Jasprit Bumrah could not prevent Mumbai Indians slipping to a 12-run defeat on his return from injury as Royal Challengers Bengaluru held on to win a high-scoring match in the Indian Premier League.
India fast bowler Bumrah, playing for the first time since January after a back injury, took an economical 0-29 from four overs but RCB still posted 221-5 with Virat Kohli hitting 67.
Mumbai took their chase to the wire but came up short after Hardik Pandya was caught at deep mid-wicket for 42 from 15 balls off Josh Hazlewood’s bowling at the start of the penultimate over.
Hardik had hit three fours and four sixes to leave 28 runs to get from the last 12 balls.
After he fell, Mitchell Santner struck Hazlewood for six but was caught at long-off off Hardik’s brother Krunal Pandya, who took three wickets with his left-arm spin while defending 19 from the last.
Mumbai ended on 209-9 with Tilak Varma top-scoring with 56 from 29 balls. He put on 89 in just 34 balls with Hardik in the middle overs of the chase.
Earlier, Kohli shared a partnership of 91 with Devdutt Padikkal, who made 37 after England’s Phil Salt was bowled by Trent Boult for four in the opening over.
RCB’s score was lifted further by Rajat Patidar’s 64, and 40 from just 19 balls by Jitesh Sharma. Liam Livingstone was out for a two-ball duck.
Bumrah, 31, whose last appearance was in India’s fifth Test against Australia in early January, only conceded two boundaries in his four overs. He was the only Mumbai bowler to concede less than 10 runs per over.
The win means RCB join Delhi Capitals and Gujarat Titans on six points at the top of the table, but are third courtesy of their net run-rate. Mumbai are eighth with four defeats from five.
