With over two hours of play washed out due to intermittent rain, and the stands still echoing with chants of “RCB, RCB”, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings finally took the field for a shortened 14-over-a-side contest. However, it was Punjab Kings who emerged victorious, as RCB’s struggles at home continued.
Despite a sluggish start — scoring just 8 runs off the first 11 balls — PBKS gradually began to find their rhythm before wickets started to tumble. With the pitch showing no signs of easing up for the batters, the Punjab side managed to keep the scoreboard ticking. At the other end, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar consistently chipped away with key wickets.
But it was a quickfire 33 off 19 balls from Nehal Wadhera that ultimately sealed the chase, helping PBKS cross the finish line with five wickets in hand and 11 balls to spare.
Earlier, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won an important toss and opted to bowl first. With the pitch under wraps and moisture around, batting wasn’t easy to start with. Despite RCB skipper Rajat Patidar stressing the importance of adapting smartly to the conditions, the hosts suffered a dramatic batting collapse.
They were reduced to 26 for 3 within the first four overs — the Powerplay. This came on the back of PBKS’ morale-boosting effort in their previous outing, where they successfully defended the lowest total in IPL history against Kolkata Knight Riders. Carrying that momentum forward, they dismantled RCB’s top and middle order, leaving them reeling at 42 for 7.
A late 21-run partnership between Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Tim David gave RCB a glimmer of hope. David’s gritty 50 off 26 balls lifted the team to a defendable total of 95, on a surface that was still not easing out. But it wasn’t enough, as PBKS held their nerve to secure two crucial points.