Royal Challengers Bangalore have suffered defeat on the occasion of IPL’s birthday. Punjab Kings defeated RCB by 5 wickets in a rain-interrupted 14-over match. Once again RCB has lost at home. RCB had scored 95 runs after playing first. In response, Punjab Kings chased the target in 12.1 overs. First the bowlers performed brilliantly for Punjab and then in batting, Nehal Wadhera played an important innings of 33 not out in 19 balls. With this win, Punjab Kings have now reached second place in the points table.
Punjab Kings, who came out to chase the target of 96 runs in 14 overs, did not have a good start. The first wicket fell on a score of 22 in the third over and then wickets fell at regular intervals. Prabhsimran Singh was dismissed after scoring 13 runs in 9 balls. Then Priyansh Arya returned to the pavilion after scoring 16 runs in 11 balls. Captain Shreyas Iyer was also out after scoring 7 runs in 10 balls. Then Josh Inglis returned to the pavilion after scoring 14 runs.
When 4 wickets fell for 53 runs in 8 overs, it seemed that RCB would turn the match around, but Nehal Wadhera counter-attacked and turned the match in Punjab’s favour. Nehal Wadhera scored an unbeaten 33 runs in 19 balls. He hit 3 fours and 3 sixes.
Earlier, RCB, who came to bat first after losing the toss in the 14-over match interrupted by rain, did not have a good start. Phil Salt returned to the pavilion after scoring four runs in the first over. He was dismissed by Arshdeep Singh. Then Arshdeep also dismissed Virat Kohli. He could score only one run.
After both the openers were out, everyone had expectations from Rajat Patidar. As soon as he came, he hit a four and a six. But wickets kept falling continuously at the other end. First Liam Livingstone was out after scoring 23 runs. Then Jitesh Sharma was out after scoring just two runs. RCB lost wickets at regular intervals. Patidar returned to the pavilion after scoring 23 runs in 18 balls. Manoj Bhandage came as an impact player, but he too could not do anything and was out after scoring one run. Tim David played some big shots and scored his first half-century of IPL. He hit three consecutive sixes in the last over. Tim David returned unbeaten on 50 runs in 26 balls. 5 fours and 3 sixes came off his bat. Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Yuzvendra Chahal and Marco Jansen took two wickets each for Punjab Kings.
