IPL 2024: Rawat, Karthik’s heroics take RCB to 173/6 as Mustafizur’s 4-29 rattles them

Chennai, March 22 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) made a brisk start, stumbled in the middle, and then finished off in a canter as they reached 173/6 in 20 overs thanks mainly to superb rearguard innings by Aunj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik, who scored 95 runs for the sixth wicket at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium here on Friday.The brisk start was provided by skipper Faf du Plessis, but the stumble was courtesy of the early dismissal of Virat Kohli (21), Rajat Patidar (0), Glenn Maxwell (0) Cameroon Green (18) and RCB slumped to 78/5 in the 12th over as Mustafizur Rahman knocked off three of those wickets, and Anuj Rawat (48) and Dinesh Karthik (38 not out) provided the final flourish as RCB reached a decent total in their opening match.Young Bangladesh Mustafizur Rahman was brilliant as he used the conditions well, varied the pace, mixed slow balls well, and ended with 4-29 in four overs.Skipper Faf du Plessis hammered eight fours in scoring a 23-ball 35 after winning the toss and electing to bat first. He and Virat Kohli, who crossed 12,000 runs in T20