Amidst a string of disappointing performances since his Test debut against England, Rajat Patidar found redemption in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. Despite his previous struggles, Patidar emerged as a force to be reckoned with, delivering a spectacular performance by smashing a breathtaking fifty off just 25 balls.

Mumbai Indians’ decision to bowl first

Mumbai’s decision to bowl first after winning the toss appeared promising initially, with their bowlers, including stalwarts like jasprit bumrah and Akash Madhwal, striking early to dismiss key players like Virat Kohli and Will Jacks. However, Faf du Plessis and Patidar steadied the ship for the visiting team, with Patidar notably shifting gears to assert dominance.

Also READ: IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians’ Jasprit Bumrah names the batter he doesn’t want to bowl

Rajat Patidar's memorable six off Hardik Pandya

During his innings, Patidar showcased his aggressive intent by hammering four sixes and three fours. Notably, one of his memorable sixes came off Hardik Pandya in the 10th over. After scoring a couple of runs in the preceding delivery, Patidar unleashed a powerful stroke against Pandya, sending the ball soaring deep into the stands at wide long-on. This boundary exemplified Patidar’s ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and showcased his dominance over even the most seasoned bowlers like Pandya.

Here’s the video:

End of Patidar’s innings against Gerald Coetzee

After his spectacular performance, Patidar’s innings came to an end in the 12th over. Despite his earlier brilliance, he couldn’t replicate his success against Gerald Coetzeewho bore the brunt of Patidar’s aggressive batting. Patidar smashed back-to-back sixes off Coetzee, propelling himself to his first fifty of the season. Nevertheless, in his attempt to maintain his momentum and push for more boundaries, Patidar mistimed a pull shot off a short delivery. As a result, he skied the ball, leading to his dismissal as Ishan Kishan safely pouched the catch, ending what could have been an even more remarkable innings for Patidar.

Dinesh Karthik shines for Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Despite Bumrah’s impressive performance with a five-wicket haul, Mumbai struggled to contain the Bengaluru’s batting onslaught. Captain Du Plessis led from the front, anchoring the innings with a resilient 61 runs. Alongside him, finisher Dinesh Karthik unleashed a flurry of boundaries, smashing a quickfire 53 off just 23 balls. Their partnership proved crucial as they propelled RCB to a formidable score of 196/8 runs.

Also READ: Top 5 fastest batters to reach 3000 runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL)