IPL 2021, RCB vs MI: Harshal Patel becomes third RCB bowler to pick a hat-trick

In the 39th match of the Indian Premier League 2021, the Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated defending champions Mumbai Indians comprehensively. Batting first, RCB scored 165 and then defended the total successfully to knock over MI for 111, winning the game by 54 runs. The moment of the match came in the 17th over of the second innings when RCB pacer Harshal Patel picked up a hat-trick.

Harshal Patel, the current purple cap holder, impressed everyone as he dismissed Hardik Pandya, Kieron Pollard and Rahul Chahar in three consecutive deliveries, to pick his first hat-trick in IPL. The player has been impressive with his slower balls, and all three wickets were a result of his off-cutters.

Hardik miscued the slower ball in the air and Kohli at covers took a simple catch. Pollard followed Hardik into the pavilion as he shuffled across his stumps and missed a flick as the ball crashed onto the leg stump. Rahul Chahar couldn’t survive the hat-trick ball as he was pinned in front of the stumps to a slow dipping yorker. As soon as the finger was raised, he went on a celebratory run as his teammates couldn’t stop him. It was a magical moment for the 30-year-old right-arm pacer.

IPL 2021: Harshal Patel's Hat-trick

Harshal became the third RCB bowler to pick a hat-trick in IPL after Praveen Kumar and Samuel Badree. He also picked up a fifer against MI in the first match of the IPL at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. He loves bowling against Mumbai Indians it seems, as he finished the game with figures of 4/17 in 3.1 overs. Harshal knocked over Adam Milne to finish a dominant win over the defending champions.

Harshal Patel is the leading wicket-taker in the IPL this season with 23 wickets to his name in 10 matches. He is playing a major role for RCB in this edition and the win tonight sees them retain the third spot in the points table.

Image: @Instagram/HarshalVP23/BCCI