Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting unit struggled against Punjab Kings on Friday, resulting in a 5-wicket loss. The match, affected by rain, saw RCB manage just 95 runs in 14 overs. Punjab chased down the target with 11 balls to spare.
Batting Woes Continue
RCB’s top order failed to deliver, with Phil Salt (4), Rajat Patidar (23), Liam Livingstone (4), and Jitesh Sharma (2) getting dismissed cheaply. The team’s score was 41 for 6 when Patidar got out. Tim David’s 50 off 26 balls, featuring 3 sixes and 5 fours, helped RCB reach a somewhat respectable total.
Rajat Patidar, RCB’s captain, attributed the loss to the team’s batting failure. “We could have done better as a batting unit,” he said. “Partnerships are crucial in batting, and we kept losing wickets. The pitch wasn’t too bad, but the rain cover helped Punjab. They deserve credit for their bowling.”
Bowling Unit Shines
RCB’s bowling unit has been performing well, and Patidar expressed his confidence in them. “Our bowling unit is doing great. Sometimes the batsmen get going, and sometimes they don’t. We’ll focus on improving our batting.”
This loss was RCB’s third at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in 7 matches. The team is currently fourth in the points table with 8 points. RCB has 7 more matches to play. Winning 5 of them would likely secure their playoff spot, while winning 4 would make their qualification dependent on other teams’ performances.
.@PunjabKingsIPL’s red is shining bright in Bengaluru ❤️
They continue their winning streak with an all-round show over #RCB 👏
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/7fIn60rqKZ #TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS pic.twitter.com/NOASW2XRMD
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 18, 2025