The Royal Challengers Bengaluru opener, Phil Salt, got to his maiden fifty off 23 balls against the Mumbai Indians. Salt was going through a rough patch this season as he was dismissed for a couple of low scores and even a golden duck against the Rajasthan Royals. He has helped the RCB side to get off to a powerful start in the innings.

Virat Kohli and Phil Salt have set the tone of the innings, and the Mumbai Indians will need to break this partnership. With the likes of Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Jithesh Sharma, Tim David and Romario Shepherd still to come, RCB could post a mammoth total above 250.

Salt’s powerplay carnage and Kohli stand put RCB in command as MI search for breakthrough

 

The Mumbai Indians skipper, Hardik Pandya, had won the toss and elected to field first. The Royal Challengers Bengaluru have been batting first for the 3rd time this season, and they were hopeful that Virat Kohli and Phil Salt could get them off to a fine start. Virat Kohli has been quite good this season as he got a half-century in the first game of the season.

He has had a couple of good starts in the power play as well for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Phil Salt, on the other hand, hasn’t been at his best as he was dismissed for a first-ball duck in the previous game against the Rajasthan Royals. The RCB total will be heavily dependent on the kind of start that Phil Salt and Virat Kohli can get off to in the power play against a strong Mumbai Indians bowling unit.

Phil Salt took no time to get going as he started by hitting Trent Boult for a couple of boundaries. Then, when Hardik Pandya came to bowl, it was a bit more challenging,g but he was able to find the boundary in that over as well. Trent Boult bowled one straight into the groin of Phil Salt, and he was in some visible discomfort. But he bounced back strongly with a six off the very next ball of the game.

The game-changing over was the over of Mitchell Santner as Salt smashed him for 3 sixes and a four in just the first 4 balls. Phil Salt got to his half-century off 25 balls, and it is his first of the season. Phil Salt continued his carnage against Mayank Markande, as he struck him for 3 fours and a six off the first 4 balls of his over. Phil Salt finished his innings with a score of 78 off 36 balls, including 6 fours and 6 sixes, striking at 216.67.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be happy with the start they have got,t as they still have plenty of power coming down the order. The Mumbai Indians will be desperate to break the partnership as the game seems to be slipping away from the home side.