In a thrilling encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Punjab Kings (PBKS) defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by five wickets, handing them their third consecutive home defeat in IPL 2025. The match, affected by rain, was reduced to a 14-overs-a-side affair, which led to a dramatic bowling-dominated clash, with 14 wickets falling in just 26.1 overs.
RCB, put in to bat by PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer after winning the toss, could only muster 95 for 9, with Tim David’s heroic knock of 50* off 26 balls providing some resistance. However, the damage was done by PBKS bowlers, particularly Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Marco Jansen, who collectively dismantled the RCB batting order. Arshdeep’s consistent length and Chahal’s flight and spin troubled the batters, while Jansen used his height to good effect.
RCB’s Collapse
RCB’s batting woes began early. After Phil Salt’s four off the first ball, the pitch proved challenging for the batsmen. Virat Kohli and Salt fell to pull shots, and Arshdeep doubled his tally of powerplay wickets for the season, reducing RCB to 26 for 3. Despite a brief flurry from Rajat Patidar, who hit a four and six, and Liam Livingstone’s attempt to get things going, RCB’s collapse continued. Jitesh Sharma and Krunal Pandya both fell cheaply, leaving RCB at 33 for 5.
RCB tried to regroup but could not escape the pressure. Chahal and Jansen continued to apply the brakes. Chahal’s looped deliveries created more havoc as Patidar was dismissed for a sharp catch at long-off. The introduction of Manoj Bhandage as the Impact Player did not change the tide, as he was trapped lbw by Jansen.
At 63 for 9, RCB were on the brink of being bowled out for their lowest total. However, David’s late fight, including three consecutive sixes in the final over, took them to 95 for 9. Despite his heroics, it was not enough to lift RCB from their batting nightmare.
PBKS’s Steady Chase
In reply, PBKS faced some early jitters. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya struggled against Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood. However, their disciplined approach in the middle overs, coupled with a few well-timed boundaries, kept them in the hunt. The innings was anchored by Nehal Wadhera, who remained unbeaten on 33* from 19 balls, guiding his team past the target with ease. Despite a couple of wickets falling, PBKS kept their composure, chasing down the target of 96 with five wickets in hand.
Key Performers:
- Yuzvendra Chahal: 2 for 11
- Arshdeep Singh: 2 for 23
- Marco Jansen: 2 for 10
- Tim David: 50* (26 balls)
PBKS will take heart from this win, as they successfully defended a low total and chased down the target in a composed manner. On the other hand, RCB will have to reassess their batting approach and look to bounce back from this devastating loss.
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