Punjab Kings scored 176/6 in 20 overs, where as Royal Challengers Bangalore scored 178/6 in 19.2 overs.
So, finally Royal Challengers Bangalore beat Punjab Kings by 4 wickets.
Virat Kohli’s 100th T20 half-century laid the foundation as RCB secured a four-wicket victory over Punjab Kings at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday night.
Despite Punjab Kings being limited to 176/8 in their 20 overs, Kohli capitalized on an early reprieve to steer the chase, while Dinesh Karthik’s crucial contributions at the end ensured RCB reached the target with four balls to spare.
RCB dominate the Powerplay
Despite Dhawan’s elegant aerial drives, RCB maintained control over Punjab’s scoring throughout the Powerplay.
Yash Dayal’s early swing and tight line restricted the run flow, while Siraj claimed Jonny Bairstow’s wicket.
Despite Bairstow dispatching a couple of pitched-up deliveries to the on-side boundary, Siraj adjusted his length, inducing a miscue from Bairstow’s pull shot in the covers.
Prabhsimran Singh’s positive start laid the groundwork for a steady partnership, but RCB ended the Powerplay with the upper hand, limiting Punjab to 40/1 on the scoreboard.
Maxwell’s eventful spell and Joseph’s resurgence
After the time-out, Maxwell faced a tough start as Dhawan greeted him with a boundary and Prabhsimran launched him for a six to deep backward square.
However, Maxwell redeemed himself by dismissing Prabhsimran for an entertaining 25, inducing a top-edge with extra bounce.
Despite Liam Livingstone punishing him with a four and a six, Maxwell struck back in his third over, trapping Dhawan lbw with a spinning delivery.
Meanwhile, Alzarri Joseph made a commendable comeback from his costly opening over, ending Livingstone’s threat on 17.
As RCB continued to make breakthroughs, Punjab struggled to score, managing just 71 runs for the loss of 3 wickets in the middle overs.
Jitesh and Shashank shine for Punjab
Jitesh Sharma partnered with Sam Curran to drive Punjab’s innings, highlighted by back-to-back sixes off Mayank Dagar in an expensive 17-run over.
Despite this, tight spells from Joseph and Siraj in the 17th and 19th overs respectively kept Punjab’s scoring in check during the death overs.
However, Shashank Singh’s explosive cameo in the final over, courtesy of Alzarri Joseph, propelled Punjab’s total past 170.
Shashank’s blistering 21 off 8 balls included two maximums and a boundary, leaving a strong impression with his aggressive stroke play.
Kohli capitalizes on PBKS’ early lapse
On just the second ball of RCB’s chase, Kohli had yet to open his account when Bairstow faltered at first slip, missing a straightforward chance.
This error proved costly for PBKS as Kohli immediately punished them with a boundary off the same delivery, setting the tone for his innings.
Kohli’s dominance was evident as he dispatched Curran through the covers twice more in the opening over and lofted Rabada beautifully for another boundary.
Despite Rabada dismissing du Plessis and Green cheaply, Kohli remained unfazed, accumulating eight boundaries in just four overs.
His 100th T20 half-century arrived off a mere 31 balls, showcasing his aggressive intent.
Although PBKS managed to stem the flow of runs momentarily, Kohli continued to find boundaries, including an inside-out six off Chahar and a powerful pull shot against Harshal Patel.
However, Harshal eventually had the last laugh by dismissing Kohli after he had moved into the 70s with consecutive boundaries.
Despite this setback, Kohli’s impactful innings provided RCB with a strong platform to chase down the target.
Karthik and Lomror steer RCB to victory
The seventh-wicket duo wasted no time in catching up with the asking rate, both starting their innings with boundaries off Curran.
Lomror took charge against Arshdeep, launching a six down the ground and pulling a short ball to the fence in a productive 13-run over.
In the penultimate over, Harshal faced the heat as Karthik replicated Lomror’s aggression, also scoring 13 runs.
With just 10 runs required off the final over, the experienced Karthik swiftly finished the chase in just two balls.
He executed a premeditated scoop for a first-ball six, followed by a powerful four straight down the ground, securing RCB’s first points of the tournament.
What’s on the horizon for them?
Bangalore will face KKR next at home on Friday, while Punjab heads back north to Lucknow for their second consecutive away game.
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