Top 5 moments in MI-RCB matches in IPL history ft. AB de Villiers

The 25th match of IPL 2024 is expected to be a high-voltage game. Five-time champions Mumbai Indians play hosts to the dynamic Royal Challengers Bangalore tonight in what is expected to be a mouth-watering contest.

Two stalwarts of Indian cricket: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will be a part of the much-anticipated match.

Overall, MI and RCB have faced each other on 32 occasions in IPL and the former has tasted success on 18 occasions. The remaining 14 matches have gone in the favor of RCB.

Wankhede Stadium has been a fortress for the MI team over the years and MI enjoys an advantage on the venue over RCB, winning six of the nine matches played. The last time MI lost to RCB at the Wankhede Stadium was in 2015.

Here is a trip down memory lane and a re-visit to the top five moments in MI-RCB matches.

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#5 Pollard-Starc altercation in IPL 2014

The infamous altercation between Kieron Pollard and Mitchell Starc took place almost a decade ago. However, the incident remains fresh in the minds of cricket fans to date.

In a group match between MI and RCB during IPL 2014 at the Wankhede Stadium, a few words were exchanged between Pollard and Starc when the former was batting. During the 17th over of the MI innings, Starc bowled a bouncer which Pollard failed to connect, and thereafter further words were exchanged between the duo.

Thereafter, Starc started to bowl the next ball and the West Indian stopped him mid-way. However, the Aussie continued bowling the said delivery around Pollard's legs. Pollard retaliated by throwing his bat in the direction of Starc. A heated altercation took place between the duo and the umpires had to intervene in the matter.

The incident is infamous in the history of IPL and both players were fined for their misconduct.

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#4 Rayudu-Pollard star in MI's win in IPL 2012

In a group match in IPL 2012 in Bangalore, RCB scored 171 runs in 20 overs courtesy of a brilliant attacking innings by Mayank Agarwal (64* from 30 balls).

MI lost half their side with just 51 runs on the board in 8.5 overs and were staring defeat. However, Ambati Rayudu combined with Kieron Pollard and added 122 runs from just 65 balls and guided MI to a win with two balls to spare.

Rayudu was unbeaten on 81 from just 54 balls, including six boundaries and four maximums. Pollard scored 52 runs from 31 balls and guided MI to a win from an improbable position.

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#3 Super over in IPL 2020

In a high-scoring encounter between MI and RCB in Dubai in 2020, both teams scored 201 in 20 overs, with the match ending in a tie.

Batting first, RCB toyed with an experienced MI bowling lineup comprising Trent Boult, Jasprit Bumrah, James Pattinson, and others. Riding on half-centuries scored by Devdutt Padikkal (54), Aaron Finch (52), and AB De Villiers, a blistering unbeaten knock of 55 from 24 balls, RCB scored 201.

MI lost three early wickets and had scored only 39 runs with the big guns comprising Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Quinton de Kock back in the hut. Hardik Pandya did not last long. Thereafter, Ishan Kishan (99) and Kieron Pollard (60) added 123 runs from just 51 balls and the match ended in a tie.

RCB scored 11 runs in the super over and emerged victorious as they restricted MI to just seven runs. Navdeep Saini bowled the super over and was the unlikely hero for RCB.

The said game is the only one between the two sides that has been decided by a super over.

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#2 AB de Villiers creates havoc at the Wankhede Stadium- IPL 2015

AB de Villiers created absolute carnage on the MI bowlers on May 10, 2015. The MI bowling lineup comprising Lasith Malinga, Mitchell McClenaghan, Harbhajan Singh, Hardik Pandya, and a young Jasprit Bumrah was taken to the cleaners by the South African keeper-batsman.

AB started batting at number three when the dangerous Chris Gayle was dismissed. He thereafter added 215 runs with Virat and dominated the partnership. Smashing 19 boundaries and four maximums, AB scored 133* from just 59 balls, which is his highest score in the IPL.

Riding on AB's century, RCB scored 235 runs for the loss of a solitary wicket and won the game by 39 runs.

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#1 Suryakumar Yadav demolishes RCB in IPL 2023

Suryakumar Yadav was at his brutal best the last time MI played RCB at the Wankhede Stadium.

Batting first, RCB scored a mammoth 199 for the loss of six wickets courtesy of attacking half-centuries from skipper Faf du Plessis (65) and Glenn Maxwell (68). A target of 200 was a stiff challenge for MI, but Suryakumar Yadav made a mockery of it.

SKY batting at number three, scored at a strike rate of 237.14 and smashed seven boundaries and six maximums scoring 83 from just 35 balls. MI chased the target in just 16.3 overs and SKY once again showed his attacking skills while chasing down a big target.