Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the first team in IPL 2026 to qualify for the playoffs after defeating Punjab Kings by 23 runs in a high-scoring encounter at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday (May 17). The result marked a sixth straight defeat for the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings, who failed to chase down 223 after a top-order collapse.&nbsp;Chasing a daunting total, PBKS lost wickets in quick succession, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar striking twice in the powerplay to remove Priyansh Arya for a duck and the in-form Prabhsimran Singh for just two. Captain Shreyas Iyer also fell cheaply, leaving the side under pressure.&nbsp;&nbsp;Although Suryansh Shedge (35 off 22) and Cooper Connolly briefly steadied the innings and later Shashank Singh (42) and Marcus Stoinis (37) also contributed, but regular breakthroughs kept PBKS on the back foot.&nbsp;Despite a late push in the death overs, they finished short of the target as RCB sealed the win and booked their playoff spot with 18 points.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thailand-open-2026-satwik-chirag-settle-for-silver-after-final-loss-1779015016444">Thailand Open 2026: Satwik-Chirag settle for silver after final loss</a>&nbsp;Earlier, RCB had posted a commanding 222/4, powered by half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer. After a strong start in the powerplay, RCB kept the scoreboard ticking at a good pace and moved to 82/1 by the end of the seventh over.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2026-virat-kohli-scripts-history-becomes-first-batter-to-achieve-this-milestone-1779018856822">IPL 2026: Virat Kohli scripts history as first batter to reach THIS milestone</a> The impressive 76-run partnership between Kohli and Padikkal was eventually broken in the 10th over when Brar claimed his second wicket of the match by dismissing Padikkal for a quickfire 45 off 25 balls, an innings laced with four boundaries and three sixes. Kohli, who stitched two half-century stands, further extended his dominance in the tournament's record books. The RCB star has now been part of 138 partnerships of 50 or more runs in IPL history, comfortably ahead of Rohit Sharma, who occupies the second spot with 107 such stands. On the third delivery of the 17th over, Venkatesh brought up his maiden half-century of IPL 2026 in 29 balls. The milestone also marked the 13th fifty of his IPL career. By the end of the 18th over, Bengaluru had crossed the 200-run mark as Tim David and Venkatesh unleashed a flurry of attacking strokes to keep the scoring rate soaring. On the final ball of the 20th over, Arshdeep removed David after a quickfire 28 off just 12 deliveries, an innings featuring two boundaries and as many sixes, as RCB concluded their innings at a formidable 222/4. Venkatesh remained unbeaten on 73 from 40 balls, smashing eight fours and four sixes in a commanding knock. For PBKS, Brar was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/35, while Arshdeep and Chahal chipped in with one wicket each. Now, PBKS desperately need to win their next match against the already eliminated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Saturday to stay alive in the race for the playoffs.&nbsp;With inputs from agencies

Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs after defeating Punjab Kings in Dharamshala on Sunday.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the first team in IPL 2026 to qualify for the playoffs after defeating Punjab Kings by 23 runs in a high-scoring encounter at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday (May 17). The result marked a sixth straight defeat for the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings, who failed to chase down 223 after a top-order collapse. Chasing a daunting total, PBKS lost wickets in quick succession, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar striking twice in the powerplay to remove Priyansh Arya for a duck and the in-form Prabhsimran Singh for just two. Captain Shreyas Iyer also fell cheaply, leaving the side under pressure. Although Suryansh Shedge (35 off 22) and Cooper Connolly briefly steadied the innings and later Shashank Singh (42) and Marcus Stoinis (37) also contributed, but regular breakthroughs kept PBKS on the back foot. Despite a late push in the death overs, they finished short of the target as RCB sealed the win and booked their playoff spot with 18 points. Also Read - Thailand Open 2026: Satwik-Chirag settle for silver after final loss Earlier, RCB had posted a commanding 222/4, powered by half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Venkatesh Iyer. After a strong start in the powerplay, RCB kept the scoreboard ticking at a good pace and moved to 82/1 by the end of the seventh over. Also Read - IPL 2026: Virat Kohli scripts history as first batter to reach THIS milestone The impressive 76-run partnership between Kohli and Padikkal was eventually broken in the 10th over when Brar claimed his second wicket of the match by dismissing Padikkal for a quickfire 45 off 25 balls, an innings laced with four boundaries and three sixes. Kohli, who stitched two half-century stands, further extended his dominance in the tournament's record books. The RCB star has now been part of 138 partnerships of 50 or more runs in IPL history, comfortably ahead of Rohit Sharma, who occupies the second spot with 107 such stands. On the third delivery of the 17th over, Venkatesh brought up his maiden half-century of IPL 2026 in 29 balls. The milestone also marked the 13th fifty of his IPL career. By the end of the 18th over, Bengaluru had crossed the 200-run mark as Tim David and Venkatesh unleashed a flurry of attacking strokes to keep the scoring rate soaring. On the final ball of the 20th over, Arshdeep removed David after a quickfire 28 off just 12 deliveries, an innings featuring two boundaries and as many sixes, as RCB concluded their innings at a formidable 222/4. Venkatesh remained unbeaten on 73 from 40 balls, smashing eight fours and four sixes in a commanding knock. For PBKS, Brar was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 2/35, while Arshdeep and Chahal chipped in with one wicket each. Now, PBKS desperately need to win their next match against the already eliminated Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Saturday to stay alive in the race for the playoffs. With inputs from agencies

Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the first team to qualify for the IPL 2026 playoffs after defeating Punjab Kings in Dharamshala on Sunday.

IPL 2026: RCB first to seal playoff spot after dominant win over PBKS

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the IPL 2025 Final on Tuesday (June 3) to finally win their maiden trophy. It took RCB 18 seasons to get their hands on the IPL trophy and they won it with some style at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.Chasing 191, PBKS started well and added 43 runs for the first wicket before a sensational catch by Phil Salt sent back dangerous Priyansh Arya back for 24. PBKS finished the powerplay at 52/1 as Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis continued to attack.Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-creates-ipl-history-surpasses-shikhar-dhawan-to-become-player-with-most-1748957307503">Virat Kohli creates IPL history, surpasses Shikhar Dhawan to become player with most…</a>The duo added 29 runs in short time before Krunal Pandya dismissed Singh for 26. Skipper Shreyas Iyer was caught out seven balls later as Punjab's innings lost the momentum. With Inglis taken out by Pandya on the first ball of 13th over, PBKS slumped to 98/4, still 93 runs away from the target.Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh added 38 runs for the fifth wicket to gain some steam but Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two wickets in three balls to effectively close the door on PBKS.Needing 47 runs in last three overs, Yash Dayal dismissed Azmatullah Omarzai and Shashank was left to much to do on his own. PBKS eventually managed 184/7 in 20 overs and still remain title less. Shashank remained not out on 61 off 30 balls but it was not enough in the end.Earlier, RCB lost the toss and were asked to bat first. Bengaluru opener Phil Salt hit 13 runs in the first over but played one shot too many and was dismissed in the next over. Virat Kohli and Mayank Agarwal then took RCB through the powerplay unscathed as they finished the first six overs at 55/1.Yuzvendra Chahal came to bowl just after the powerplay and dismissed Agarwal (24 off 18) immediately to break the 38-run second wicket partnership. Kohli then added 40 runs with skipper Rajat Patidar before the latter was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson for 26 off 17 balls as RCB slumped to 96/2 in 11th over.Kohli (43) was next to go while trying to change gears as RCB lost momentum and looked to finish at score of 170-odd runs. Liam Livingstone (25 off 15), Jitesh Sharma (24 off 10) and Romario Shepherd (17 of 9) then played handy innings to take RCB near to 200-run mark.Arshdeen Singh, however, took three wickets in the last over as RCB finished at 190/9 in 20 overs.

Needing 47 runs in last three overs, Yash Dayal dismissed Azmatullah Omarzai and Shashank was left to much to do on his own. PBKS eventually managed 184/7 in 20 overs and still remain title less.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in the IPL 2025 Final on Tuesday (June 3) to finally win their maiden trophy. It took RCB 18 seasons to get their hands on the IPL trophy and they won it with some style at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. Chasing 191, PBKS started well and added 43 runs for the first wicket before a sensational catch by Phil Salt sent back dangerous Priyansh Arya back for 24. PBKS finished the powerplay at 52/1 as Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis continued to attack. Also Read - Virat Kohli creates IPL history, surpasses Shikhar Dhawan to become player with most… The duo added 29 runs in short time before Krunal Pandya dismissed Singh for 26. Skipper Shreyas Iyer was caught out seven balls later as Punjab's innings lost the momentum. With Inglis taken out by Pandya on the first ball of 13th over, PBKS slumped to 98/4, still 93 runs away from the target. Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh added 38 runs for the fifth wicket to gain some steam but Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two wickets in three balls to effectively close the door on PBKS. Needing 47 runs in last three overs, Yash Dayal dismissed Azmatullah Omarzai and Shashank was left to much to do on his own. PBKS eventually managed 184/7 in 20 overs and still remain title less. Shashank remained not out on 61 off 30 balls but it was not enough in the end. Earlier, RCB lost the toss and were asked to bat first. Bengaluru opener Phil Salt hit 13 runs in the first over but played one shot too many and was dismissed in the next over. Virat Kohli and Mayank Agarwal then took RCB through the powerplay unscathed as they finished the first six overs at 55/1. Yuzvendra Chahal came to bowl just after the powerplay and dismissed Agarwal (24 off 18) immediately to break the 38-run second wicket partnership. Kohli then added 40 runs with skipper Rajat Patidar before the latter was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson for 26 off 17 balls as RCB slumped to 96/2 in 11th over. Kohli (43) was next to go while trying to change gears as RCB lost momentum and looked to finish at score of 170-odd runs. Liam Livingstone (25 off 15), Jitesh Sharma (24 off 10) and Romario Shepherd (17 of 9) then played handy innings to take RCB near to 200-run mark. Arshdeen Singh, however, took three wickets in the last over as RCB finished at 190/9 in 20 overs.

Needing 47 runs in last three overs, Yash Dayal dismissed Azmatullah Omarzai and Shashank was left to much to do on his own. PBKS eventually managed 184/7 in 20 overs and still remain title less.

IPL 2025 Final: RCB break title curse, beat Punjab Kings by 6 runs to win maiden title

RCB vs PBKS LIVE Score Updates, IPL 2025 Final: Punjab Kings(PBKS) have won the toss and elected to field first in the title winning clash. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2025 Final on Tuesday (June 3) at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. The IPL got a new winner in RCB as they ended their 18-year-long drought.RCB have clicked as a team this season wit Virat Kohli once again at the forefront of run making. PBKS, meanwhile, are riding high after their sensational Qualifier 2 win against Mumbai Indians which was spearheaded by skipper Shreyas Iyer.RCB have a bit of advantage as they beaten the same team in the Qualifier 1 to enter their fourth final but would also be wary of their capabilities as shown in Qualifier 2.Shreyas Iyer has been in superb form for the Kings with the bat as well after scoring 600+ runs at a strike rate of 172.In case of the rain, the IPL has allotted 120 minutes extra before the overs start to get deducted but hopefully the teams will be able to a full match just as in Qualifier 2 where rain did delay the start but the match continued smoothly once started.

The inevitable has happened. Royal Challengers Bengaluru have broken their 18-year draught to lift their maiden IPL title. They beat Punjab Kings by 6 runs to lift the coveted trophy.

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Royal Challengers Bengaluru lift maiden IPL title

With Azmatullah now dismissed, RCB are on verge of winning maiden IPL titleAzmatullah Omarzai c sub (MS Bhandage) b Yash Dayal 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: RCB on verge of winning maiden IPL title

RCB got another boost as Marcus Stoinis was dismissed after hitting a six off his first ball.Marcus Stoinis c Yash Dayal b Kumar 6 (2b 0x4 1x6) SR: 300

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Two wickets in one over as RCB back in the game

Punjab Kings suffered another setback in their run-chase as Nehal was dismissed by B Kumar.&nbsp;Nehal Wadhera c Pandya b Kumar 15 (18b 0x4 1x6) SR: 83.33

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: PBKS suffer setback as Nehal dismissed

Punjab Kings need 72 runs off last five overs. For Punjab, Shashank Singh and Nehal Wadhera are at the crease.PBKS: 120/4 (15 overs)

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: PBKS need 72 runs off last five overs

Krunal Pandya strikes again for RCB as Josh Inglis is the next batsman to get out.PBKS: 98/4 (12.1 overs)Josh Inglis c Livingstone b Pandya 39 (23b 1x4 4x6) SR: 169.56

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: PBKS 98/4 as Josh Inglis goes

Shreyas Iyer has been dismissed by Romario Shepherd for just 1 run.Shreyas Iyer c †Sharma b Shepherd 1 (2b 0x4 0x6) SR: 50

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Shreyas Iyer gone!

Just after the strategic timeout, Punjab Kings suffered a setback as &nbsp;Krunal Pandya dismissed Prabhsimran Singh, who was looking dangerous out in the middlePBKS: 72/2 (8.3 overs)

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Krunal Pandya dismisses Prabhsimran Singh

Punjab Kings are cruising through in their run chase. Josh Inglis along with Prabhsimran Singh are dominating RCB bowlersPBKS: 70/1 (8 overs)

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Punjab Kings cruising in run-chase

Punjab Kings finished their powerplay with a score of 52/1. For Punjab Kings, Josh Inglis and Prabhsimran are at the crease.PBKS: 52/1 (6 overs)

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Punjab Kings 52/1 at end of powerplay

Phil Salt takes an absolute acrobatic catch to dismiss Priyansh Arya (24 off 19) off Josh Hazlewood bowling.PBKS: 43/1 (5 overs)

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Phil Salt takes an acrobatic catch 

Priyansh and Prabhsimran have given the perfect platform to their team while chasing down 191 set by RCB.PBKS: 32/0 (4 overs)

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Priyansh, Prabhsimran keep it going for PBKS

Openers Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh are off to a sensational start. They are chasing 191 set by RCB.PBKS: 23/0 (2 overs)

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Punjab Kings off to a flying start

Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh are at the crease for Punjab Kings

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: Punjab Kings start their innings

Sensational last over by Arshdeep as he takes three wickets and give away just two runs to keep RCB well short of 200.RCB: 190/9

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 20

Another wicket by Arshdeep as he takes out Krunal.RCB: 189/8Krunal Pandya c Iyer b Arshdeep Singh 4

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: WICKET

What a slower ball by Arshdeep and takes out Shephard.RCB: 188/7Romario Shepherd lbw b Arshdeep Singh 17

Good four balls then 10 runs in the last two balls makes it RCB's over - 200 still on cards.RCB: 187/6

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 19

Just five runs and a wicket! Sensational over by Vyshak and may have turned the tide on RCB after the 23-run Jamieson over.RCB: 173/6

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 18

What a ball! Vyshak takes out Jitesh as he hits top of off. RCB lose momentum againRCB: 171/6Jitesh Sharma b Vyshak 24

A hugely successful over for RCB as they have pushed the projected score towards 190 with 23 runs in Jamieson's last over.RCB: 168/5

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 17

Jamieson has the last laugh as he traps Livingstone LBW on a full toss!RCB: 167/5Liam Livingstone lbw b Jamieson 25

A lifeline for Jitesh Sharma in the over, will it prove costly?RCB: 145/4

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 16

What an over by Omarzai at a very crucial juncture of play - just seven runs and the wicket of Virat Kohli.RCB: 132/4

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 15

Kohli is gone! Omarzai bowls a short one, Kohli top edges and Omazai completes a fine ctach at midwicket.RCB: 131/4Virat Kohli c &amp; b Azmatullah Omarzai 43

RCB change gears as Livingstone and Kohli hit Chahal for 14 runs in his last over including a couple of boundaries.RCB: 125/3

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 14

RCB have been put in a rut as the boundaries dry up and PBKS inch ahead in the contest.RCB: 111/3

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 13

Perfect follow up over by Chahal after a wicket as he attacks wickets and targets new batter Liam Livingstone.RCB: 103/3

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 12

Great over by Kiwi Jamieson as he keep PBKS inch ahead of RCB with his second wicket.RCB: 97/3

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 11

Jamieson strikes again and takes out RCB skipper Rajat Patidar with a perfect dipping yorker.RCB: 96/3Rajat Patidar lbw b Jamieson 26

RCB may not be happy with the score mid-inning marks but they have the wickets in hand and can change gears any time,RCB: 87/2

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 10

Chahal keeps things tight barring a six by RCB skipper Rajat Patidar.RCB: 80/2

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 9

Decent over by Vyshak, giveing away just 8 runs, as RCB tick along the scorecard.RCB: 69/2

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 8

Great first over by Chahal as gives away just six runs and takes a wicket as well.RCB: 61/2

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 7

Chahal strikes in the first over as Mayank perishes trying to cross the boundary. PBKS strike right after a strong powerplay for RCB.RCB: 56/2Mayank Agarwal c Arshdeep Singh b Chahal 24

RCB have done well in the powerplay as they cross fifty in the powerplay for loss of just one wicket with Kohli still on the crease.RCB: 55/1

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 6 (powerplay over)

A good over by PBKS' Azmat Omarzai as he given only seven runs in the powerplay.RCB: 46/1

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 5

Virat Kohli has surpassed Shikhar Dhawan to become the player with the most boundaries in history of the Indian Premier League.The swashbuckling batsman achieved this feat when he hit Kyle Jamieson for a boundary in the third over of the 2025 IPL final being played at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday (June 3).<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-creates-ipl-history-surpasses-shikhar-dhawan-to-become-player-with-most-1748957307503">Read Full Story</a>

History for KOHLI

RCB seeming have found the groove after losing Salt in the second over as PBKS pacers leak boundaries at regular interval.RCB: 39/1

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 4

It was nearly a perfect over for PBKS by Arshdeep before Mayank Agarwal hit a six on the last ball to make it 11 from the over.RCB: 30/1

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 3

Fantastic over for PBKS as RCB lose a wicket.RCB: 19/1

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 2

Phil Salt plays one shot too many and gets caught at long on off Kyle Jamieson.RCB: 18/1Phil Salt c Iyer b Jamieson 16

Salt hits a six and a four as RCB start confidently in the first over against Arshdeep Singh.RCB: 13/0

RCB vs PBKS Live Score Updates: End of over 1

RCB and PBKS have announced their playing eleven for the finals. Both the teams are going with an unchanged team.RCB: V. Kohli, P. Salt, M. Agarwal, R. Patidar (c), L. Livingstone, J. Sharma (wk), R. Shepherd, K. Pandya, B. Kumar, Y. Dayal, J. HazlewoodPBKS: P.Arya, J.Ingis (wk), S Iyer (c), N. Wadhera, S.Singh, M.Stoinis, V.Vyakshak, A.Omarzai, K. Jamieson, Y.Chahal, A.Singh

RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 Final: Playing XI for both teams announced

Punjab Kings have won the toss and elected to field first in the high octane clash.

RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 Final: Toss time

Songs like ‘Lehra Do‘, ’Maa Tujhe Salam’, ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Kando se Kandhe Milte Hai’ echoed at the Narendra Modi stadium. The fans were also seen waving the Indian Tricolor high, with a high sense of patriotism. <img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2025/20250603/image-1748956686095.png">

RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 Final: Patriotic songs at the Narendra Modi Stadium

Songs like ‘Lehra Do‘, ’Maa Tujhe Salam’, ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Kando se Kandhe Milte Hai’ echoed at the Narendra Modi stadium. The fans were also seen waving the Indian Tricolor high, with a high sense of patriotism. &lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="en" dir="ltr"&gt;Lighting up the &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Final?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#Final&lt;/a&gt; with an enthusiastic Tribute Ceremony 🇮🇳&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#TATAIPL&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvPBKS?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#RCBvPBKS&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Final?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#Final&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheLastMile?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#TheLastMile&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://t.co/b0WptvNnIO"&gt;pic.twitter.com/b0WptvNnIO&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1929887532101317011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;June 3, 2025&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;

This day belongs to the Nation

Indian singer Shankar Mahadevan performs with his sons Shivam and Siddharth Mahadevan at the closing ceremony. The entire Narendra Modi stadium echoes in melodious vibes for the Indian Armed Forces who led the Operation Sindoor. <img src="https://cdn1.wionews.com/prod/wion/images/2025/20250603/image-1748955908795.png">

RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 Final: Shankar Mahadevan performs at the closing ceremony

RCB and PBKS have faced each other 36 times in IPL history. Both teams have been cut-throat against each other winning 18 games each. Additionally, RCB have featured in 16 playoff matches, but have won only six. On the other hand, PBKS have a poor record too with just one win in five games. Both sides will look to turn things around this time and lift the coveted trophy.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/ipl-2025-final-pbks-vs-rcb-head-to-head-records-playoff-stats-and-iconic-performances-details-inside-1748933723438/1748933723440">Check Full Story</a>

IPL 2025 Final | RCB vs PBKS: Head-to-head records, playoff performances and more

As the stage is all set for the high-octane clash, rain threatens over Narendra Modi stadium. The weather in the capital city of Gujarat doesn't seem fine with rain interruptions predicted. Earlier, the IPL final was scheduled at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. However, the BCCI had shifted the venue citing the weather conditions in the City of Joy.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-final-will-rain-play-a-spoilsport-in-summit-clash-1748878413222">Check Full Story</a>

IPL 2025 Final: Will it rain?

The Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) season will drop curtains on an epic season as Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings square off in the summit clash on Tuesday (June 3). With high expectations from both camps, the contest at the Narendra Modi Stadium will crown a new IPL champion as both Punjab and Bengaluru are yet to taste victory in the coveted tournament. So who has the edge as we analyse the chances?<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-final-rcb-vs-pbks-winner-prediction-rcb-vs-pbks-winner-prediction-who-will-win-ipl-2025-final-1748924396799">Read Here</a>

IPL 2025 final, RCB vs PBKS: Winner Prediction

Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are all set to lock horns in a high-octane<a href="https://www.wionews.com/live-updates/sports/rcb-vs-pbks-live-score-check-over-by-over-updates-of-ipl-2025-final-from-narendra-modi-stadium-virat-kohli-vs-shreyas-iyer-1748944728693"> IPL final </a>clash on Tuesday (June 3) at the Narendra Modi stadium. Both franchises are eyeing their maiden IPL title to end the 17-year trophy drought.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/what-did-ai-like-chatgpt-and-gemini-predicted-about-the-winning-team-of-ipl-final-2025-1748948899629">Read Here</a>

Who will win IPL 2025 Final: AI tools predict

A new Indian Premier League (IPL) champion will be crowned on Tuesday (June 3) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lock horns with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the summit clash. A clash set to take centre stage at the Narendra Modi Stadium will be no less than a spectacle for neutral fans as one of the two teams will have their hands on the trophy for the first time…<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-final-rcb-vs-pbks-preview-new-champion-in-waiting-as-bengaluru-punjab-square-off-in-ahmedabad-1748918953215">Read complete preview</a>

IPL 2025 final, RCB vs PBKS Preview: New champion in waiting

The Indian Premier League (IPL) season 18 will drop curtains on Tuesday (June 3) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) play Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in the summit clash. With a guaranteed new winner, fans will be eager to witness either Virat Kohli or Shreyas Iyer lift the trophy in Ahmedabad. However, that equation will depend on weather gods as Ahmedabad, the host city for the final has seen rain play spoilsport. So what happens if rain plays spoilsport in the IPL 2025 final between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru?<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-final-rcb-vs-pbks-what-happens-if-rain-washes-out-summit-clash-is-there-a-reserve-day-check-details-here-1748926561659">Read Here</a>

IPL 2025 final, RCB vs PBKS: What happens if rain plays spoilsport

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) could be handed a major blow ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) final as Tim David and Phil Salt are doubtful for the clash on Tuesday (June 3). Playing in their fourth final in the IPL, if the reports are confirmed it will be a major blow considering RCB are bidding for their maiden title. They face Punjab Kings in the summit clash at the Narendra Modi Stadium with the opponent also buying for their maiden title.<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-final-tim-david-phil-salt-doubtful-for-crunch-finale-for-rcb-report-1748939946649">Read Full Story</a>

IPL 2025 Final: Tim David, Phil Salt doubtful 

RCB vs PBKS LIVE Score, IPL 2025 Final: The Indian Premier League is all set to get a new winner in red-hot final as Shreyas Iyer's Punjab takes on Patidar's Bengaluru featuring Virat Kohli.

RCB vs PBKS LIVE Score Updates, IPL 2025 Final: Punjab Kings(PBKS) have won the toss and elected to field first in the title winning clash. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are set to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2025 Final on Tuesday (June 3) at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad. The IPL got a new winner in RCB as they ended their 18-year-long drought. RCB have clicked as a team this season wit Virat Kohli once again at the forefront of run making. PBKS, meanwhile, are riding high after their sensational Qualifier 2 win against Mumbai Indians which was spearheaded by skipper Shreyas Iyer. RCB have a bit of advantage as they beaten the same team in the Qualifier 1 to enter their fourth final but would also be wary of their capabilities as shown in Qualifier 2. Shreyas Iyer has been in superb form for the Kings with the bat as well after scoring 600+ runs at a strike rate of 172. In case of the rain, the IPL has allotted 120 minutes extra before the overs start to get deducted but hopefully the teams will be able to a full match just as in Qualifier 2 where rain did delay the start but the match continued smoothly once started.

RCB vs PBKS LIVE Score, IPL 2025 Final: The Indian Premier League is all set to get a new winner in red-hot final as Shreyas Iyer's Punjab takes on Patidar's Bengaluru featuring Virat Kohli.

HIGHLIGHTS | RCB vs PBKS Final Score: Royal Challengers Bengaluru lift maiden IPL title

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were looking at a total of 170-ish in the IPL 2025 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday (June 3) when Jitesh Sharma provided them the needed push. The RCB wicketkeeper-batter, during his cameo of 10-ball 24 runs, hit two fours and two sixes and pushed RCB's total of 190.Out of his two sixes, one was especially sensational as he played a Suryakumar Yadav-type scoop but while standing. On the first ball of the 17th over, Punjab's Kyle Jamieson dropped a good length ball which Jitesh hit just behind the wicketkeeper and it went for a six. Have a look at the video below:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Unorthodox? ✅ Down the ground? ✅ Jitesh Sharma is turning it on in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Final?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Final</a>! 💪 Updates ▶ <a href="https://t.co/U5zvVhcvdo">https://t.co/U5zvVhcvdo</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvPBKS</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Final?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Final</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheLastMile?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheLastMile</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/jiteshsharma_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jiteshsharma_</a> <a href="https://t.co/9JbC7ktpGX">pic.twitter.com/9JbC7ktpGX</a>&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1929925028730355973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Earlier, RCB lost the toss and were asked to bat first. Bengaluru opener Phil Salt hit 13 runs in the first over but played one shot too many and was dismissed in the next over. Virat Kohli and Mayank Agarwal then took RCB through the powerplay unscathed as they finished the first six overs at 55/1.Also Watch: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rcb-vs-pbks-ipl-2025-final-watch-phil-salt-takes-catch-of-the-match-to-dismiss-dangerous-priyansh-arya-1748969125833">Phil Salt takes CATCH OF THE MATCH to dismiss dangerous Priyansh Arya</a>Yuzvendra Chahal came to bowl just after the powerplay and dismissed Agarwal (24 off 18) immediately to break the 38-run second wicket partnership. Kohli then added 40 runs with skipper Rajat Patidar before the latter was dismissed by Kyle Jamieson for 26 off 17 balls as RCB slumped to 96/2 in 11th over.Kohli (43) was next to go while trying to change gears as RCB lost momentum and looked to finish at score of 170-odd runs. Liam Livingstone (25 off 15), Jitesh Sharma (24 off 10) and Romario Shepherd (17 of 9) then played handy innings to take RCB near to 200-run mark.Arshdeen Singh, however, took three wickets in the last over as RCB finished at 190/9 in 20 overs.

On the first ball of the 17th over, Punjab's Kyle Jamieson dropped a good length ball which Jitesh hit just behind the wicketkeeper and it went for a six.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were looking at a total of 170-ish in the IPL 2025 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday (June 3) when Jitesh Sharma provided them the needed push. The RCB wicketkeeper-batter, during his cameo of 10-ball 24 runs, hit two fours and two sixes and pushed RCB's total of 190. Out of his two sixes, one was especially sensational as he played a Suryakumar Yadav-type scoop but while standing. On the first ball of the 17th over, Punjab's Kyle Jamieson dropped a good length ball which Jitesh hit just behind the wicketkeeper and it went for a six. Have a look at the video below:

On the first ball of the 17th over, Punjab's Kyle Jamieson dropped a good length ball which Jitesh hit just behind the wicketkeeper and it went for a six.

RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 Final: WATCH | Jitesh Sharma hits INCREDIBLE scoop which even SKY would be proud of

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer is not ready to drop the guard despite his team suffering an eight-wicket loss at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur. The table toppers were a pale shadow of themselves in the first playoff game this season, getting all out on a mere 101 inside 15 overs. Though they had their moments in the second innings, the hosts failed to defend the total as RCB won the match and qualified for the final.&nbsp;Punjab batted first on a tricky Mullanpur pitch, losing four wickets inside the Powerplay, including their captain, Iyer. RCB seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal and returning Josh Hazlewood all made light work of all PBKS run-getters before spinner Suyesh Sharma broke their back with three wickets in his first two overs.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2025-eliminator-mi-vs-gt-match-preview-no-second-chance-as-gujarat-mumbai-prepare-1748588333787">Preview - No second chance as Gujarat-Mumbai prepare for IPL 2025 Eliminator</a> &nbsp;Overseas all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai tried saving Punjab’s sinking ship but failed, as they got out cheaply in front of their home crowd. In the second innings, they picked two wickets but conceded the result inside 11 overs. &nbsp;However, they are not out of the tournament yet; to finish inside the top two, they must win Qualifier 2, where they face the winner of the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. &nbsp;“Not a day to forget, but got to go back to the drawing board. We lost a lot of wickets (in the first innings. There’s a lot to go back and study on,” Iyer reflected on his side’s eight-wicket loss against RCB. &nbsp;He, however, backed his planning for this clash but admitted that failed execution led to this outcome, which they need to work on before the next game. &nbsp;“I am not doubting my decisions, to be honest. Whatever we did in terms of planning, outside of the ground whatever (planning) we did, I think it was on point. Just that we couldn’t execute it on the field,” Iyer continued.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Can’t even blame the bowlers, as it was a low total to defend. We’ve got to work on our batting, especially on this wicket. In all the games we have played here, there has been some variable bounce.” &nbsp;He concluded by saying, “We can’t give such reasons because we are professionals at the end of the day, and we have to bat according to the situation and we have to live up to it.”

‘We have lost the battle but not the war’: PBKS captain Iyer not ready to drop guard despite Qualifier 1 thrashing

Punjab Kings (PBKS) captain Shreyas Iyer is not ready to drop the guard despite his team suffering an eight-wicket loss at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur. The table toppers were a pale shadow of themselves in the first playoff game this season, getting all out on a mere 101 inside 15 overs. Though they had their moments in the second innings, the hosts failed to defend the total as RCB won the match and qualified for the final. Punjab batted first on a tricky Mullanpur pitch, losing four wickets inside the Powerplay, including their captain, Iyer. RCB seamers Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal and returning Josh Hazlewood all made light work of all PBKS run-getters before spinner Suyesh Sharma broke their back with three wickets in his first two overs. Also read | Preview - No second chance as Gujarat-Mumbai prepare for IPL 2025 Eliminator Overseas all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai tried saving Punjab’s sinking ship but failed, as they got out cheaply in front of their home crowd. In the second innings, they picked two wickets but conceded the result inside 11 overs. However, they are not out of the tournament yet; to finish inside the top two, they must win Qualifier 2, where they face the winner of the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans. “Not a day to forget, but got to go back to the drawing board. We lost a lot of wickets (in the first innings. There’s a lot to go back and study on,” Iyer reflected on his side’s eight-wicket loss against RCB. He, however, backed his planning for this clash but admitted that failed execution led to this outcome, which they need to work on before the next game. “I am not doubting my decisions, to be honest. Whatever we did in terms of planning, outside of the ground whatever (planning) we did, I think it was on point. Just that we couldn’t execute it on the field,” Iyer continued. “Can’t even blame the bowlers, as it was a low total to defend. We’ve got to work on our batting, especially on this wicket. In all the games we have played here, there has been some variable bounce.” He concluded by saying, “We can’t give such reasons because we are professionals at the end of the day, and we have to bat according to the situation and we have to live up to it.”

PBKS are not out of the tournament yet; to finish inside the top two, they must win Qualifier 2, where they face the winner of the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans.

Punjab Kings crumbled for 101 in Qualifier 1 against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bengaluru">Royal Challengers Bengaluru</a> in New Chandigarh stadium on Thursday (May 29). RCB bowlers tore apart Punjab's batting lineup with all-round attack of swing and spin bowling.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yash-dayal">Yash Dayal</a> drew the first blood for RCB by dismissing Punjab's opening batter Priyansh Arya for a mere seven runs. In the very next over Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed second opener Prabhsimran Singh.&nbsp;&nbsp;Things went worse for Punjab as Josh Hazlewood dealt a double blow by dismissing skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shreyas-iyer">Shreyas Iyer</a> and Josh Inglis. Eventually, Punjab was reduced to 48/4 after the first six overs of powerplay.&nbsp;Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-shane-watson-makes-bold-prediction-ahead-of-playoffs-says-rcb-will-win-the-tournament-1748516366730">IPL 2025: Shane Watson makes bold prediction ahead of Playoffs, says THIS team will win the tournament</a>&nbsp;Yash Dayal came back to pick up another wicket, sending back Nehal Wadhera early in the seventh over. Then came the magic of leggie Suyash Sharma. In his very first over, he dismissed Shashank Singh with a sharp googly and trapped Musheer Khan leg before the wicket.&nbsp;Marcus Stoinis looked like he could fight back for his team with some aggressive hitting, but Suyash struck again, dismissing the Australian all-rounder. At the end of 11 overs, PBKS were tottering at 78/8.&nbsp;Azmatullah Omarzai tried to resist, hitting two sixes off Suyash. But wickets kept falling at regular intervals as Romario Shepherd bowled Harpreet Brar in the 14th over. Hazlewood wrapped things up by dismissing Azmatullah, ending Punjab’s innings for just 101. This is Punjab's lowest ever score in IPL playoffs.&nbsp;Stoinis was the top scorer for PBKS with 26 runs. Eight Punjab batters couldn’t even reach a double-digit score.&nbsp;For RCB, Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood were the stars with the ball, picking up three wickets each. Yash Dayal took two, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Romario Shepherd grabbed one each.&nbsp;RCB will now carry great momentum into the second innings after a dominating performance. &nbsp;

PBKS have recorded their lowest ever score in IPL playoffs. 

Punjab Kings crumbled for 101 in Qualifier 1 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in New Chandigarh stadium on Thursday (May 29). RCB bowlers tore apart Punjab's batting lineup with all-round attack of swing and spin bowling. Yash Dayal drew the first blood for RCB by dismissing Punjab's opening batter Priyansh Arya for a mere seven runs. In the very next over Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed second opener Prabhsimran Singh. Things went worse for Punjab as Josh Hazlewood dealt a double blow by dismissing skipper Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis. Eventually, Punjab was reduced to 48/4 after the first six overs of powerplay. Also Read | IPL 2025: Shane Watson makes bold prediction ahead of Playoffs, says THIS team will win the tournament Yash Dayal came back to pick up another wicket, sending back Nehal Wadhera early in the seventh over. Then came the magic of leggie Suyash Sharma. In his very first over, he dismissed Shashank Singh with a sharp googly and trapped Musheer Khan leg before the wicket. Marcus Stoinis looked like he could fight back for his team with some aggressive hitting, but Suyash struck again, dismissing the Australian all-rounder. At the end of 11 overs, PBKS were tottering at 78/8. Azmatullah Omarzai tried to resist, hitting two sixes off Suyash. But wickets kept falling at regular intervals as Romario Shepherd bowled Harpreet Brar in the 14th over. Hazlewood wrapped things up by dismissing Azmatullah, ending Punjab’s innings for just 101. This is Punjab's lowest ever score in IPL playoffs. Stoinis was the top scorer for PBKS with 26 runs. Eight Punjab batters couldn’t even reach a double-digit score. For RCB, Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood were the stars with the ball, picking up three wickets each. Yash Dayal took two, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Romario Shepherd grabbed one each. RCB will now carry great momentum into the second innings after a dominating performance.

Stoinis was the top scorer for PBKS with 26 runs. Eight Punjab batters couldn’t even reach a double-digit score

IPL 2025, RCB vs PBKS: Punjab crumbles for 101 against red-hot Bengaluru in Qualifier 1

Punjab Kings (PBKS) will take on <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/royal-challengers-bengaluru">Royal Challengers Bengaluru</a> (RCB), on Thursday (May 30) in Qualifier 1 at the New Chandigarh stadium in Mullanpur. Both teams are in a hunt for their maiden <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl">IPL</a> title and will look to win this one and go one step closer to the silverware.&nbsp;Both teams have finished their league stage with 19 points from 14 outings. However, PBKS tops the table due to superior run rate.As the stage is all set for a high-octane clash, let's have a look at the weather forecast for Mullanpur.&nbsp;Weather forecast&nbsp;As per the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/imd">Indian Meteorological Department (IMD)</a>, the temperature over there is between 40- 45 °C with no chance of rain interrupting the game. However, if there are any rain interruptions, both teams should at least play five overs per side to determine the winner based on Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) calculations.&nbsp;Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/india-a-vs-england-lions-1st-unofficial-test-live-streaming-when-and-where-to-watch-live-on-smart-tv-mobile-app-and-match-details-check-inside-1748505202409">India A vs England Lions 1st unofficial Test live streaming | When and where to watch, live on smart TV, mobile app and match details. Check inside</a>&nbsp;No reserve day&nbsp;Additionally, if rain forbids to have a five-over each-side game, the team finishing ahead in the points table after the league stage would advance to the finals. For instance, PBKS shall advance to the finals and RCB might have to play the Qualifier 2 game on Sunday (June 1). BCCI has not allowed any reserve day for the playoffs, instead, they have introduced an extra 120 minutes to avoid washouts.&nbsp;Pitch report and average score&nbsp;The average score at the venue has been 173 and the recent drift suggests the team winning the toss should defend as teams batting first have won three times out of four games.&nbsp;Interestingly, the previous match played at the venue was between these two sides. RCB had a comfortable win over PBKS by seven wickets before restricting PBKS to 157/6 in 20 overs.&nbsp;It will be fascinating to see who wins this game and heads to Ahmedabad for the title game.

As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the temperature over there is between 40- 45 °C with no chance of rain interrupting the game.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), on Thursday (May 30) in Qualifier 1 at the New Chandigarh stadium in Mullanpur. Both teams are in a hunt for their maiden IPL title and will look to win this one and go one step closer to the silverware. Both teams have finished their league stage with 19 points from 14 outings. However, PBKS tops the table due to superior run rate. As the stage is all set for a high-octane clash, let's have a look at the weather forecast for Mullanpur. Weather forecast As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the temperature over there is between 40- 45 °C with no chance of rain interrupting the game. However, if there are any rain interruptions, both teams should at least play five overs per side to determine the winner based on Duckworth-Lewis (DLS) calculations. Also Read | India A vs England Lions 1st unofficial Test live streaming | When and where to watch, live on smart TV, mobile app and match details. Check inside No reserve day Additionally, if rain forbids to have a five-over each-side game, the team finishing ahead in the points table after the league stage would advance to the finals. For instance, PBKS shall advance to the finals and RCB might have to play the Qualifier 2 game on Sunday (June 1). BCCI has not allowed any reserve day for the playoffs, instead, they have introduced an extra 120 minutes to avoid washouts. Pitch report and average score The average score at the venue has been 173 and the recent drift suggests the team winning the toss should defend as teams batting first have won three times out of four games. Interestingly, the previous match played at the venue was between these two sides. RCB had a comfortable win over PBKS by seven wickets before restricting PBKS to 157/6 in 20 overs. It will be fascinating to see who wins this game and heads to Ahmedabad for the title game.

As per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the temperature over there is between 40- 45 °C with no chance of rain interrupting the game.

PBKS vs RCB Qualifier 1 | What happens if rain plays spoilsport - who advances to final? Check weather forecast, pitch report and more

Match 58 of the IPL 2024 edition saw the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pull&nbsp;off an impressive 60-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday (May 9). With this result, RCB continue to stay alive in the playoffs race, with 10 points from 12 games, whereas Punjab are now officially eliminated from the tournament. During the high-scorer in Dharamsala, Virat Kohli made maximum noise with a brilliant 47-ball 92 and also inflicted a run-out with a brilliant direct hit.

During the PBKS run-chase, they started off well and were 114-3 at the halfway mark. Nonetheless, they were soon reduced to 132-5 in 12 overs with in-form batter Shashank Singh being joined by stand-in captain Sam Curran. With not much batting left, the duo had a herculean task to keep their side in the hunt and tried to push the game till the last over. A partnership started brewing between Shashank-Curran before Kohli's fielding, courtesy of his immaculate fitness standards, inflicted a run-out to send Shashank back into the pavilion.

It all happened on the fourth ball of the 13th over, by Lockie Ferguson, when Sam Curran played a short-pitched delivery with soft hands and called for two. Kohli, at the deep, covered a lot of distance and threw the ball at the non-striker's end as a direct hit resulted in Shashank falling short of his crease.&nbsp;

Here is the video of Kohli's direct hit:&nbsp;

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
He's unfolding magic tonight 💫 
 
First with the bat &amp; now on the field with that outstanding direct hit 🎯 
 
Watch the match LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StarSportsIndia</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/JioCinema?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JioCinema</a> 💻📱<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBKSvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBKSvRCB</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a> <a href="https://t.co/6TsRbpamxG">pic.twitter.com/6TsRbpamxG</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1788628469464662353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2024-seniors-at-mi-dont-buy-pandyas-ego-driven-captaincy-style-says-ab-de-villiers-719853">IPL 2024: Seniors at MI don’t buy Pandya’s ego-driven captaincy style, says AB de Villiers</a>

Following Shashank's dismissal, who fell for a 19-ball 37, Punjab's chase fell apart completely as they got dismissed for 181 in 17 overs to lose by a whopping&nbsp;margin.&nbsp;Rilee Rossouw top-scored for them with a 27-ball 61 but there was not much resistance from the other batters.&nbsp;

Kohli, for his batting and fielding show, returned with the Player of the Match award. Talking about his knock, the right-hander started off positively and didn't slow down as the innings progressed -- despite a rain break in between -- to end with a 47-ball 92 (laced with 7 fours and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 195.74).

At the post-match presentation, Kohli said, "For me it's still quality over quantity. For me it works really well. Also, the understanding of the game allows you to practice less, just try to replicate what I have done in the past. Still aiming to improve aspects of the game that you want to get batter at. It's an evolving process. I brought out the slogsweep against the spinners. I didn't practice it, I know I have hit it the past. Always looking to expose that side of the field against spin. I know I need to take risks, it needs a bit of conviction. I have been managing to stay ahead of that thought. I am trying to keep up with the strike rate for me and the team."

RCB, with four wins on the trot, are in the seventh spot. The Faf du Plessis-led side continues to remain in the playoff race with two more games to go.

Match 58 of the IPL 2024 edition saw the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pull off an impressive 60-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday (May 9). With this result, RCB continue to stay alive in the playoffs race, with 10 points from 12 games, whereas Punjab are now officially eliminated from the tournament.

Match 58 of the IPL 2024 edition saw the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) pull off an impressive 60-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Thursday (May 9). With this result, RCB continue to stay alive in the playoffs race, with 10 points from 12 games, whereas Punjab are now officially eliminated from the tournament. During the high-scorer in Dharamsala, Virat Kohli made maximum noise with a brilliant 47-ball 92 and also inflicted a run-out with a brilliant direct hit. During the PBKS run-chase, they started off well and were 114-3 at the halfway mark. Nonetheless, they were soon reduced to 132-5 in 12 overs with in-form batter Shashank Singh being joined by stand-in captain Sam Curran. With not much batting left, the duo had a herculean task to keep their side in the hunt and tried to push the game till the last over. A partnership started brewing between Shashank-Curran before Kohli's fielding, courtesy of his immaculate fitness standards, inflicted a run-out to send Shashank back into the pavilion. It all happened on the fourth ball of the 13th over, by Lockie Ferguson, when Sam Curran played a short-pitched delivery with soft hands and called for two. Kohli, at the deep, covered a lot of distance and threw the ball at the non-striker's end as a direct hit resulted in Shashank falling short of his crease. Here is the video of Kohli's direct hit: He's unfolding magic tonight 💫 First with the bat & now on the field with that outstanding direct hit 🎯 Watch the match LIVE on @StarSportsIndia and @JioCinema 💻📱#TATAIPL | #PBKSvRCB | @imVkohli | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/6TsRbpamxG — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 9, 2024 × Also read: IPL 2024: Seniors at MI don’t buy Pandya’s ego-driven captaincy style, says AB de Villiers Following Shashank's dismissal, who fell for a 19-ball 37, Punjab's chase fell apart completely as they got dismissed for 181 in 17 overs to lose by a whopping margin. Rilee Rossouw top-scored for them with a 27-ball 61 but there was not much resistance from the other batters. Kohli, for his batting and fielding show, returned with the Player of the Match award. Talking about his knock, the right-hander started off positively and didn't slow down as the innings progressed -- despite a rain break in between -- to end with a 47-ball 92 (laced with 7 fours and 6 sixes at a strike rate of 195.74). At the post-match presentation, Kohli said, "For me it's still quality over quantity. For me it works really well. Also, the understanding of the game allows you to practice less, just try to replicate what I have done in the past. Still aiming to improve aspects of the game that you want to get batter at. It's an evolving process. I brought out the slogsweep against the spinners. I didn't practice it, I know I have hit it the past. Always looking to expose that side of the field against spin. I know I need to take risks, it needs a bit of conviction. I have been managing to stay ahead of that thought. I am trying to keep up with the strike rate for me and the team." RCB, with four wins on the trot, are in the seventh spot. The Faf du Plessis-led side continues to remain in the playoff race with two more games to go.

IPL 2024: Absolute brilliance! Virat Kohli dismisses Shashank Singh with a direct-hit in PBKS-RCB tie - Watch

PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will lock horns in match 59 of the IPL 2024 on Thursday. The match is slated for May 9 at 7:30 pm IST and will be played at the iconic venue of HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.&nbsp;

Punjab currently sits in eighth place in the standings with four wins and seven losses. They will hope to register a win against RCB and move up in the IPL 2024 standings. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bengaluru with four wins and seven losses in 11 games currently sits in seventh place in the standings, and they will hope to register their fourth consecutive win of the season.&nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-hardik-pandyas-mi-became-first-team-to-be-eliminated-after-srh-beat-lsg-719561">IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya's MI became first team to be ELIMINATED after SRH beat LSG</a>

Both teams have shown their weak and strong side in the tournament. While PBKS is not getting enough help from their batting department from the likes of Rilee Rossouw, Sam Curran and Jitesh Sharma, RCB has the likes of Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell who haven’t used the magic of their bat as of yet.&nbsp;

The winner of the match will secure seventh spot in the points table. But their chances of qualifying for the playoffs will stay alive. A loss in today’s would be a tough pill to swallow.

<h2>PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Head-to-head</h2>

In a head-to-head battle, Punjab and Bengaluru have clashed 32 times in the IPL, with Punjab winning 17 matches and Bengaluru winning 15 of them. The recent encounters between RCB and PBKS have been a close battle. The last 4 meetings have been evenly split, with both teams winning 2 games each. This head-to-head record hints at another tight contest today.

Total matches played: 32

Matches won by Punjab Kings (PBKS): 17

Matches won by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): 15

<h2>PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Pitch report</h2>

The surface at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala is one that is preferable to the bowlers, especially the pacers. With ball movement early into the game, the power plays could prove to be crucial for the bowling side. Opting to bowl first and chasing down the target could be a wise decision.

<h2>PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Weather forecast</h2>

The temperature in Dharamsala on Thursday will hover around 26 degrees when the match starts and it will remain nearly the same throughout the game. There is 55 per cent chance of rain and the wind speed will remain at 3 km/h with 65 per cent humidity in the air.

<h2>PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Predicted playing XI</h2>

Punjab Kings (PBKS): Jonny Bairstow, Rilee Rossouw, Sam Curran (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2024-lsg-boss-sanjeev-goenka-fumes-after-loss-vs-srh-animated-talk-with-kl-rahul-goes-viral-watch-719529">IPL 2024: LSG boss Sanjeev Goenka fumes after loss vs SRH, animated talk with KL Rahul goes viral - Watch</a>

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (C), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj&nbsp;

<h2>PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Prediction</h2>

As per Google’s win probability, Bengaluru has a 56 per cent chance to beat Punjab in their 12th match.

<h2>PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Match details</h2>

Match: IPL 2024, Match 58, Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Venue: HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh

Live streaming: JioCinema app and website

Live broadcast: Star Sports Network channels

(With inputs from agencies)

PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will lock horns in match 59 of the IPL 2024 on Thursday. The match is slated for May 9 at 7:30 pm IST and will be played at the iconic venue of HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh.

PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will lock horns in match 59 of the IPL 2024 on Thursday. The match is slated for May 9 at 7:30 pm IST and will be played at the iconic venue of HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. Punjab currently sits in eighth place in the standings with four wins and seven losses. They will hope to register a win against RCB and move up in the IPL 2024 standings. On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bengaluru with four wins and seven losses in 11 games currently sits in seventh place in the standings, and they will hope to register their fourth consecutive win of the season. Also Read | IPL 2024: Hardik Pandya's MI became first team to be ELIMINATED after SRH beat LSG Both teams have shown their weak and strong side in the tournament. While PBKS is not getting enough help from their batting department from the likes of Rilee Rossouw, Sam Curran and Jitesh Sharma, RCB has the likes of Cameron Green and Glenn Maxwell who haven’t used the magic of their bat as of yet. The winner of the match will secure seventh spot in the points table. But their chances of qualifying for the playoffs will stay alive. A loss in today’s would be a tough pill to swallow. PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Head-to-head In a head-to-head battle, Punjab and Bengaluru have clashed 32 times in the IPL, with Punjab winning 17 matches and Bengaluru winning 15 of them. The recent encounters between RCB and PBKS have been a close battle. The last 4 meetings have been evenly split, with both teams winning 2 games each. This head-to-head record hints at another tight contest today. Total matches played: 32 Matches won by Punjab Kings (PBKS): 17 Matches won by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): 15 PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Pitch report The surface at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala is one that is preferable to the bowlers, especially the pacers. With ball movement early into the game, the power plays could prove to be crucial for the bowling side. Opting to bowl first and chasing down the target could be a wise decision. PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Weather forecast The temperature in Dharamsala on Thursday will hover around 26 degrees when the match starts and it will remain nearly the same throughout the game. There is 55 per cent chance of rain and the wind speed will remain at 3 km/h with 65 per cent humidity in the air. PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Predicted playing XI Punjab Kings (PBKS): Jonny Bairstow, Rilee Rossouw, Sam Curran (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Shashank Singh, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar Also Read | IPL 2024: LSG boss Sanjeev Goenka fumes after loss vs SRH, animated talk with KL Rahul goes viral - Watch Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (C), Will Jacks, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Yash Dayal, Mohammed Siraj PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Prediction As per Google’s win probability, Bengaluru has a 56 per cent chance to beat Punjab in their 12th match. PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024: Match details Match: IPL 2024, Match 58, Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) Venue: HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh Live streaming: JioCinema app and website Live broadcast: Star Sports Network channels (With inputs from agencies)

PBKS vs RCB, IPL 2024, Match 58: Head-to-head, playing XI, prediction, pitch report | All you need to know

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) returned to winning ways as they beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 24 runs in match 27 of the IPL 2023 edition on Thursday (April 20), in Mohali. Virat Kohli captained the franchise after a long time as regular captain Faf du Plessis only featured as an Impact Player, due to his hip injury.&nbsp;

Being asked to bat first, Kohli-Faf stitched an impressive 137-run opening stand as the duo continued their rich forms. Towards the end, RCB only managed 37 runs in the last four overs as they posted 174 for 4. In reply, Shikhar Dhawan-less Punjab only managed 150 all-out in 18.2 overs to lose by 24 runs. Kohli slammed a 47-ball 59 whereas Faf top-scored with a solid 56-ball 84&nbsp;before Mohammed Siraj returned with 4-0-21-4.

Seeing RCB's batting, where they struggled for a late flourish, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar said, as quoted by India Today, "The start promised so much, but the score wasn’t what we expected. But the fact is that it’s an afternoon game. The pitch will become slower. That gives RCB hope. But, yes, they could have added maybe 25 runs more, considering the start that they had."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-all-round-rcb-beat-pbks-by-24-runs-to-return-to-winning-ways-move-up-in-points-table-584483">IPL 2023: All-round RCB beat PBKS by 24 runs to return to winning ways, move up in points table</a>

On Kohli slowing down after a fine start, Manjrekar opined, "It’s the same scenario with Virat Kohli that we have been seeing for a while. When the bowlers take the pace off, he struggles to get a move on. We saw that in the last IPL too. Once he gets into his 40s, he tends to slow down a little bit, I don’t know what the reason for that is."

"But, Faf du Plessis, how unselfish he was! He had an opportunity to get a hundred as well. But he was looking to hit a six every ball. He could have also maybe hang around and get a hundred. But he was looking to belt every ball for a six as he had a target in mind. That's the kind of batting that you really want to see," the ex-cricketer added.

Kohli-Faf added 59&nbsp;runs in the powerplays but the former slowed down once the field restrictions were lifted. He failed to accelerate freely in the middle overs, which has been an issue for him for quite some time.&nbsp;Kohli slammed 43 off 26 deliveries against pacers, smashing a six and three fours but&nbsp;faced as many as nine dot balls to only manage&nbsp;16 off&nbsp;21 balls against the Punjab spinners.

RCB will hope for Kohli to sort out his middle-overs issue and dominate pace and spin equally as the tournament progresses ahead.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) returned to winning ways as they beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 24 runs in match 27 of the IPL 2023 edition on Thursday (April 20), in Mohali.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) returned to winning ways as they beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 24 runs in match 27 of the IPL 2023 edition on Thursday (April 20), in Mohali. Virat Kohli captained the franchise after a long time as regular captain Faf du Plessis only featured as an Impact Player, due to his hip injury. Being asked to bat first, Kohli-Faf stitched an impressive 137-run opening stand as the duo continued their rich forms. Towards the end, RCB only managed 37 runs in the last four overs as they posted 174 for 4. In reply, Shikhar Dhawan-less Punjab only managed 150 all-out in 18.2 overs to lose by 24 runs. Kohli slammed a 47-ball 59 whereas Faf top-scored with a solid 56-ball 84 before Mohammed Siraj returned with 4-0-21-4. Seeing RCB's batting, where they struggled for a late flourish, former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar said, as quoted by India Today, "The start promised so much, but the score wasn’t what we expected. But the fact is that it’s an afternoon game. The pitch will become slower. That gives RCB hope. But, yes, they could have added maybe 25 runs more, considering the start that they had." Also Read: IPL 2023: All-round RCB beat PBKS by 24 runs to return to winning ways, move up in points table On Kohli slowing down after a fine start, Manjrekar opined, "It’s the same scenario with Virat Kohli that we have been seeing for a while. When the bowlers take the pace off, he struggles to get a move on. We saw that in the last IPL too. Once he gets into his 40s, he tends to slow down a little bit, I don’t know what the reason for that is." "But, Faf du Plessis, how unselfish he was! He had an opportunity to get a hundred as well. But he was looking to hit a six every ball. He could have also maybe hang around and get a hundred. But he was looking to belt every ball for a six as he had a target in mind. That's the kind of batting that you really want to see," the ex-cricketer added. Kohli-Faf added 59 runs in the powerplays but the former slowed down once the field restrictions were lifted. He failed to accelerate freely in the middle overs, which has been an issue for him for quite some time. Kohli slammed 43 off 26 deliveries against pacers, smashing a six and three fours but faced as many as nine dot balls to only manage 16 off 21 balls against the Punjab spinners. RCB will hope for Kohli to sort out his middle-overs issue and dominate pace and spin equally as the tournament progresses ahead.

IPL 2023: 'Once he gets into his 40s, he slows down' - Manjrekar on Virat Kohli's batting after RCB beat PBKS

Injury-hit Punjab Kings will host the high-flying Royal Challengers Bangalore in a first of the Thursday's doubleheader in IPL 2023. With Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone getting ruled out ahead of the LSG clash the last time, the team still managed to cross the line under a new skipper (Sam Curran) and with a new hero (Sikandar Raza) at the helm.

Injury-hit Punjab Kings will host the high-flying Royal Challengers Bangalore in a first of the Thursday's doubleheader in IPL 2023. With Shikhar Dhawan and Liam Livingstone getting ruled out ahead of the LSG clash the last time, the team still managed to cross the line under a new skipper (Sam Curran) and with a new hero (Sikandar Raza) at the helm. Against RCB in an afternoon game this time, PBKS will aim to repeat heroics. Although they have three wins in five games played, the Punjab side still hasn’t got the winning momentum on their side as they would have liked. While Dhawan looks certain to make a return to the XI, boosting the batting order at the top, Liam’s inclusion is still under question, more so given how Matthew Short has played so far. ALSO READ: IPL 2023: LSG down RR in first home game of season, beat hosts by 10 runs in low-scoring affair In the bowling department, PBKS will depend on its new-ball bowlers in Arshdeep Singh and Protean Kagiso Rabada to do the magic early on. Considering Rahul Chahar hasn’t delivered up to the mark yet, the team would still bank on him to perform against the in-form pair of Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell – both of whom wreaked havoc against CSK in the previous game. Meanwhile, Sikandar Raza and Shahrukh Khan returning to form is a bonus for PBKS, who have missed the firepower in the lower order lately. Talking about the travelling RCB team, they are coming off fresh from their narrow home defeat against Chennai Super Kings. The side that has relied on its top order to deliver on most occasions will have the same concerns moving ahead in the tournament. With RCB’s Indian players unable to find their feet as of now, the franchise will again want the trio of Virat Kohli, Faf and Maxwell to deliver with the bat. What’s best for them is Mohammed Siraj’s form, who surely will play as the x-factor. However, given the pitch’s history at the venue, expect a change in the lineup, as Josh Hazlewood could get a game. Result Prediction Carrying the little momentum, they gained from the win over LSG, Punjab Kings at home will start as favourites against RCB. Predicted XIs of both teams – PBKS - Shikhar Dhawan (C), Prabhsimran Singh, Matthew Short, Harpreet Singh Bhatia, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shahrukh Khan, Harpreet Brar, Kagiso Rabada, Arshdeep Singh RCB - Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (c), Mahipal Lomror, Glenn Maxwell, Shahbaz Ahmed, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Josh Hazlewood, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Mohammed Siraj

IPL 2023, Match 27th: Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore - Match preview and result prediction

Match 27 of the IPL 2023 edition saw the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)&nbsp;beat hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 24 runs at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Thursday (April 20). While the match went down to the wire, RCB dominated the majority of the proceedings to emerge on top. With this triumph, RCB now occupy the fifth&nbsp;spot in the points table.

Being asked to bat first, Virat Kohli-led RCB came out all guns blazing. Kohli was the stand-in skipper as Faf du Plessis, the regular captain, played as an Impact Player due to his hip injury. The pair stitched a 137-run opening stand with Kohli slamming a 47-ball 59 whereas Faf continued his rich form and returned with an impressive 54-ball 86.&nbsp;

RCB managed only 37 runs in the last four overs as Punjab bowlers staged a comeback, with Harpreet Brar taking two successive wickets. The visitors, however, ended with a competitive score of&nbsp;174-4.&nbsp;

Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-another-milestone-for-king-kohli-virat-slams-600-fours-during-rcbs-away-tie-vs-pbks-584434">IPL 2023: ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR KING KOHLI! Virat slams 600 fours during RCB's away tie vs PBKS</a>

In reply, PBKS were on the back foot from the word go. They lost Atharva Taide, Matthew Short and Liam Livingstone for cheap as Md Siraj struck twice. With regular skipper Shikhar Dhawan out of the playing XI due to injury concerns, Punjab once again failed to get going at the top.

Prabhsimran Singh (46) looked good and took on the RCB bowlers amid the regular fall of wickets. He lost captain Curran, with a superb throw from Hasaranga, and the chase was pretty much done and dusted there itself. Despite the regular fall of wickets, Punjab kept scoring at a good rate and got a partnership going between Jitesh Sharma, who hit some big shots, and Brar to stay alive.

Nonetheless, Siraj broke the partnership in his last over, bowling the 18th, to take RCB closer to the finish line (ending with 4-0-21-4).&nbsp;Eventually, Harshal Patel dismissed Jitesh (41) as PBKS managed 150 all-out in 18.2 overs to lose by 24 runs.

Match 27 of the IPL 2023 edition saw the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 24 runs at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Thursday (April 20).

Match 27 of the IPL 2023 edition saw the three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) beat hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 24 runs at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali on Thursday (April 20). While the match went down to the wire, RCB dominated the majority of the proceedings to emerge on top. With this triumph, RCB now occupy the fifth spot in the points table. Being asked to bat first, Virat Kohli-led RCB came out all guns blazing. Kohli was the stand-in skipper as Faf du Plessis, the regular captain, played as an Impact Player due to his hip injury. The pair stitched a 137-run opening stand with Kohli slamming a 47-ball 59 whereas Faf continued his rich form and returned with an impressive 54-ball 86. RCB managed only 37 runs in the last four overs as Punjab bowlers staged a comeback, with Harpreet Brar taking two successive wickets. The visitors, however, ended with a competitive score of 174-4. Also Read: IPL 2023: ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR KING KOHLI! Virat slams 600 fours during RCB's away tie vs PBKS In reply, PBKS were on the back foot from the word go. They lost Atharva Taide, Matthew Short and Liam Livingstone for cheap as Md Siraj struck twice. With regular skipper Shikhar Dhawan out of the playing XI due to injury concerns, Punjab once again failed to get going at the top. Prabhsimran Singh (46) looked good and took on the RCB bowlers amid the regular fall of wickets. He lost captain Curran, with a superb throw from Hasaranga, and the chase was pretty much done and dusted there itself. Despite the regular fall of wickets, Punjab kept scoring at a good rate and got a partnership going between Jitesh Sharma, who hit some big shots, and Brar to stay alive. Nonetheless, Siraj broke the partnership in his last over, bowling the 18th, to take RCB closer to the finish line (ending with 4-0-21-4). Eventually, Harshal Patel dismissed Jitesh (41) as PBKS managed 150 all-out in 18.2 overs to lose by 24 runs.

IPL 2023: All-round RCB beat PBKS by 24 runs to return to winning ways, move up in points table

Punjab Kings (PBKS) stand-in skipper Sam Curran has urged the younger generation to step up as his side faced a crunch tie against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Thursday, April 20. Shikhar Dhawan, who is not part of the PBKS squad for the RCB clash was a big miss for the home side as they try to get their fourth win of the season. On the flip side, RCB too opted to make a captaincy change as Virat Kohli took the captain’s armband while Faf du Plessis was struggling with a rib issue.

“Shikhar is getting closer, but he'll miss out today. He's a quality player, but the younger lot will have to shape up, Liam Livingstone is back and we have Nathan Ellis back in place of Kagiso Rabada,” Curran added.

PBKS have so far endured a mixed start to the season as they continue to the IPL 2023 campaign and have lost two matches while winning three.

The 137-run opening stand between Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis powered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to a decent score of 174/4 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium on Thursday.

<h2>Du Plessis unleashes with bat</h2>

RCB got off to a great start, racking up 137 runs without losing any wickets. However, after the 17th over, they lost two big wickets -- of Virat and the dasher Glenn Maxwell -- in quick succession. RCB lost momentum thereafter and weren't able to lift the scoring rate in the tail-end of their innings. For Punjab Kings, left-armer Harpreet Singh was the pick of the bowlers, snapping up two wickets for 31 runs while pacers Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis took one apiece.

However, Sam Curran and Rahul Chahal brought Punjab back into the game, bowling tight lines and lengths and not giving easy runs to RCB.

Put into bat, RCB introduced their impact player at the start in the form of regular skipper Faf du Plessis, partnering stand-in skipper Kohli. Both batters gave a solid start to their team, putting together a 50-run partnership in 5.1 overs. Virat's 29 in 19 balls was studded with 4 fours and Faf's 27 runs off 17 comprised two fours and two hits over the fence. Their rollicking stand took RCB to 59/0 in the powerplay.

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Punjab Kings (PBKS) stand-in skipper Sam Curran has urged the younger generation to step up as his side faced a crunch tie against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Thursday, April 20.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) stand-in skipper Sam Curran has urged the younger generation to step up as his side faced a crunch tie against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Thursday, April 20. Shikhar Dhawan, who is not part of the PBKS squad for the RCB clash was a big miss for the home side as they try to get their fourth win of the season. On the flip side, RCB too opted to make a captaincy change as Virat Kohli took the captain’s armband while Faf du Plessis was struggling with a rib issue. “Shikhar is getting closer, but he'll miss out today. He's a quality player, but the younger lot will have to shape up, Liam Livingstone is back and we have Nathan Ellis back in place of Kagiso Rabada,” Curran added. PBKS have so far endured a mixed start to the season as they continue to the IPL 2023 campaign and have lost two matches while winning three. The 137-run opening stand between Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis powered Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to a decent score of 174/4 against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium on Thursday. Du Plessis unleashes with bat RCB got off to a great start, racking up 137 runs without losing any wickets. However, after the 17th over, they lost two big wickets -- of Virat and the dasher Glenn Maxwell -- in quick succession. RCB lost momentum thereafter and weren't able to lift the scoring rate in the tail-end of their innings. For Punjab Kings, left-armer Harpreet Singh was the pick of the bowlers, snapping up two wickets for 31 runs while pacers Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis took one apiece. However, Sam Curran and Rahul Chahal brought Punjab back into the game, bowling tight lines and lengths and not giving easy runs to RCB. Put into bat, RCB introduced their impact player at the start in the form of regular skipper Faf du Plessis, partnering stand-in skipper Kohli. Both batters gave a solid start to their team, putting together a 50-run partnership in 5.1 overs. Virat's 29 in 19 balls was studded with 4 fours and Faf's 27 runs off 17 comprised two fours and two hits over the fence. Their rollicking stand took RCB to 59/0 in the powerplay. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Sam Curran urges players to step up in Dhawan's absence, says 'younger lot will have to shape up'

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans were treated to a pleasant surprise on Thursday, April 20 afternoon as former skipper Virat Kohli returned to the helm as skipper of the side. Kohli, who previously led RCB was seen taking the captaincy duties at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali against hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) despite Faf du Plessis being part of the Playing XI.

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🚨 Toss Update 🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/PunjabKingsIPL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PunjabKingsIPL</a> win the toss and elect to field first against <a href="https://twitter.com/RCBTweets?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RCBTweets</a>.<a href="https://twitter.com/CurranSM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CurranSM</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> are leading their respective sides today. 
 
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<h2>But why was Virat leading RCB vs PBKS?</h2>

Regular skipper Du Plessis was facing a rib issue and was not a match fit but was still called up to the initial squad to play. RCB opted to make use of the ‘Impact Player’ rule which saw Du Plessis being employed as a substitute player and was consequently subbed by Vijaykumar Vyshak. With the former South Africa skipper not available for the entire match Virat took over the charge as full-time skipper for the PBKS clash.

The decision proved to be noteworthy as Du Plessis scored 84 runs off 54 deliveries and missed out on a hundred. His exploits saw RCB put 174/4 on the board while Virat Kohli also scored 59 runs before he returned to the pavilion.

On his captaincy return, Virat also reached two milestones as he scored his 50th fifty for RCB in the IPL. On the horizon, he also joined the 600 fours club in the IPL and looked in great touch before getting out.

<h2>Du Plessis, Virat lead the charge with bat</h2>

RCB got off to a great start, racking up 137 runs without losing any wickets. However, after the 17th over, they lost two big wickets -- of Virat and the dasher Glenn Maxwell -- in quick succession. RCB lost momentum thereafter and weren't able to lift the scoring rate in the tail-end of their innings. For Punjab Kings, left-armer Harpreet Singh was the pick of the bowlers, snapping up two wickets for 31 runs while pacers Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis took one apiece.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans were treated to a pleasant surprise on Thursday, April 20 afternoon as former skipper Virat Kohli returned to the helm as skipper of the side.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) fans were treated to a pleasant surprise on Thursday, April 20 afternoon as former skipper Virat Kohli returned to the helm as skipper of the side. Kohli, who previously led RCB was seen taking the captaincy duties at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali against hosts Punjab Kings (PBKS) despite Faf du Plessis being part of the Playing XI. 🚨 Toss Update 🚨@PunjabKingsIPL win the toss and elect to field first against @RCBTweets.@CurranSM & @imVkohli are leading their respective sides today. Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/CQekZNsh7b#TATAIPL | #PBKSvRCB pic.twitter.com/ITFDTd7ObP — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 20, 2023 × But why was Virat leading RCB vs PBKS? Regular skipper Du Plessis was facing a rib issue and was not a match fit but was still called up to the initial squad to play. RCB opted to make use of the ‘Impact Player’ rule which saw Du Plessis being employed as a substitute player and was consequently subbed by Vijaykumar Vyshak. With the former South Africa skipper not available for the entire match Virat took over the charge as full-time skipper for the PBKS clash. The decision proved to be noteworthy as Du Plessis scored 84 runs off 54 deliveries and missed out on a hundred. His exploits saw RCB put 174/4 on the board while Virat Kohli also scored 59 runs before he returned to the pavilion. On his captaincy return, Virat also reached two milestones as he scored his 50th fifty for RCB in the IPL. On the horizon, he also joined the 600 fours club in the IPL and looked in great touch before getting out. Du Plessis, Virat lead the charge with bat RCB got off to a great start, racking up 137 runs without losing any wickets. However, after the 17th over, they lost two big wickets -- of Virat and the dasher Glenn Maxwell -- in quick succession. RCB lost momentum thereafter and weren't able to lift the scoring rate in the tail-end of their innings. For Punjab Kings, left-armer Harpreet Singh was the pick of the bowlers, snapping up two wickets for 31 runs while pacers Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis took one apiece. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

IPL 2023: Why Virat Kohli is leading despite Faf du Plessis' presence in PBKS-RCB face-off

Virat Kohli, on Thursday (April 20), achieved another historic feat during Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) face-off versus Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Leading the side, with a not-fully-fit Faf du Plessis playing only as an Impact Player, Kohli stitched an impressive 137-run opening stand and slammed a 47-ball 59. During his knock, he smashed 5 fours and a six and reached a big milestone.&nbsp;

Kohli now has 600 fours (603*) in the IPL. Thus, the 34-year-old has added another historic feat in his glittering IPL career.&nbsp;

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Another day, another milestone 😉 
 
6⃣0⃣0⃣ fours now in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> for <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> 🫡 
 
Follow the match ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/CQekZNsh7b">https://t.co/CQekZNsh7b</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBKSvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBKSvRCB</a> <a href="https://t.co/HzFwFdGmeA">pic.twitter.com/HzFwFdGmeA</a>
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Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2023-arjun-tendulkars-alignment-isnt-good-wont-be-able-to-generate-pace-claims-former-pak-captain-584323">IPL 2023: Arjun Tendulkar's alignment isn't good, won't be able to generate pace, claims former Pak captain</a>

In the list of most fours in IPL, Shikhar Dhawan is on top (730) followed by Delhi Capitals' (DC) captain David Warner (608). Kohli is the leading run-getter in the IPL, with 6,903 runs along with five centuries and 48 fifties.&nbsp;

At the coin toss, PBKS' stand-in captain Sam Curran opted to bowl first. Kohli stated, "Faf potentially can't be fielding today, so he'll be playing as a impact player, switching with Vyshak. We got to do what we wanted, we would have batted first, the pitch could get slow, some scruff marks will help the bowlers going deep into the game. Taking one game at a time, focussing on our own game, make the most of crunch situations, we haven't done that so far in the tournament. No other changes for us."

RCB have posted 174 for 4 and will be desperate to return to winning ways with a disciplined bowling performance versus hosts Punjab.

Virat Kohli, on Thursday (April 20), achieved another historic feat during Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) face-off versus Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali.

Virat Kohli, on Thursday (April 20), achieved another historic feat during Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) face-off versus Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali. Leading the side, with a not-fully-fit Faf du Plessis playing only as an Impact Player, Kohli stitched an impressive 137-run opening stand and slammed a 47-ball 59. During his knock, he smashed 5 fours and a six and reached a big milestone. Kohli now has 600 fours (603*) in the IPL. Thus, the 34-year-old has added another historic feat in his glittering IPL career. Another day, another milestone 😉 6⃣0⃣0⃣ fours now in #TATAIPL for @imVkohli 🫡 Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/CQekZNsh7b#TATAIPL | #PBKSvRCB pic.twitter.com/HzFwFdGmeA — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 20, 2023 × Also Read: IPL 2023: Arjun Tendulkar's alignment isn't good, won't be able to generate pace, claims former Pak captain In the list of most fours in IPL, Shikhar Dhawan is on top (730) followed by Delhi Capitals' (DC) captain David Warner (608). Kohli is the leading run-getter in the IPL, with 6,903 runs along with five centuries and 48 fifties. At the coin toss, PBKS' stand-in captain Sam Curran opted to bowl first. Kohli stated, "Faf potentially can't be fielding today, so he'll be playing as a impact player, switching with Vyshak. We got to do what we wanted, we would have batted first, the pitch could get slow, some scruff marks will help the bowlers going deep into the game. Taking one game at a time, focussing on our own game, make the most of crunch situations, we haven't done that so far in the tournament. No other changes for us." RCB have posted 174 for 4 and will be desperate to return to winning ways with a disciplined bowling performance versus hosts Punjab.

IPL 2023: ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR KING KOHLI! Virat slams 600 fours during RCB's away tie vs PBKS

Match 60 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the three-time runners-up Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings (PBKS). While a win would've taken RCB closer to the playoffs, they lost by a whopping 54-run margin in pursuit of a mammoth 210 as Punjab remain alive in the playoffs race.&nbsp;

Winning the toss, Fafd &amp; Co. invited the Punjab XI to bat first at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. The Punjab outfit were off to an electrifying start as Englishman Jonny Bairstow went bonkers from the word go. Shikhar Dhawan also contributed as the duo's 50-run stand came in no time. Josh Hazlewood, RCB's premier pacer this season, was hammered left, right and center as Punjab made full use of the powerplay overs. While Bhanuka Rajapaksha fell early, Bairstow was joined by Liam Livingstone, who anchored the innings after the former's dismissal for an impressive 29-ball 66. The middle overs have been the Achilles heel for Punjab as their batters tend to slow down and the same was witnessed Friday evening (May 13) but Livingstone's well-crafted 42-ball 70 propelled the one-time runners-up to 209/9 despite Wanindu Hasaranga's 2 for 15 and Harshal Patel's 4 for 34.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sunil-gavaskar-resorts-to-ms-dhonis-famous-catchphrase-when-asked-about-csk-skippers-ipl-future-478682">Sunil Gavaskar resorts to MS Dhoni's famous catchphrase when asked about CSK skipper's IPL future&nbsp;</a>

In reply, RCB were never in the run-chase. Virat Kohli came out to bat with a positive intent in a bid to move past his sluggish form. While he got a start, he soon perished off Kagiso Rabada's well-executed short-pitched delivery. Faf couldn't trouble the scorers whereas&nbsp;none apart from Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxwell took Punjab bowlers to the cleaners. The duo's departure sealed the contest in favour of an inconsistent Punjab as Rabada's 3 for 21 and two scalps each from Rishi Dhawan-Rahul Chahar took Mayank &amp; Co. to an easy&nbsp;win to stay alive in the playoffs race. They now have 12 points from an equal number of encounters with a healthy NRR (+0.023) as they move up to the sixth position.&nbsp;

Match 60 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the three-time runners-up Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Match 60 of the IPL 2022 edition saw the three-time runners-up Faf du Plessis-led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) face the Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings (PBKS). While a win would've taken RCB closer to the playoffs, they lost by a whopping 54-run margin in pursuit of a mammoth 210 as Punjab remain alive in the playoffs race. Winning the toss, Fafd & Co. invited the Punjab XI to bat first at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai. The Punjab outfit were off to an electrifying start as Englishman Jonny Bairstow went bonkers from the word go. Shikhar Dhawan also contributed as the duo's 50-run stand came in no time. Josh Hazlewood, RCB's premier pacer this season, was hammered left, right and center as Punjab made full use of the powerplay overs. While Bhanuka Rajapaksha fell early, Bairstow was joined by Liam Livingstone, who anchored the innings after the former's dismissal for an impressive 29-ball 66. The middle overs have been the Achilles heel for Punjab as their batters tend to slow down and the same was witnessed Friday evening (May 13) but Livingstone's well-crafted 42-ball 70 propelled the one-time runners-up to 209/9 despite Wanindu Hasaranga's 2 for 15 and Harshal Patel's 4 for 34. ALSO READ | Sunil Gavaskar resorts to MS Dhoni's famous catchphrase when asked about CSK skipper's IPL future In reply, RCB were never in the run-chase. Virat Kohli came out to bat with a positive intent in a bid to move past his sluggish form. While he got a start, he soon perished off Kagiso Rabada's well-executed short-pitched delivery. Faf couldn't trouble the scorers whereas none apart from Rajat Patidar and Glenn Maxwell took Punjab bowlers to the cleaners. The duo's departure sealed the contest in favour of an inconsistent Punjab as Rabada's 3 for 21 and two scalps each from Rishi Dhawan-Rahul Chahar took Mayank & Co. to an easy win to stay alive in the playoffs race. They now have 12 points from an equal number of encounters with a healthy NRR (+0.023) as they move up to the sixth position.

IPL 2022: Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow & bowlers shine as PBKS beat RCB to remain alive in playoffs race

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 3 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday evening (March 27). It was a high-scoring contest which went down the wire before the Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab outfit emerged on top by five wickets in a thrilling fashion.

Talking about the contest, Mayank &amp; Co. opted to bowl first. Riding on new skipper Faf du Plessis' masterclass (57-ball 88),&nbsp;former captain Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 32* (14), RCB posted a mammoth 205 for 2 in 20 overs. However, they couldn't defend the total courtesy a combined batting performance from Punjab's top guns (Mayank, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan and Odean Smith) as PBKS got off to a flying start in IPL 2022.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-providing-so-many-talents-to-indian-cricket-psl-hardly-doing-anything-for-pakistan-says-dinesh-kaneria-466351">IPL providing so many talents to Indian cricket, PSL hardly doing anything for Pakistan, says Dinesh Kaneria</a>

After the contest, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opined on Kohli's unbeaten knock.&nbsp;"He looked good. This was like that old vintage Virat Kohli. He started with a bang and that's what he can do whenever he wants. He took on Brar. The last time he had issues, he was dismissed. He hit him for a six. He hit the boundaries and then took a backseat," Chopra told Star Sports.

"Not that he was not scoring quickly enough. It's just that he realised that he had to play the supporting role to Faf du Plessis. He understood that 'I may have been the hero in many a movie, but right now I have to play the role of a hero's brother'.

"He let Faf du Plessis take centre stage but he was right till the end, he scored at close to 150. He was scoring at a fair clip but wasn't really greedy to get onto the strike as quickly as possible," he added.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/what-will-he-do-when-virat-kohli-brushed-away-parthiv-patels-suggestion-to-try-jaspit-bumrah-for-rcb-466302">'What will he do': When Virat Kohli brushed away Parthiv Patel's suggestion to try Jaspit Bumrah for RCB</a>

Chopra also opened up on Kohli reuniting with Team India's former batting coach Sanjay Bangar in the RCB setup. For the unversed, Bangar is serving as RCB's head coach for IPL 2022. In this regard, he pointed out, "I am delighted to see this Virat Kohli because, for the last six months, we have seen a different sort of Virat Kohli. He was in one mood - to defend everything. There was a process that he followed all this while and he is back to that now. There is something about Sanjay Bangar and Virat Kohli. There is some chemistry there that brings the best out of Kohli."

Kohli struck at 141.38 during his unbeaten knock versus PBKS. He will be eager to continue in a similar stead in RCB's next game, where they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the same venue&nbsp;on Wednesday.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 3 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday evening (March 27).

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in match 3 of the ongoing IPL 2022 edition at the DY Patil Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday evening (March 27). It was a high-scoring contest which went down the wire before the Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab outfit emerged on top by five wickets in a thrilling fashion. Talking about the contest, Mayank & Co. opted to bowl first. Riding on new skipper Faf du Plessis' masterclass (57-ball 88), former captain Virat Kohli's 29-ball 41* and Dinesh Karthik's 32* (14), RCB posted a mammoth 205 for 2 in 20 overs. However, they couldn't defend the total courtesy a combined batting performance from Punjab's top guns (Mayank, Shikhar Dhawan, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Liam Livingstone, Shahrukh Khan and Odean Smith) as PBKS got off to a flying start in IPL 2022. ALSO READ | IPL providing so many talents to Indian cricket, PSL hardly doing anything for Pakistan, says Dinesh Kaneria After the contest, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra opined on Kohli's unbeaten knock. "He looked good. This was like that old vintage Virat Kohli. He started with a bang and that's what he can do whenever he wants. He took on Brar. The last time he had issues, he was dismissed. He hit him for a six. He hit the boundaries and then took a backseat," Chopra told Star Sports. "Not that he was not scoring quickly enough. It's just that he realised that he had to play the supporting role to Faf du Plessis. He understood that 'I may have been the hero in many a movie, but right now I have to play the role of a hero's brother'. "He let Faf du Plessis take centre stage but he was right till the end, he scored at close to 150. He was scoring at a fair clip but wasn't really greedy to get onto the strike as quickly as possible," he added. ALSO READ | 'What will he do': When Virat Kohli brushed away Parthiv Patel's suggestion to try Jaspit Bumrah for RCB Chopra also opened up on Kohli reuniting with Team India's former batting coach Sanjay Bangar in the RCB setup. For the unversed, Bangar is serving as RCB's head coach for IPL 2022. In this regard, he pointed out, "I am delighted to see this Virat Kohli because, for the last six months, we have seen a different sort of Virat Kohli. He was in one mood - to defend everything. There was a process that he followed all this while and he is back to that now. There is something about Sanjay Bangar and Virat Kohli. There is some chemistry there that brings the best out of Kohli." Kohli struck at 141.38 during his unbeaten knock versus PBKS. He will be eager to continue in a similar stead in RCB's next game, where they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the same venue on Wednesday.

Old vintage Virat Kohli: Aakash Chopra praises former RCB skipper for his unbeaten 41 vs PBKS

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be hoping for a fresh start under the leadership of new skipper Faf du Plessis when they take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season at the Dy Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday (March 27). Both RCB and PBKS are yet to win their maiden IPL title and are heading into the 2022 season with new captains at the helm.

While Du Plessis has replaced Virat Kohli as the new captain of RCB, Mayank Agarwal will be leading Punjab Kings after being appointed as the full-time captain of the franchise following KL Rahul's exit. Both RCB and PBKS had&nbsp;revamped their respective squads ahead of the new season and will be looking to get off to a winning start.

Punjab had retained only two players ahead of the mega auction in the form of their skipper Mayank and young pacer Harpreet Brar. They went on to rope in the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone among others to build a formidable squad with a great mix of youth and experience.

However, both Bairstow and Rabada are set to miss the opener against RCB and PBKS will face a tricky situation in picking their four overseas players for the clash. While they will have Shikhar Dhawan opening the batting, Livingstone might bat at number four.

Odean Smith, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Benny Howell and Nathan Ellis are the only other overseas players available for selection for PBKS and it remains to be seen who will make the cut in the final XI.

RCB will rely heavily on Du Plessis to get them a good start at the top and are likely to head into the clash with a trio of all-rounders in the form of Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey and Sherfane Rutherford, who can all be game-changers with the bat and the ball. Du Plessis is likely to open with Anuj Rawat with Kohli batting at no.3 in Glenn Maxwell's absence.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-will-virat-kohli-open-with-faf-du-plessis-rcbs-predicted-playing-xi-for-punjab-kings-clash-465897">IPL 2022: Will Virat Kohli open with Faf du Plessis? RCB's predicted playing XI for Punjab Kings clash</a>

Here is all you need to know about the RCB vs PBKS clash in IPL 2022:

Head to head:

Punjab Kings have a slight edge over Royal Challengers Bangalore when it comes to the head to head record between the two teams. Punjab have 15 wins to their name in 28 meetings against RCB compared to the latter's 13.

Stats:

Virat Kohli has the most runs against Punjab Kings among all batters in the current RCB squad. Kohli has 741 runs against the Punjab franchise and will look to extend his tally with a big knock on Sunday.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2022-no-rabada-bairstow-mayank-agarwal-led-punjab-kings-predicted-playing-xi-for-rcb-clash-465971">IPL 2022: No Rabada, Bairstow! Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings predicted playing XI for RCB clash</a>

Trivia:

In the last five encounters between the two teams, Punjab Kings have managed to beat RCB thrice. However, in the previous meeting between the two teams, RCB came out on top against Punjab by six runs.

Squads:

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis(c), Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Sherfane Rutherford, Dinesh Karthik(w), Mahipal Lomror, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj, Siddarth Kaul, Karn Sharma, Finn Allen, Suyash Prabhudessai, Luvnith Sisodia, Chama V Milind, Akash Deep, Aneeshwar Gautam

Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma, Rishi Dhawan, Benny Howell, Ishan Porel, Nathan Ellis, Raj Bawa, Baltej Singh, Writtick Chatterjee, Jitesh Sharma, Prerak Mankad, Atharva Taide, Vaibhav Arora, Ansh Patel

&nbsp;

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be hoping for a fresh start under the leadership of new skipper Faf du Plessis when they take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season at the Dy Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday (March 27).

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be hoping for a fresh start under the leadership of new skipper Faf du Plessis when they take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their opening game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season at the Dy Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday (March 27). Both RCB and PBKS are yet to win their maiden IPL title and are heading into the 2022 season with new captains at the helm. While Du Plessis has replaced Virat Kohli as the new captain of RCB, Mayank Agarwal will be leading Punjab Kings after being appointed as the full-time captain of the franchise following KL Rahul's exit. Both RCB and PBKS had revamped their respective squads ahead of the new season and will be looking to get off to a winning start. Punjab had retained only two players ahead of the mega auction in the form of their skipper Mayank and young pacer Harpreet Brar. They went on to rope in the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone among others to build a formidable squad with a great mix of youth and experience. However, both Bairstow and Rabada are set to miss the opener against RCB and PBKS will face a tricky situation in picking their four overseas players for the clash. While they will have Shikhar Dhawan opening the batting, Livingstone might bat at number four. Odean Smith, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Benny Howell and Nathan Ellis are the only other overseas players available for selection for PBKS and it remains to be seen who will make the cut in the final XI. RCB will rely heavily on Du Plessis to get them a good start at the top and are likely to head into the clash with a trio of all-rounders in the form of Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey and Sherfane Rutherford, who can all be game-changers with the bat and the ball. Du Plessis is likely to open with Anuj Rawat with Kohli batting at no.3 in Glenn Maxwell's absence. Also Read: IPL 2022: Will Virat Kohli open with Faf du Plessis? RCB's predicted playing XI for Punjab Kings clash Here is all you need to know about the RCB vs PBKS clash in IPL 2022: Head to head: Punjab Kings have a slight edge over Royal Challengers Bangalore when it comes to the head to head record between the two teams. Punjab have 15 wins to their name in 28 meetings against RCB compared to the latter's 13. Stats: Virat Kohli has the most runs against Punjab Kings among all batters in the current RCB squad. Kohli has 741 runs against the Punjab franchise and will look to extend his tally with a big knock on Sunday. Also Read: IPL 2022: No Rabada, Bairstow! Mayank Agarwal-led Punjab Kings predicted playing XI for RCB clash Trivia: In the last five encounters between the two teams, Punjab Kings have managed to beat RCB thrice. However, in the previous meeting between the two teams, RCB came out on top against Punjab by six runs. Squads: Royal Challengers Bangalore: Faf du Plessis(c), Virat Kohli, Anuj Rawat, Sherfane Rutherford, Dinesh Karthik(w), Mahipal Lomror, Wanindu Hasaranga, David Willey, Harshal Patel, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj, Siddarth Kaul, Karn Sharma, Finn Allen, Suyash Prabhudessai, Luvnith Sisodia, Chama V Milind, Akash Deep, Aneeshwar Gautam Punjab Kings: Mayank Agarwal(c), Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Shahrukh Khan, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Odean Smith, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Rahul Chahar, Sandeep Sharma, Rishi Dhawan, Benny Howell, Ishan Porel, Nathan Ellis, Raj Bawa, Baltej Singh, Writtick Chatterjee, Jitesh Sharma, Prerak Mankad, Atharva Taide, Vaibhav Arora, Ansh Patel

IPL 2022: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Punjab Kings - Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads

The umpiring standards have once again come under the scanner in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 after the third umpire made a huge blunder in the clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday. RCB opener Devdutt Padikkal was handed a lifeline after a controversial decision by the third umpire at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Sunday.

The incident happened in the eighth over of RCB's innings after captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first. Padikkal, who was struggling against spinner Ravi Bishnoi, tried to reverse sweep him but ended up edging the ball with his gloves in the process.

KL Rahul appealed straight away after hearing a slight noise but the on-field umpire was not interested which prompted the PBKS captain to ask for a review. The replays showed there was a spike on the ultra edge when the ball passed through the gloves of Padikkal. However, much to everyone's surprise, the third umpire - K Srinivasan adjudged the RCB batsman not out.

The third umpire was heard saying there was no bat involved despite there being a clear spike in the ultra edge which left fans, experts and former cricketers in shock as they slammed him on Twitter. PBKS skipper Rahul was also seen expressing his displeasure to the on-field umpires after the horrendous decision by the third umpire.

"Sack the 3rd umpire immediately #SelectDugout&nbsp;What a joke," former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris wrote in a tweet. "How was that Not Out??? #Devdutt #IPL2021," asked Aakash Chopra.

Twitter left baffled after third umpire's howler in PBKS vs RCB clash:

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Sack the 3rd umpire immediately <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SelectDugout?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SelectDugout</a> 
 
What a joke!
— Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) <a href="https://twitter.com/scottbstyris/status/1444613288457695238?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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DRS can't eliminate howlers if umpires ignore what it says. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvPBKS</a>
— Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) <a href="https://twitter.com/saurabh_42/status/1444613504414228481?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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How was that Not Out??? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Devdutt?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Devdutt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2021</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvPBKD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvPBKD</a>
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricketaakash/status/1444613375170727939?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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Terrible umpiring, mistakes like that is unforgivable with so much technology and help these days! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvsPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvsPBKS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPL2021?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPL2021</a>
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) <a href="https://twitter.com/KrisSrikkanth/status/1444613809935503366?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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What qualifies as a spike on Ultra Edge? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvsPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvsPBKS</a>
— S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) <a href="https://twitter.com/s_badrinath/status/1444614537840267264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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How on earth was that not out? Did I miss the cricket rules changing?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RCBvsPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RCBvsPBKS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ridiculous?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ridiculous</a> <a href="https://t.co/0h5r1dOqNR">pic.twitter.com/0h5r1dOqNR</a>
— Sriteja R Chilakapati (@sritejach) <a href="https://twitter.com/sritejach/status/1444614123761717248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/explainer-5-teams-2-spots-what-rcb-mi-kkr-pbks-and-rr-need-to-qualify-for-ipl-2021-playoffs-417918">Explainer: 5 teams, 2 spots - What RCB, MI, KKR, PBKS and RR need to qualify for IPL 2021 playoffs</a>

Padikkal went on to score 40 off 38 balls and added 68 runs for the first wicket with skipper Virat Kohli (25). Glenn Maxwell notched up his second successive fifty as he slammed a quickfire 57 off 33 balls to help RCB post 164/7 on the board in 20 overs.

While RCB are one win away from securing a spot in the playoffs in IPL 2021, PBKS need to win this encounter to remain alive in the race for top four.

&nbsp;

The umpiring standards have once again come under the scanner in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 after the third umpire made a huge blunder in the clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday.

The umpiring standards have once again come under the scanner in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 after the third umpire made a huge blunder in the clash between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday. RCB opener Devdutt Padikkal was handed a lifeline after a controversial decision by the third umpire at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in Sharjah on Sunday. The incident happened in the eighth over of RCB's innings after captain Virat Kohli won the toss and opted to bat first. Padikkal, who was struggling against spinner Ravi Bishnoi, tried to reverse sweep him but ended up edging the ball with his gloves in the process. KL Rahul appealed straight away after hearing a slight noise but the on-field umpire was not interested which prompted the PBKS captain to ask for a review. The replays showed there was a spike on the ultra edge when the ball passed through the gloves of Padikkal. However, much to everyone's surprise, the third umpire - K Srinivasan adjudged the RCB batsman not out. The third umpire was heard saying there was no bat involved despite there being a clear spike in the ultra edge which left fans, experts and former cricketers in shock as they slammed him on Twitter. PBKS skipper Rahul was also seen expressing his displeasure to the on-field umpires after the horrendous decision by the third umpire. "Sack the 3rd umpire immediately #SelectDugout What a joke," former New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris wrote in a tweet. "How was that Not Out??? #Devdutt #IPL2021," asked Aakash Chopra. Twitter left baffled after third umpire's howler in PBKS vs RCB clash: Sack the 3rd umpire immediately #SelectDugout What a joke! — Scott Styris (@scottbstyris) October 3, 2021 × DRS can't eliminate howlers if umpires ignore what it says. #RCBvPBKS — Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) October 3, 2021 × How was that Not Out??? #Devdutt #IPL2021 #RCBvPBKD — Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 3, 2021 × Terrible umpiring, mistakes like that is unforgivable with so much technology and help these days! #RCBvsPBKS #IPL2021 — Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) October 3, 2021 × What qualifies as a spike on Ultra Edge? #RCBvsPBKS — S.Badrinath (@s_badrinath) October 3, 2021 × How on earth was that not out? Did I miss the cricket rules changing?#RCBvsPBKS #Ridiculous pic.twitter.com/0h5r1dOqNR — Sriteja R Chilakapati (@sritejach) October 3, 2021 × Also Read: Explainer: 5 teams, 2 spots - What RCB, MI, KKR, PBKS and RR need to qualify for IPL 2021 playoffs Padikkal went on to score 40 off 38 balls and added 68 runs for the first wicket with skipper Virat Kohli (25). Glenn Maxwell notched up his second successive fifty as he slammed a quickfire 57 off 33 balls to help RCB post 164/7 on the board in 20 overs. While RCB are one win away from securing a spot in the playoffs in IPL 2021, PBKS need to win this encounter to remain alive in the race for top four.

'What a joke': Twitter baffled after third umpire makes a blunder to hand Devdutt Padikkal lifeline in RCB vs PBKS clash

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be aiming to qualify for the playoffs for the second season in a row when they take on KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2021 on Sunday. The blockbuster clash will be played at the Sharjah Stadium in Sharjah which has seen some low-scoring thrillers in the past few days.

Both teams have had contrasting campaigns in IPL 2021 so far. While RCB are one win away from securing a spot in the playoffs once again this season, a defeat for PBKS will all but end their campaign in the league. RCB current sit on the third spot in the points table with 14 points from eleven games while PBKS are fifth with ten points from 12 matches.

Both teams are heading into the all-important clash on the back of victories in their last game. RB defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets with the help of a brilliant half-century from Glenn Maxwell while Punjab Kings got the better of Kolkata Knight Riders in their last outing riding on captain KL Rahul (67) and Mayank Agarwal's (40) batting heroics.

The two teams will be looking to keep their winning run intact when they lock horns with each other in the first game of the double-header Sunday. Here is all you need to know about the RCB vs PBKS clash -&nbsp;

Head to head:

Punjab Kings enjoy an edge over RCB when it comes to the head to head record between the two sides in IPL. PBKS have managed 15 wins in 27 meetings against Virat Kohli &amp; Co. including a victory in their last meeting this season. PBKS will be looking to make it two wins in a row against RCB in IPL 2021.

Stats:

Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul has 489 runs from 12 matches so far this season and is only 20 runs away from toppling CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad to regain the top spot on the list of highest run-getters in IL 2021.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/others-cannot-judge-me-r-ashwin-reacts-amid-spirit-of-cricket-talks-after-heated-exchange-with-kkrs-eoin-morgan-417666">'Others cannot judge me' - R Ashwin reacts amid 'Spirit of Cricket' talks after heated exchange with KKR's Eoin Morgan</a>

Trivia:

Both Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi have managed seven wickets so far in the UAE leg of the tournament and have maintained a similar economy rate of 5.57 and 5.92 respectively. The two spinners will hold the key to their sides' success on Sunday.

Squads:

Punjab Kings: KL Rahul(w/c), Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Fabian Allen, Nathan Ellis, Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Adil Rashid, Mandeep Singh, Chris Jordan, Moises Henriques, Jalaj Saxena, Murugan Ashwin, Sarfaraz Khan, Saurabh Kumar, Ishan Porel, Utkarsh Singh, Darshan Nalkande, Harpreet Brar, Prabhsimran Singh

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat(w), Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Daniel Christian, George Garton, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dushmantha Chameera, Sachin Baby, Kyle Jamieson, Navdeep Saini, Pavan Deshpande, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Wanindu Hasaranga, Tim David, Akash Deep, Suyash Prabhudessai 
&nbsp;

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be aiming to qualify for the playoffs for the second season in a row when they take on KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2021 on Sunday.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be aiming to qualify for the playoffs for the second season in a row when they take on KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2021 on Sunday. The blockbuster clash will be played at the Sharjah Stadium in Sharjah which has seen some low-scoring thrillers in the past few days. Both teams have had contrasting campaigns in IPL 2021 so far. While RCB are one win away from securing a spot in the playoffs once again this season, a defeat for PBKS will all but end their campaign in the league. RCB current sit on the third spot in the points table with 14 points from eleven games while PBKS are fifth with ten points from 12 matches. Both teams are heading into the all-important clash on the back of victories in their last game. RB defeated Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets with the help of a brilliant half-century from Glenn Maxwell while Punjab Kings got the better of Kolkata Knight Riders in their last outing riding on captain KL Rahul (67) and Mayank Agarwal's (40) batting heroics. The two teams will be looking to keep their winning run intact when they lock horns with each other in the first game of the double-header Sunday. Here is all you need to know about the RCB vs PBKS clash - Head to head: Punjab Kings enjoy an edge over RCB when it comes to the head to head record between the two sides in IPL. PBKS have managed 15 wins in 27 meetings against Virat Kohli & Co. including a victory in their last meeting this season. PBKS will be looking to make it two wins in a row against RCB in IPL 2021. Stats: Punjab Kings skipper KL Rahul has 489 runs from 12 matches so far this season and is only 20 runs away from toppling CSK opener Ruturaj Gaikwad to regain the top spot on the list of highest run-getters in IL 2021. Also Read: 'Others cannot judge me' - R Ashwin reacts amid 'Spirit of Cricket' talks after heated exchange with KKR's Eoin Morgan Trivia: Both Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravi Bishnoi have managed seven wickets so far in the UAE leg of the tournament and have maintained a similar economy rate of 5.57 and 5.92 respectively. The two spinners will hold the key to their sides' success on Sunday. Squads: Punjab Kings: KL Rahul(w/c), Mayank Agarwal, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Deepak Hooda, Shahrukh Khan, Fabian Allen, Nathan Ellis, Mohammed Shami, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Adil Rashid, Mandeep Singh, Chris Jordan, Moises Henriques, Jalaj Saxena, Murugan Ashwin, Sarfaraz Khan, Saurabh Kumar, Ishan Porel, Utkarsh Singh, Darshan Nalkande, Harpreet Brar, Prabhsimran Singh Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli(c), Devdutt Padikkal, Srikar Bharat(w), Glenn Maxwell, AB de Villiers, Daniel Christian, George Garton, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal, Dushmantha Chameera, Sachin Baby, Kyle Jamieson, Navdeep Saini, Pavan Deshpande, Rajat Patidar, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Wanindu Hasaranga, Tim David, Akash Deep, Suyash Prabhudessai

IPL 2021: RCB vs PBKS - Head to head record, trivia, stats and squads

IPL 2021- Harpreet Brar and KL Rahul shine as Punjab beat Bangalore

Punjab Kings all-rounder Harpreet Brar enjoyed a dream match against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 on Friday as the southpaw scalped the wickets of Virat Kohl, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell while also contributing handy runs with the bat. <o:p></o:p>

Brar was the game-changer for Punjab Kings against RCB as he helped his side seal their third win in seven matches in IPL 2021. The 25-year-old was spotted sharing a light-hearted moment with RCB skipper Kohli, who gave him a pat on the back for his terrific all-round show in the match.<o:p></o:p>

PBKS went on to defeat RCB by 34 runs in what could be a turning point of the season for the KL Rahul-led outfit.<o:p></o:p>

The official handle of IPL posted a video where Kohli was seen sharing a light-hearted moment with Brar while also appreciating him for his performance on the field.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/kane-williamson-replaces-david-warner-as-sunrisers-hyderabad-captain-for-rest-of-ipl-2021-381913" hreflang="en">Kane Williamson replaces David Warner as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain for rest of IPL 2021</a>

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First, the wicket &amp; then, the appreciation from the man himself! 🤝<a href="https://twitter.com/thisisbrar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thisisbrar</a> will surely cherish this moment with <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a>! 😊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VIVOIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VIVOIPL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBKSvRCB?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBKSvRCB</a> <a href="https://t.co/ovXmadbyKN">pic.twitter.com/ovXmadbyKN</a>
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1388198800901083138?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2021</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

<o:p></o:p>

Brar cleaned up Kohli before beating the defence of Maxwell as he castled him in successive deliveries. In the next over, Brar scalped the in-form de Villiers as the Mr 360 hit the ball straight to the hands of Rahul at short extra cover. The Punjab Kings all-rounder finished with three wickets while conceding just 19 runs.

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In the match, Punjab Kings posted 179/5 after a flourishing knock by KL Rahul as the skipper got support from Chris Gayle and later Brar. Chasing 180, RCB kept losing wickets and fell off the chase early in their innings. While there were plenty of match-winners for RCB, none performed well to take the team over the winning line as they fell short by 34 runs to concede their second defeat in IPL 2021. <o:p></o:p>

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Punjab Kings all-rounder Harpreet Brar enjoyed a dream match against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 on Friday as the southpaw scalped the wickets of Virat Kohl, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell while also contributing handy runs with the bat.

Punjab Kings all-rounder Harpreet Brar enjoyed a dream match against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 on Friday as the southpaw scalped the wickets of Virat Kohl, AB de Villiers and Glenn Maxwell while also contributing handy runs with the bat. Brar was the game-changer for Punjab Kings against RCB as he helped his side seal their third win in seven matches in IPL 2021. The 25-year-old was spotted sharing a light-hearted moment with RCB skipper Kohli, who gave him a pat on the back for his terrific all-round show in the match. PBKS went on to defeat RCB by 34 runs in what could be a turning point of the season for the KL Rahul-led outfit. The official handle of IPL posted a video where Kohli was seen sharing a light-hearted moment with Brar while also appreciating him for his performance on the field. ALSO READ: Kane Williamson replaces David Warner as Sunrisers Hyderabad captain for rest of IPL 2021 First, the wicket & then, the appreciation from the man himself! 🤝@thisisbrar will surely cherish this moment with @imVkohli! 😊#VIVOIPL #PBKSvRCB pic.twitter.com/ovXmadbyKN — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 30, 2021 × Brar cleaned up Kohli before beating the defence of Maxwell as he castled him in successive deliveries. In the next over, Brar scalped the in-form de Villiers as the Mr 360 hit the ball straight to the hands of Rahul at short extra cover. The Punjab Kings all-rounder finished with three wickets while conceding just 19 runs. View this post on Instagram A post shared by IPL (@iplt20) × In the match, Punjab Kings posted 179/5 after a flourishing knock by KL Rahul as the skipper got support from Chris Gayle and later Brar. Chasing 180, RCB kept losing wickets and fell off the chase early in their innings. While there were plenty of match-winners for RCB, none performed well to take the team over the winning line as they fell short by 34 runs to concede their second defeat in IPL 2021.

Watch: Virat Kohli shares light-hearted moment with PBKS match-winner Harpreet Brar

Punjab Kings bounce back to winning ways in style after beating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 34 runs in match 26 of the Indian Premier League 2021 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/most-professional-player-rcb-head-coach-simon-katich-lauds-skipper-virat-kohli-381779" hreflang="en">'Most professional player': RCB head coach Simon Katich lauds skipper Virat Kohli</a>

Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and chose to bowl. Initially, they were off to a good start as they broke the opening partnership early. However, an 80-run stand between Chris Gayle and KL Rahul gave a much-needed push to Punjab Kings after an early blow. RCB bounced back by scalping back to back wickets after Gayle's dismissal.

But skipper held on to crease and smashed 91 runs in 57 balls and a cameo from Harpreet Brar's cameo powered Punjab Kings to 179 runs.

Punjab dominated Bangalore with the ball. After Padikkal's dismissal, Kohli and Patidar tried to stabilise the innings with the partnership. But Harpreet Brar cleaned up Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell in back-to-back deliveries. He even took the wicket of in-form AB de Villiers to break RCB's backbone.&nbsp;

Harshal Patel and Kyle Jamieson tried to revive RCB innings but it was too late.&nbsp;

With this win, Punjab Kings jump to the fifth spot, whereas, RCB stay at the third spot.

Punjab Kings bounce back to winning ways in style after beating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 34 runs in match 26 of the Indian Premier League 2021 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Punjab Kings bounce back to winning ways in style after beating Royal Challengers Bangalore by 34 runs in match 26 of the Indian Premier League 2021 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. ALSO READ: 'Most professional player': RCB head coach Simon Katich lauds skipper Virat Kohli Royal Challengers Bangalore won the toss and chose to bowl. Initially, they were off to a good start as they broke the opening partnership early. However, an 80-run stand between Chris Gayle and KL Rahul gave a much-needed push to Punjab Kings after an early blow. RCB bounced back by scalping back to back wickets after Gayle's dismissal. But skipper held on to crease and smashed 91 runs in 57 balls and a cameo from Harpreet Brar's cameo powered Punjab Kings to 179 runs. Punjab dominated Bangalore with the ball. After Padikkal's dismissal, Kohli and Patidar tried to stabilise the innings with the partnership. But Harpreet Brar cleaned up Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell in back-to-back deliveries. He even took the wicket of in-form AB de Villiers to break RCB's backbone. Harshal Patel and Kyle Jamieson tried to revive RCB innings but it was too late. With this win, Punjab Kings jump to the fifth spot, whereas, RCB stay at the third spot.

IPL 2021- KL Rahul shines as Punjab Kings bounce back to winning ways

KL Rahul's struggling Punjab Kings will be taking on Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore in match 26 of the Indian Premier League on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Virat and Co. are having a splendid IPL season after winning five of their last six matches.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-punjab-kings-to-cross-swords-with-the-royal-challengers-bangalore-381561" hreflang="en">IPL 2021: Punjab Kings to cross swords with the Royal Challengers Bangalore</a>

However, Punjab Kings are&nbsp;struggling this season. Despite starting their campaign, they faced three consecutive losses that brought back their memories of last season. With a win against Mumbai Indians, they were back in the tournament but a loss against KKR demoted them to the sixth position in the points table with just two wins in six matches.

<h2>STATS</h2>

The Punjab Kings lead the head-to-head record against the Royal Challengers Bangalore by 14-12. The two teams ran into each other twice in the United Arab Emirates a year ago, with Punjab Kings arising victorious on both occasions.

<h2>PITCH&nbsp;REPORT:</h2>

While bowlers are likely to get assistance from the surface, there are chances that batsmen might read the conditions better and post more runs on the board. A total close to 160 could be challenging for the chasing team.

<h2>WEATHER PREDICTION:</h2>

The weather in Ahmedabad is expected to be extremely hot with temperatures hovering around 42 degrees Celsius. While there are no chances of rain interruptions in the match, heavy dew could play a major role in determining the winner of the match.&nbsp;

KL Rahul's struggling Punjab Kings will be taking on Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore in match 26 of the Indian Premier League on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

KL Rahul's struggling Punjab Kings will be taking on Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore in match 26 of the Indian Premier League on Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Virat and Co. are having a splendid IPL season after winning five of their last six matches. ALSO READ: IPL 2021: Punjab Kings to cross swords with the Royal Challengers Bangalore However, Punjab Kings are struggling this season. Despite starting their campaign, they faced three consecutive losses that brought back their memories of last season. With a win against Mumbai Indians, they were back in the tournament but a loss against KKR demoted them to the sixth position in the points table with just two wins in six matches. STATS The Punjab Kings lead the head-to-head record against the Royal Challengers Bangalore by 14-12. The two teams ran into each other twice in the United Arab Emirates a year ago, with Punjab Kings arising victorious on both occasions. PITCH REPORT: While bowlers are likely to get assistance from the surface, there are chances that batsmen might read the conditions better and post more runs on the board. A total close to 160 could be challenging for the chasing team. WEATHER PREDICTION: The weather in Ahmedabad is expected to be extremely hot with temperatures hovering around 42 degrees Celsius. While there are no chances of rain interruptions in the match, heavy dew could play a major role in determining the winner of the match.

pbks vs-rcb