Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicket-keeper batsman AB de Villiers played a superb knock of 48 runs in just 27 balls which took his team over the line against the defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) to begin their IPL 2021 campaign with a last ball win.
During the post-match show on Star Sports, former cricketers Brian Lara and Matthew Hayden were all praises for the ‘timeless’ de Villiers who was back playing professional cricket after IPL 2020 in UAE.
“He is timeless. He has got the experience. IPL is the only form of cricket he is playing at the moment. I suppose he is keeping fit and ready for it. At this stage, when they lost Virat Kohli, RCB needed him to come good,” Lara said.
“He was explosive at the right time; he controlled the game. He came in after Glenn Maxwell as well; he controlled the game and got them home,” the former West Indies batsman further added.
The Aussie explosive batsman on the other hand was impressed with the strike rotation in de Villiers’ innings.
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“Absolutely remarkable performance from ABD. No question. He had that presence of mind, just knowing when to go and when to hold back. But that most important thing is that rotation of strike that we saw and clean striking of the ball,” Hayden said.
After winning against the five-time champions, RCB will now take the field against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 14 April whereas Mumbai Indians will next face Kolkata Knight Riders on 13 April at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
(With Star Sports inputs)
