Varma's unbeaten 84 takes MI to 171/7 against RCB
- Bengaluru: Tilak Varma batted with aplomb, smashing a scintillating fifty to single-handedly power Mumbai Indians to a competitive 171 for seven against Royal Challengers Bangalore in their opening IPL match here on Sunday.
- Sent in to bat, five-time champions MI had a poor start but Varma, coming off a successful last season, delivered the goods as he held the innings together with an unbeaten 46-ball 84-run knock.
- RCB bowlers had reduced MI to 20 for three in 5.2 overs after skipper Faf du Plessis opted to bowl but Varma played a lone hand, adding 50 and 48 with Nehal Wadhera (21) and Arshad Khan (15 not out) for the fifth and eighth wickets respectively.
- The 20-year-old decorated his knock with nine boundaries and four sixes.
- Earlier, Ishan Kishan smashed two fours before being removed by Mohammed Siraj with an outswinger, while Cameron Green was dismissed by Recce Topley, who took his first IPL wicket.
- Rohit got a life when RCB dropped a simple chance with Siraj and Dinesh Kartik colliding while going for the catch in the fifth over.