PBKS vs RCB: A clinical all-round performance by the defiant Royal Challengers Bangalore side helped them register a crucial 24-run victory against Punjab Kings in Mohali this afternoon. With this victory, RCB edged past Mumbai Indians to claim the fifth spot in the standings. Winning the toss at the I.S Bindra Stadium, Punjab Kings skipper Sam Curran made an unfortunate decision to bowl first. Batting first, RCB posted a convincing 174/4 runs total in their first innings of 20 overs.
RCB was off to a clinical start as opening batsman Faf du Plessis (84) and skipper Virat Kohli (59) thrashed the Punjab Kings bowler to record a scintillating partnership of 137 runs for the first wicket. The contribution of the experienced duo was the highlight of RCB’s innings as their vital stand proved to be match-winning.
Wickets continued to tumble at the other end but Faf du Plessis stood strong at the end to ensure that his side posted a challenging total and crossed the 170-run mark. For Punjab Kings, Harpreet Brar (2/31) starred in the bowling attack with a stunning performance whereas Nathan Ellis and Arshdeep Singh chipped in a wicket apiece.
PBKS got off to a disastrous start against RCB
Chasing a modest total of 175 runs, Punjab Kings was off to a nightmare start as they lost Abhishek Taide (4), Matthew Short (8), and Liam Livingstone (2) in quick succession and struggled at 27/3. Prabhsimran Singh (46) played a pivotal knock but did not receive adequate support at the other end.
Later on in the game, Jitesh Sharma (41) and Harpreet Brar (13) revived the hopes of Punjab Kings by adding 41-runs for the eighth wicket but their efforts went in vain as Mohammed Siraj’s destructive approach crumbled the tailend of the hosts. As a result, Punjab Kings fell short of 24 runs and were bowled out for 150 runs.
For RCB, Mohammed Siraj (4/21) was simply remarkable in his bowling performance as he single-handedly led the bowling attack and bagged the Purple Cap as well. Wanindu Hasaranga grabbed a couple of wickets whereas Wayne Parnell and Harshal Patel settled for a wicket apiece.
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