|| Tata IPL 2024: RCB vs PBKS ||

• RCB registered their first win in Tata IPL as they defeated PBKS by 3 wickets.
• PBKS- 176/6 lost to RCB- 178/6.
• With a Brilliant 77 of 49 balls, Virat Kohli became Man of the match.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the toss and elected to field. 

Prarabdh Sports Desk

PBKS Overview ->

PBKS got off to a decent start, dismissing Jonny Bairstow early and restricting them to 40/1 in the Powerplay. Siraj struck first as he bounced back strongly to dismiss Bairstow after the PBKS opener had cracked back-to-back fours off the RCB pacer.

Captain Shikhar Dhawan along with Prabhsimran Singh, mixed caution and aggression to add 55 off 38 balls. But Glenn Maxwell brought a wicket for RCB at the right time, as Prabhsimran top-edged his pull and the keeper made no mistake. It was another case of a strong comeback from an RCB bowler after being hit for a six off the previous ball.

Liam Livingstone tried to accelerate straightaway after arriving at the crease, but Alzarri Joseph bowled a fantastic 12th over, built the pressure, and dismissed Livingstone in the same over, caught behind. PBKS received a big blow off the first ball of the next over as Maxwell had the set Dhawan (45 off 37) caught at long off to make it two wickets in two balls for the home side. A mixed few overs followed. PBKS couldn't get the desired acceleration, and then Yash Dayal provided a wicket at a crucial juncture by having Curran caught behind off a sharp bouncer with Anuj Rawat pulling off a brilliant leaping catch. RCB got another vital wicket in the next over as Siraj bounced out Jitesh Sharma (27 off 20). Siraj was brilliant with his final two overs, conceding just eight runs and picking up a wicket.

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Shashank Singh then provided a much-needed late surge, smashing a couple of sixes and a four off Joseph to take 20 off the final over and help PBKS post 176/6. PBKS introduced Arshdeep Singh as their Impact Player at the start of the second innings, replacing Prabhsimran Singh.

Kohli, who was dropped off the second ball of the innings, made PBKS pay with some delightful strokeplay to set the platform. Dinesh Karthik (28* off 10) and Impact Player Mahipal Lomror (17* off 8) then provided the final flourish, stitching an unbeaten 48-run stand off 18 balls, to help RCB chase down 177 in the final over. 

Earlier, a disciplined bowling display had helped the home side restrict PBKS to 176/6.

RCB Overview->

Chasing 177, RCB got off to a fortuitous start as Jonny Bairstow dropped Virat Kohli at slip off the second ball of the innings, off Curran. Kohli then added salt to the wounds by cracking three fours in the over to make it 16 off the first over.

Kohli then showcased his range with some delightful shots, but RCB lost two inside the Powerplay with Kagiso Rabada sending back captain Faf du Plessis and Cameron Green. RCB reached 50/2 at the end of the Powerplay with 35 of them scored by Kohli.

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PBKS pulled things back with some disciplined bowling. Kohli and Patidar hit a six each off Chahar to up the ante. Kohli brought up his fifty off 31 balls but then Patidar departed in the next over, looking to accelerate, as he was cleaned up by Harpreet Brar. 

Kohli cracked a six and a four off Harshal to bring 15 runs off the 12th over, but Brar struck another crucial blow to dismiss Maxwell in the next over. Brar and Rabada finished off with fantastic spells of 2/13 and 2/23, respectively, as PBKS built pressure in the middle overs.

With 59 needed off 30, Kohli smashed a couple of powerful fours off Harshal, but the PBKS pacer bounced back to have Kohli caught at third man off the last ball of the over to provide a seminal moment in the game. One brought two as Curran trapped Anuj Rawat LBW.

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RCB then sent Mahipal Lomror as their Impact Player, replacing Yash Dayal. With 47 needed off 22, Lomror and Karthik smashed 37 off the next 16 balls to bring the equation down to 10 needed off the last over.

Karthik started off the final over in style, scooping the first ball of the final over from Arshdeep for a six-over fine leg. Under pressure, Arshdeep bowled a WIDE next ball. With 3 needed off 5, Karthik smashed one down the ground for a four to finish it off in style.

Summary->

PBKS-

1)Shikhar Dhawan- 45(37)                              M. Siraj-2/26 (4)

2)Jitesh Sharma- 27(20)                                 G. Maxwell-2/29(3)

3)Prabhsimran- 25(17)                                    Yash Dayal-1/23 (4)

RCB-

1)Virat Kohli- 77(49)                                        H. Brar- 2/13 (4)

2)D. Karthik- 28(10)                                        K. Rabada- 2/23(4)

3)R. Patidar- 18(18)                                         Sam Curran-1/30(3)

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