Sudharsan hit 11 fours and five sixes in his innings, and was dismissed on 100 immediately after bringing up his century by Josh Hazlewood. With Jos Buttler still at the crease and having lost just two wickets, GT are in a good position to post a big total on the board.
Sudharsan hit 11 fours and five sixes in his innings, and was dismissed on 100 immediately after bringing up his century by Josh Hazlewood. With Jos Buttler still at the crease and having lost just two wickets, GT are in a good position to post a big total on the board.
Published on Apr 24, 2026
#RCB #IPL #Sudharsan #smashes #IPL #ton">RCB vs GT IPL 2026: Sudharsan smashes third IPL ton
Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan brought up his third century in the IPL against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday.
Sudharsan scored his first century in the IPL against CSK in 2024, before he scored his second century against DC in 2025.
Sudharsan brought up his century in 57 balls, smashing the RCB bowlers to all parts of the park. It was a typical innings from the 24-year-old, starting his innings cautiously and consolidating, before unleashing his shots and upping the ante after he settled.
Sudharsan hit 11 fours and five sixes in his innings, and was dismissed on 100 immediately after bringing up his century by Josh Hazlewood. With Jos Buttler still at the crease and having lost just two wickets, GT are in a good position to post a big total on the board.
Published on Apr 24, 2026
#RCB #IPL #Sudharsan #smashes #IPL #ton
Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan brought up his third century in the IPL against Royal…
#RCB #IPL #Kohli #Padikkal #fifties #trump #Sudharsan #century #Royal #Challengers #Bengaluru #wins">RCB vs GT IPL 2026: Kohli, Padikkal fifties trump Sudharsan century as Royal Challengers Bengaluru wins again
A scintillating century by Sai Sudharsan was not enough as half centuries from Virat Kohli (81 off 44 balls) and Devdutt Padikkal (55 off 27 balls) helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeat Gujarat Titans by five wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday night.
Batting first, GT posted 205 thanks to Sudharsan’s innings (100 of 58 balls), his third century overall in the IPL. GT looked well set to amass 230 at the halfway stage of the first innings.
But some tight bowling by the RCB bowlers in the back end of the innings, not conceding a single boundary in the last four, helped the home side pull things back.
The second innings would have panned out very differently had Washington Sundar held onto a simple catch when Kohli was batting at 0, but as it happened, the opening batter made the visitor pay for the costly drop.
Chasing totals is Kohli’s bread and butter and it was just not Kohli, but also Padikkal from the other end who managed the pace of the chase to perfection, unleashing the big shots at regular intervals to leave the middle order with very little to do.
GT staged a brief fightback in the back end of the innings by dismissing Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma in quick succession, but Krunal Pandya and Tim David took RCB home.
RCB took first strike under the bright afternoon sun, but barring Phil Salt (63, 38b, 4×4, 3×6), the batters failed to hit top gear.
Opener Salt kept the tempo high even as Virat Kohli (19) and Devdutt Padikkal (18) failed when trying to force the pace.
Patidar, who has been motoring along at a tremendous strike rate this season, could not provide the middle-order impetus. The skipper was smartly dragged wide by fast bowler Mukesh Kumar, leading to an edge.
The DC bowlers hit the right spots in the last seven overs, conceding only 43 runs.
Lungi Ngidi and T. Natarajan were mighty impressive in the death, choking the run flow with a mix of pinpoint yorkers and slow bouncers.
The late strangle kept RCB to a score that turned out to be less than adequate.
RCB took first strike under the bright afternoon sun, but barring Phil Salt (63, 38b, 4×4, 3×6), the batters failed to hit top gear.
Opener Salt kept the tempo high even as Virat Kohli (19) and Devdutt Padikkal (18) failed when trying to force the pace.
Patidar, who has been motoring along at a tremendous strike rate this season, could not provide the middle-order impetus. The skipper was smartly dragged wide by fast bowler Mukesh Kumar, leading to an edge.
The DC bowlers hit the right spots in the last seven overs, conceding only 43 runs.
Lungi Ngidi and T. Natarajan were mighty impressive in the death, choking the run flow with a mix of pinpoint yorkers and slow bouncers.
The late strangle kept RCB to a score that turned out to be less than adequate.
Published on Apr 18, 2026
#RCB #IPL #Stubbs #Miller #Delhi #Capitals #line #lastover #thriller">RCB vs DC IPL 2026: Stubbs, Miller help Delhi Capitals get over the line in last-over thriller
Delhi Capitals took the foot off the gas, left it dangerously late, and yet managed to defeat Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Saturday.
The visitor made heavy work of what should have been a comfortable 176-run chase, losing momentum with uninspiring batting in the middle overs.
It boiled down to the final over, bowled by Romario Shepherd, with DC needing 15 runs. David Miller and Tristan Stubbs started with singles, leaving the boisterous home crowd in good spirits.
Miller then flipped the script in dramatic style, with clean sixes over deep midwicket and cover.
The South African, who only some days ago failed to take his team over the hump against Gujarat Titans in a similarly tight finish, turned hero this time around.
On a sticky pitch, RCB looked set to record a fifth win when fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar scalped three wickets inside the first three overs. Local lad K.L. Rahul put DC on track with a fighting 34-ball 57 under pressure.
RCB was back on top when Virat Kohli dove to his left at long-off to dismiss Rahul.
Stubbs and captain Axar Patel (26, 19b, 3×4) moved along slowly, allowing the required rate to rise.
Axar retired hurt with a leg injury, leaving his side with 42 runs needed in 25 balls. Miller seemed in no hurry, limping to six off six balls, before an explosive finish ended DC’s two match losing streak.
RCB took first strike under the bright afternoon sun, but barring Phil Salt (63, 38b, 4×4, 3×6), the batters failed to hit top gear.
Opener Salt kept the tempo high even as Virat Kohli (19) and Devdutt Padikkal (18) failed when trying to force the pace.
Patidar, who has been motoring along at a tremendous strike rate this season, could not provide the middle-order impetus. The skipper was smartly dragged wide by fast bowler Mukesh Kumar, leading to an edge.
The DC bowlers hit the right spots in the last seven overs, conceding only 43 runs.
Lungi Ngidi and T. Natarajan were mighty impressive in the death, choking the run flow with a mix of pinpoint yorkers and slow bouncers.
The late strangle kept RCB to a score that turned out to be less than adequate.
#IPL #RCB #sheds #inhibitions #emerge #modern #T20 #behemoth">IPL 2026: RCB sheds old inhibitions to emerge as modern T20 behemoth
In 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally shed its Indian Premier League (IPL) title drought. Rajat Patidar’s men have since begun the 2026 season with similar assurance, winning three of their first four matches.
Their 18-run win against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday was further evidence that a side long associated with on-field struggles has quietly transformed itself into a clinical and well-rounded T20 team.
Lessons from the past
It is easy to say in retrospect, but there were signs that RCB could turn its fabled fortunes around. The 2025 title win came after a mega-auction reset, but in the five preceding seasons (2020 to 2024), RCB qualified for the playoffs four times, building a base of consistency even without silverware.
The last of those playoff appearances, in 2024, came on the back of a borderline miraculous run. The side recovered from losing seven of its first eight league matches by winning its next six in a row to sneak into the final qualification spot, before losing the Eliminator to Rajasthan Royals.
That turnaround was driven by a clear shift in approach with the bat. Over that run, its run rate rose from 9.16 in the first eight matches to 10.23 in the final seven, while scoring rates across all three phases increased significantly.
More importantly, the middle-overs slowdown disappeared almost entirely, with batters continuing to attack and maintaining a far more even scoring pattern through the innings.
Life in the fast lane
Since 2025, the personnel have changed entirely, barring Virat Kohli and Patidar, but the attacking intent has not waned. RCB has struck at 9.63 with the bat and maintained a consistent scoring rate throughout the innings.
(insert – )
While none of its phase-wise run rates — 9.36 in the PowerPlay, 9.04 in the middle overs, and 11.42 at the death — are the very best in the league, they all rank in the top half, underlining the consistency of the batting unit.
Leading the way is the opening pair of Phil Salt and Kohli. Salt, picked for Rs. 11.50 crore after his performances in Kolkata Knight Riders’ 2024 title-winning campaign, is one of the most aggressive PowerPlay batters in world cricket. He complements the more measured Kohli, who has nevertheless found an extra gear.
Together, the pair has put on 731 runs (the third-most of any opening pair) at an average of 43 and a run rate of 10.34 since the start of 2025, combining volume with tempo to give RCB a strong platform.
Unlike the RCB sides of the past, the burden of run-scoring has not rested on a handful of players. Over the 2025 season, 10 different batters have scored half-centuries for the team.
Equally impressively, among frontline batters who have faced at least 10 balls since the start of the 2025 season, all but two have struck at over 140.
(insert – )
RCB’s batting line-up has thus been remodelled into one that bats deep, scores quickly, and produces contributions across the order. Perhaps more significantly, RCB has shown early signs of correcting a key weakness. In 2025, it won seven of eight matches while chasing, compared to five in eight batting first; in 2026, two of its three wins have already come while setting a target.
The early bird gets the worm
If the batting has been solid without being exceptional, the bowling in the PowerPlay has been dominant. No team has taken more wickets in the first six overs than RCB’s 34. It also leads in average (30.94), strike rate (20.1), and dot-ball percentage (45.1%), while ranking second in economy (9.22).
This dominance is driven by the pairing of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who account for 20 of those 34 wickets. Interestingly, for two bowlers known for extracting movement with the new ball, their best work has come in the latter half of the PowerPlay.
(insert – )
Twelve of those wickets have come in that phase, and the team’s 18 wickets between overs four and six are comfortably the best in the league.
Those early breakthroughs have often dented top-heavy batting units and set the stage for the spinners through the middle overs. While RCB’s spinners take relatively fewer wickets, they have been effective, as seen in Krunal Pandya’s three-wicket haul in the 2025 final against Punjab Kings.
Sharing the experience around
After the 2025 mega-auction, RCB released videos outlining its strategy. In one of them, Director of Cricket Mo Bobat spoke about prioritising spending on the starting XII and building a strong Indian core.
That approach aligned with a broader trend: experienced teams tend to win IPL finals. Since 2022, only two players in their maiden IPL season have featured for a title-winning side in a final.
RCB also identified a lack of experience in its Indian contingent in 2024, with Kohli and Dinesh Karthik accounting for 65 per cent of the IPL caps among Indian players.
The auction strategy reflected that insight. The franchise invested heavily in an Indian core, bringing in Bhuvneshwar (Rs. 10.75 crore), Krunal (Rs. 5.75 crore), Jitesh Sharma (Rs. 11 crore), and Devdutt Padikkal (Rs. 2 crore).
None of them dominated pre-auction chatter, and even the most expensive among them went for less than half of what Rishabh Pant commanded. Despite entering the auction with the second-highest purse (Rs. 83 crore), RCB signed just one marquee player.
Yet, this group proved crucial in raising the team’s floor, using experience and clarity to bridge the gap between its best and worst performances, a long-standing issue for the franchise. Each also delivered match-winning contributions at key moments.
A well-constructed T20 team
Everything came together on that night at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The planning, clarity, and execution aligned as RCB emerged as IPL champion for the first time.
Beyond the narrative of a drought ending, this is also a story of how a well-constructed team, built on sound principles and a clear understanding of modern T20 cricket, came into being.
#IPL #RCB #sheds #inhibitions #emerge #modern #T20 #behemoth">IPL 2026: RCB sheds old inhibitions to emerge as modern T20 behemoth
In 2025, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally shed its Indian Premier League (IPL) title drought. Rajat Patidar’s men have since begun the 2026 season with similar assurance, winning three of their first four matches.
Their 18-run win against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday was further evidence that a side long associated with on-field struggles has quietly transformed itself into a clinical and well-rounded T20 team.
Lessons from the past
It is easy to say in retrospect, but there were signs that RCB could turn its fabled fortunes around. The 2025 title win came after a mega-auction reset, but in the five preceding seasons (2020 to 2024), RCB qualified for the playoffs four times, building a base of consistency even without silverware.
The last of those playoff appearances, in 2024, came on the back of a borderline miraculous run. The side recovered from losing seven of its first eight league matches by winning its next six in a row to sneak into the final qualification spot, before losing the Eliminator to Rajasthan Royals.
That turnaround was driven by a clear shift in approach with the bat. Over that run, its run rate rose from 9.16 in the first eight matches to 10.23 in the final seven, while scoring rates across all three phases increased significantly.
More importantly, the middle-overs slowdown disappeared almost entirely, with batters continuing to attack and maintaining a far more even scoring pattern through the innings.
Life in the fast lane
Since 2025, the personnel have changed entirely, barring Virat Kohli and Patidar, but the attacking intent has not waned. RCB has struck at 9.63 with the bat and maintained a consistent scoring rate throughout the innings.
(insert – )
While none of its phase-wise run rates — 9.36 in the PowerPlay, 9.04 in the middle overs, and 11.42 at the death — are the very best in the league, they all rank in the top half, underlining the consistency of the batting unit.
Leading the way is the opening pair of Phil Salt and Kohli. Salt, picked for Rs. 11.50 crore after his performances in Kolkata Knight Riders’ 2024 title-winning campaign, is one of the most aggressive PowerPlay batters in world cricket. He complements the more measured Kohli, who has nevertheless found an extra gear.
Together, the pair has put on 731 runs (the third-most of any opening pair) at an average of 43 and a run rate of 10.34 since the start of 2025, combining volume with tempo to give RCB a strong platform.
Unlike the RCB sides of the past, the burden of run-scoring has not rested on a handful of players. Over the 2025 season, 10 different batters have scored half-centuries for the team.
Equally impressively, among frontline batters who have faced at least 10 balls since the start of the 2025 season, all but two have struck at over 140.
(insert – )
RCB’s batting line-up has thus been remodelled into one that bats deep, scores quickly, and produces contributions across the order. Perhaps more significantly, RCB has shown early signs of correcting a key weakness. In 2025, it won seven of eight matches while chasing, compared to five in eight batting first; in 2026, two of its three wins have already come while setting a target.
The early bird gets the worm
If the batting has been solid without being exceptional, the bowling in the PowerPlay has been dominant. No team has taken more wickets in the first six overs than RCB’s 34. It also leads in average (30.94), strike rate (20.1), and dot-ball percentage (45.1%), while ranking second in economy (9.22).
This dominance is driven by the pairing of Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who account for 20 of those 34 wickets. Interestingly, for two bowlers known for extracting movement with the new ball, their best work has come in the latter half of the PowerPlay.
(insert – )
Twelve of those wickets have come in that phase, and the team’s 18 wickets between overs four and six are comfortably the best in the league.
Those early breakthroughs have often dented top-heavy batting units and set the stage for the spinners through the middle overs. While RCB’s spinners take relatively fewer wickets, they have been effective, as seen in Krunal Pandya’s three-wicket haul in the 2025 final against Punjab Kings.
Sharing the experience around
After the 2025 mega-auction, RCB released videos outlining its strategy. In one of them, Director of Cricket Mo Bobat spoke about prioritising spending on the starting XII and building a strong Indian core.
That approach aligned with a broader trend: experienced teams tend to win IPL finals. Since 2022, only two players in their maiden IPL season have featured for a title-winning side in a final.
RCB also identified a lack of experience in its Indian contingent in 2024, with Kohli and Dinesh Karthik accounting for 65 per cent of the IPL caps among Indian players.
The auction strategy reflected that insight. The franchise invested heavily in an Indian core, bringing in Bhuvneshwar (Rs. 10.75 crore), Krunal (Rs. 5.75 crore), Jitesh Sharma (Rs. 11 crore), and Devdutt Padikkal (Rs. 2 crore).
None of them dominated pre-auction chatter, and even the most expensive among them went for less than half of what Rishabh Pant commanded. Despite entering the auction with the second-highest purse (Rs. 83 crore), RCB signed just one marquee player.
Yet, this group proved crucial in raising the team’s floor, using experience and clarity to bridge the gap between its best and worst performances, a long-standing issue for the franchise. Each also delivered match-winning contributions at key moments.
A well-constructed T20 team
Everything came together on that night at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The planning, clarity, and execution aligned as RCB emerged as IPL champion for the first time.
Beyond the narrative of a drought ending, this is also a story of how a well-constructed team, built on sound principles and a clear understanding of modern T20 cricket, came into being.
But Salt truly came into his elements against the spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Mayank Markande. Salt welcomed Santner in the fourth over with three clean hits over the fence followed by a boundary. Once the PowerPlay ended, Markande, the leg-spinner, was taken to task with three crisp fours and a towering six, as Salt’s assault gathered pace.
Shardul Thakur’s golden arm broke the 120-run partnership in the 11th over, but captain Patidar arrived with purpose. From the moment he tonked his first ball over mid-off for four, Patidar was precise and powerful, keeping the momentum intact.
Jasprit Bumrah’s probing spell — despite going wicketless for the fourth consecutive game — applied the brakes as RCB had to settle for 53 runs in the last five overs. The damage up front, however, was enough for RCB to return to winning ways.
But Salt truly came into his elements against the spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Mayank Markande. Salt welcomed Santner in the fourth over with three clean hits over the fence followed by a boundary. Once the PowerPlay ended, Markande, the leg-spinner, was taken to task with three crisp fours and a towering six, as Salt’s assault gathered pace.
Shardul Thakur’s golden arm broke the 120-run partnership in the 11th over, but captain Patidar arrived with purpose. From the moment he tonked his first ball over mid-off for four, Patidar was precise and powerful, keeping the momentum intact.
Jasprit Bumrah’s probing spell — despite going wicketless for the fourth consecutive game — applied the brakes as RCB had to settle for 53 runs in the last five overs. The damage up front, however, was enough for RCB to return to winning ways.
Published on Apr 12, 2026
#RCB #IPL #Batters #fire #Royal #Challengers #Bengaluru #Mumbai #Indians #highscoring #contest">MI vs RCB IPL 2026: Batters fire Royal Challengers Bengaluru past Mumbai Indians in high-scoring contest
Phil Salt was sensational in the first half — and not just in the PowerPlay. Rajat Patidar was potent with his power-hitting in the middle overs. And Tim David was devastating at the death.
The trio’s exploits not only helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru pile on a gargantuan total but also take the chase out of the equation against the five-time champion Mumbai Indians’s reach to marquee Indian Premier League clash at the Wankhede Stadium.
Riding on a whirlwind batting display through the innings — despite Virat Kohli’s relatively measured 38-ball 50 — RCB lived up to its billing as defending champion to post 240 for four, the second-highest total of the season.
Once veteran Rohit Sharma had to retire hurt due to a hamstring issue after five overs into the chase, MI wilted under pressure against an accurate bowling attack. Krunal Pandya’s uncanny left-arm spin stifled the MI.
Had it not been for Sherfane Rutherford’s impact as a sub in a lost cause, the margin of defeat – and the net run rate damage as a result – would have been much higher than 18 runs.
While Rohit didn’t return to bat, Kohli also remained off the field for the second half after hurting his ankle during an anchor-like innings.
Despite Kohli’s knock, RCB was too hot to handle in the first innings. While David finished with a towering six off Trent Boult over deep midwicket, Salt had begun in similar fashion against the Kiwi pacer.
But Salt truly came into his elements against the spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Mayank Markande. Salt welcomed Santner in the fourth over with three clean hits over the fence followed by a boundary. Once the PowerPlay ended, Markande, the leg-spinner, was taken to task with three crisp fours and a towering six, as Salt’s assault gathered pace.
Shardul Thakur’s golden arm broke the 120-run partnership in the 11th over, but captain Patidar arrived with purpose. From the moment he tonked his first ball over mid-off for four, Patidar was precise and powerful, keeping the momentum intact.
Jasprit Bumrah’s probing spell — despite going wicketless for the fourth consecutive game — applied the brakes as RCB had to settle for 53 runs in the last five overs. The damage up front, however, was enough for RCB to return to winning ways.
#RCB #IPL #LIVE #score #Mumbai #Indians #Royal #Challengers #Bengaluru #headtohead #Wankhede">MI vs RCB IPL 2026, LIVE score: Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru go head-to-head at Wankhede
RCB edged out MI by 12 runs in a high scoring contest the last time the two sides faced off against each other. Incidentally, that match also took place at the Wankhede Stadium, the venue of tonight’s clash.
Sixties from Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar helped RCB post 221 before MI came within 12 runs off the target thanks to Tilak Varma’s quickfire 56 but eventually fell short of the target. Will we witness another high scoring contest tonight?
He stressed batting was not just about the strike rate. “It is important that at the end of the day, you play the situation as well,” he said. “It is important that you continue to help the team win games, and as long as I am able to contribute, I am very happy.”
He said he took a lot of confidence from the domestic season. “I have scored a lot of runs coming into the season and I was really consistent,” he said. “Whenever you have that performance behind you, it gives you confidence.”
Looking ahead to Friday’s match against Rajasthan Royals, he said it could be a difficult one for his team. “They have a really good side and some really exciting and talented young players,” Padikkal said. “But at the same time, we are coming into this game with some confidence.”
He stressed batting was not just about the strike rate. “It is important that at the end of the day, you play the situation as well,” he said. “It is important that you continue to help the team win games, and as long as I am able to contribute, I am very happy.”
He said he took a lot of confidence from the domestic season. “I have scored a lot of runs coming into the season and I was really consistent,” he said. “Whenever you have that performance behind you, it gives you confidence.”
Looking ahead to Friday’s match against Rajasthan Royals, he said it could be a difficult one for his team. “They have a really good side and some really exciting and talented young players,” Padikkal said. “But at the same time, we are coming into this game with some confidence.”
Published on Apr 09, 2026
#RCBs #Padikkal #credits #hard #work #scenes #frenetic #start #IPL">RCB’s Padikkal credits hard work behind the scenes for his frenetic start to IPL 2026
Devdutt Padikkal is one of the reasons for the great start to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) title defence. The tall left-hander struck fifties in both the RCB matches at this Indian Premier League (IPL).
And he made those runs at frenetic pace – 61 off 26 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad and 50 off 29 against Chennai Super Kings. The hard work behind the scenes is paying off for him.
“Over the last couple of years, I have been actively working on trying to improve my strike rate,” he said. “I am glad that those processes and that hard work that has gone behind the scenes are really coming to fruition now.”
He stressed batting was not just about the strike rate. “It is important that at the end of the day, you play the situation as well,” he said. “It is important that you continue to help the team win games, and as long as I am able to contribute, I am very happy.”
He said he took a lot of confidence from the domestic season. “I have scored a lot of runs coming into the season and I was really consistent,” he said. “Whenever you have that performance behind you, it gives you confidence.”
Looking ahead to Friday’s match against Rajasthan Royals, he said it could be a difficult one for his team. “They have a really good side and some really exciting and talented young players,” Padikkal said. “But at the same time, we are coming into this game with some confidence.”
#IPL #Royal #Challengers #Bengaluru #humbles #Chennai #Super #Kings">IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru humbles Chennai Super Kings again
Chennai Super Kings’ cup of woes overflowed at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Sunday as Royal Challengers Bengaluru handed the five-time IPL champion a 43-run defeat.
After a Tim David-inspired RCB set a daunting 251-run target, the visitors folded for 207 to lose three out of three this season.
The Men in Yellow never recovered from 30 for three, and the fact that four of its top-five fell for single-digit scores told the story.
A seventh-wicket partnership worth 57 runs between Prashant Veer (43, 29b, 6×4, 1×6) and Jamie Overton (37, 16b, 4×4, 2×6) was only mildly threatening.
Sarfaraz Khan (50, 25b, 8×4, 2×6) displayed the most intent, but once he was out stumped to a Krunal Pandya delivery that held its line, whatever little hope CSK had went up in smoke.
Earlier, an unchanged RCB that was asked to bat first was undeterred by the sluggish pitch and an equally sluggish outfield.
Tim David scored an unbeaten 70 off just 25 balls.
| Photo Credit:
MURALI KUMAR K
Tim David scored an unbeaten 70 off just 25 balls.
| Photo Credit:
MURALI KUMAR K
Just 11 runs came from the first two overs and it took until the fourth for the first hit to the boundary. But like a champion skier on a smooth downward slope, RCB ramped up its run-making speed in astonishing fashion.
Phil Salt (46, 30b, 3×4, 2×6) and Virat Kohli (28, 18b, 2×4, 1×6) accumulated runs at a strike-rate in the 150s; Devdutt Padikkal (50, 29b, 5×4, 2×6) in the 170s; captain Rajat Patidar (48 n.o., 19b, 1×4, 6×6) in the 250s before David (70 n.o., 25b, 3×4, 8×6) took it up to a scarcely believable 280!
The 15th over that Overton bowled saw just two runs being conceded and the clean-striking Padikkal excised. But that fleeting moment of calm was followed by the Patidar-David storm which racked up 97 runs from the last five overs.
The most potent catalyst came in the 17th over, bowled by tweaker Noor Ahmad, wherein David smashed three sixes off three bad half-trackers. In the 18th, David was bowled around his legs by Anshul Kamboj only for it to be no-ball. The ensuing free-hit, unsurprisingly, went soaring over mid-on.
Overton’s 19th went for 30 runs, with David carting four maximums, including one that went over square-leg and out of the stadium. It was enough to beat the living daylights out of CSK.
