Kohli and Padikkal Light Up Wankhede in IPL Thriller Against MI
What a fiery start to Match 20 of the IPL 2025 season! The clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians at the iconic Wankhede Stadium had anticipation buzzing right from the toss—and boy, did it deliver. Mumbai Indians, led by Hardik Pandya, won the toss and opted to bowl, hoping to use the home advantage and early evening conditions to their favor. But RCB had other plans—especially two men: Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal.
It was a rollercoaster right from the get-go. Phil Salt got RCB off the mark with a boundary but was immediately knocked over by Trent Boult, a dream start for MI. However, any celebration was short-lived. What followed was pure carnage.
Kohli walked in with intent, and Padikkal joined him to launch a brutal counterattack. Kohli looked majestic—timing, placement, aggression—it was all on display. A first-ball six off Jasprit Bumrah? That set the tone. Then came a flurry of classy drives, strong wristwork, and confident flicks. Kohli raced past 40 off just 25 balls, sending the MI bowlers into a panic mode. Every time Hardik rotated his bowlers, Kohli seemed to have an answer.
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Padikkal, on the other hand, was equally ruthless. With a strike rate north of 180, he smashed Deepak Chahar for back-to-back sixes that brought the crowd to its feet. The duo put up a stunning 81-run partnership off just 45 balls, making it RCB’s highest-ever powerplay score against MI—surpassing their previous best of 68 back in 2011.
The chants of "Kohli! Kohli!" echoed through Wankhede as he put on a vintage show. From slogsweeps to on-drives, every shot was cheered. Mitchell Santner tried to slow things down, but even his tight lines couldn't contain the RCB storm.
And let's talk numbers—by the end of the powerplay, RCB were sitting pretty at 73/1. That's not just a good start—that’s a statement. Virat Kohli also reached a significant personal milestone by crossing 13,000 runs in T20 cricket, reminding everyone of his greatness.
The big takeaway? RCB aren’t here to play safe cricket. They came out swinging, and even MI’s top guns—Bumrah, Boult, Pandya—couldn’t keep them in check. With both Kohli and Padikkal in form and the scoreboard ticking at over 10 runs an over, the question now is: can MI claw their way back?
If this is just the first innings, buckle up. This game’s far from over—but what an opening act it’s been from the men in red and gold.
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