Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s winless streak at home extended as they succumbed to a third consecutive defeat, losing by five wickets in a rain-affected, low-scoring clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. RCB managed just 95/9 in a 14-over-a-side encounter on a tricky surface — a total largely salvaged by Tim David’s maiden IPL fifty. Despite a spirited effort with the ball, including a three-wicket haul from Josh Hazlewood, Nehal Wadhera’s unbeaten 33 off 19 balls guided Punjab Kings to their fifth victory, propelling them to second place in the standings.
On a sluggish, two-paced pitch that favoured seamers, the difference between the sides came down to their handling of spin. Yuzvendra Chahal, using his vast experience at the Chinnaswamy, put RCB under pressure with an economical spell of 2 for 11 in three overs, while Marco Jansen complemented him well from the other end. In contrast, although Hazlewood caused discomfort with his bounce, RCB’s spin options — including Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya — failed to provide the necessary support. This allowed PBKS to outplay the hosts in the middle overs and secure a comfortable win.
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Arshdeep, Bartlett Rattle RCB in Powerplay Blitz
Phil Salt kicked off with a crisp straight drive for four off Arshdeep Singh, but his stay was short-lived as he top-edged a pull shot, brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Josh Inglis on the run. Rajat Patidar, promoted to No.3, looked positive from the outset, dispatching Arshdeep for a four and launching Xavier Bartlett for a six.
However, RCB’s woes continued when Virat Kohli also fell to a top-edge off Arshdeep, with Marco Jansen taking a sharp catch. Punjab Kings dominated the powerplay, with Bartlett adding to the damage by removing Liam Livingstone, as RCB struggled to break free on a surface offering assistance to the fast bowlers.
Chahal, Jansen Wreak Havoc as RCB Collapse Further
RCB’s innings continued to unravel as Jitesh Sharma fell in the sixth over, miscuing a sweep off Yuzvendra Chahal to the deep. Things went from bad to worse when Marco Jansen struck with the very first ball of the seventh over, dismissing Krunal Pandya caught behind off a short ball — a decision confirmed via DRS.
Rajat Patidar’s attempt to counterattack backfired as he holed out to long-off trying to take on Chahal. The slide didn’t stop there, with impact sub Manoj Bhandage trapped LBW by Jansen, and a failed review sealing his fate, deepening RCB’s batting woes.
Tim David’s Blazing Fifty Lifts RCB Amid Collapse
RCB finally found some relief through Tim David, who ended a prolonged boundary drought with two crisp fours off Arshdeep Singh in the 11th over. However, the relief was short-lived as Bhuvneshwar Kumar was dismissed by Harpreet Brar right after hitting a boundary. Harpreet struck again, trapping Yash Dayal LBW, though Josh Hazlewood managed to survive the hat-trick ball.
David then took charge, hammering a couple of leg-side boundaries off Bartlett and smartly keeping strike for the final over. Facing Harpreet again, he launched three consecutive sixes after two dot balls, racing to a 26-ball half-century and lifting RCB past the 90-run mark with a 21-run final over flourish.
RCB Make Early Inroads in Modest Defence
Defending a low total, RCB began with disciplined bowling as Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a tight three-run opening over. Yash Dayal followed, conceding nine runs, including a streaky four off Priyansh Arya’s edge. A missed opportunity in the deep by Dayal allowed Prabhsimran Singh to survive a top-edge, but the opener soon perished while going for another big shot, with Tim David taking a sharp catch.
Arya managed to top-edge a six off Josh Hazlewood in the final over of the powerplay but fell on the very next ball, giving David his second catch of the innings as RCB capitalized on poor shot selection to make early dents in PBKS’s chase.
Hazlewood’s Double Strike Keeps RCB in the Fight
Yash Dayal maintained the pressure with a tight fifth over, conceding just three runs with consistent back-of-a-length deliveries and exploiting the variable bounce. However, Krunal Pandya undid some of that control with a couple of short balls that Josh Inglis punished to both sides of the ground. Suyash Sharma followed up with a tidy four-run over as PBKS reached the halfway mark of their chase at 50 in the seventh over.
Inglis and Shreyas Iyer looked content rotating strike, but Josh Hazlewood swung the momentum back with two quick wickets — getting Iyer caught behind with a rising delivery and then dismissing Inglis at third man. PBKS found themselves in a brief lull without boundaries until Nehal Wadhera broke the shackles, reverse-sweeping Suyash for four and following it up with a towering six. Hazlewood tightened things again with a frugal 10th over, but PBKS still outpaced RCB’s earlier effort, keeping the required run rate comfortably below eight.
Wadhera Seals the Deal as RCB’s Home Woes Continue
Nehal Wadhera kept the scoreboard ticking with another powerful six off Suyash Sharma, while four byes and a lofted boundary over extra cover further tilted the chase in PBKS’s favour.
Though Bhuvneshwar Kumar managed to dismiss Shashank Singh, he couldn’t stop Wadhera, who smacked him for a six and a four in the same over. With only a few runs left, Marcus Stoinis applied the finishing touch, launching Yash Dayal over the ropes in the 13th over to wrap up the chase and extend RCB’s winless run at home.
What’s Next For Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings?
Both teams have a quick turnaround as they travel to Mullanpur for the reverse fixture on April 20, set to be played in the afternoon.
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FAQs
What was the result of the RCB vs PBKS match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium?
What was the result of the RCB vs PBKS match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium?
Who was the top performer for PBKS in the chase?
Nehal Wadhera was the standout, scoring an unbeaten 33 off 19 balls to guide PBKS to victory.
How did Tim David contribute to RCB’s total?
Tim David scored a quickfire 50 off 26 balls, including three consecutive sixes in the final over, helping RCB post 95/9.
Which bowlers made the biggest impact in the match?
Josh Hazlewood (3 wickets for RCB), Yuzvendra Chahal (2/11), and Marco Jansen (multiple key wickets) were the standout bowlers.
Why is RCB struggling at home this IPL season?
RCB’s struggles stem from poor batting performances, especially against spin, and an inability to defend low scores despite individual brilliance with the ball.
