHotstar breakdown revealed chase pitfalls, Kohli’s glue role, and Patidar’s dominance.
‘MI’s batting has issues, starting with 240 leaked,’ Pathan noted. ‘Chasing here, powerplay solidity was absent—wickets tumbled early, pressuring middles. Missed big-shot windows in overs 7-15; Hardik gritty but uncontrolled, Tilak subdued lately, Rickelton spin-weak. These defined the loss.’
Patidar’s 20-ball 53 (4×4, 5×6) propelled RCB to 240/4. Pathan gushed: ‘Bowlers dread him—like a bad dream. Instant attack alters match tone. Post-arrival, boundaries flowed; he’s RCB’s game-changer, crafting intimidating totals.’
On Kohli’s composed 50 (38 balls, 5×4, 1×6), Harbhajan said: ‘Paced slowly, he seemed irked by Salt’s pace, but stabilized innings, curbing top-order collapse. Anchored against Bumrah’s threat, exploited others, freeing Patidar-Salt aggression.’
MI’s Krunal Pandya starred with cunning spin. This clash highlights IPL’s razor-thin edges, where Patidar’s bravado shines as RCB’s weapon, fueling hopes for a turnaround.
