RCB’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar becomes most successful IPL pacer in history, becomes third-highest wicket-taker

MUMBAI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar overtook West Indies legend Dwayne Bravo to become the pacer with the most wickets in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Bhuvneshwar achieved this milestone during the IPL match against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium.

During the match, Bhuvneshwar gave away 48 runs but got a crucial wicket of Tilak Varma, who threatened to take the game away from RCB.

Now in 179 matches, Bhuvneshwar has taken 184 wickets as compared to Bravo’s 183 scalps in 161 IPL matches. With this, he has also become the third-highest wicket-taker in the IPL. Above him are Punjab Kings (PBKS) spinner Yuzvendra Chahal (206 wickets in 162 matches at an average of 22.83 and best figures of 5/40) and Piyush Chawla (192 wickets in 192 matches at an average of 26.60, with best figures of 4/17).

Coming to the match, MI won the toss and opted to field first. Though Phil Salt departed early, Virat (67 in 42 balls, with eight fours and two sixes) and Devdutt Padikkal (37 in 22 balls, with two fours and three sixes) made sure MI regretted their decision as they put on a counter-attacking 91-run stand. After the dismissal of this duo, skipper Rajat Patidar (64 in 32 balls, with five fours and four sixes) and Jitesh Sharma (40* in 19 balls, with two fours and four sixes) made sure that the run-rate never went down. RCB ended at 221/5.

Hardik Pandya (2/45), the skipper and Trent Boult (2/57) took two wickets but leaked runs. Vignesh Puthur got a wicket as well. Jasprit Bumrah delivered figures of 0/29 in four overs on his comeback.

During the run-chase, MI was 99/4 in 12 overs. But an explosive 89 run stand between Tilak Varma (56 in 29 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes) and skipper Hardik Pandya (42 in 15 balls, with three fours and four sixes) threatened to take the game away from RCB.

However, Krunal (4/45), Josh Hazlewood (2/37) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/48) came in clutch with crucial wickets at the right times, helping secure RCB a 12-run win.

RCB is at the third spot with three wins and a loss in four matches and all their three wins have been away from home. MI have won just one out of their five games and are standing at eighth spot. (ANI)