RCB vs PBKS Highlights, IPL 2025: Chahal, Arshdeep, Wadhera star in Punjab Kings' win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in rain-hit game

With this win, the Punjab Kings climb to second spot in the standings, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru drop to fourth. These two teams will lock horns again in an afternoon game in Mullanpur on Sunday, 20th April, but that’s for later. On Saturday, 19th April, a double-header awaits us. The first game of the day will see the Gujarat Titans taking on the Delhi Capitals at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT). This will be followed by the Rajasthan Royals squaring off against the Lucknow Super Giants at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). As always, our build-up for both games will begin a lot sooner. See you then. Cheers!

Tim David is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his quickfire fifty, albeit in a losing cause. He says batting lower in the order gives him time to assess the conditions, and the practice pitches also played similarly here, which helped. Talks about his role and feels he is batting well and contributing, and will do what the team and coaches ask of him. Adds that going hard from ball one is something that a player will have to become comfortable with and he is pleased with how he is doing it so far, and says it was trickier in this game with not many wickets left. Talks about the importance of finding a way to turn things around at home and jokes about coming hard at Punjab at their home next. 

The captain of the Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer, says that it's always good to experience different kinds of games and conditions. Mentions that they took wickets regularly, with Marco Jansen being particularly lethal with the ball. Acknowledges the importance of steadying the ship in the middle overs and how the bowlers adapted well to the conditions, with hard length balls proving difficult for the batters to handle. He commends his bowlers for executing their plans fantastically and emphasises the need for one batter to take charge in such situations. States that he is pleased that Nehal Wadhera played that role and guided his team over the line. Hopes that Nehal continues to perform in this manner moving forward. Feels that Yuzvendra Chahal has probably been the bowler of the season so far and the chat with him has been about not being defensive and always going for the wickets.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Marco Jansen is in for a chat. He says he is feeling very good about the win and about the conditions too, as there was a little pace and bounce in the wicket. Tells that everyone has a role in the team, and accordingly, whatever role he gets, he is happy to do that to the best of his ability. He mentions he is used to taking the new ball upfront, but the team has a lot of players who can take wickets upfront, and that’s why he is ready to be used in the overs his team needs him. States that Iyer’s captaincy is very good and that he is very clear on the field. Adds that Iyer knows what is expected from the bowlers, and accordingly, it works either way. Mentions that they have lots of talks in the nets while practising, and thus it helps. He jokingly says he didn’t dive to take the catch, but he fell over. Shares that having someone like Yuzvendra Chahal is great. Further says that it helps the seamers upfront to go aggressive, as they know that there will be a bowler like him in the middle overs who can take wickets.

Rajat Patidar, the captain of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, says initially the wicket was two-paced, but also agrees that they could have done better as a batting unit. Adds that building partnerships is crucial, and losing wickets at regular intervals didn't help. Says dropping Devdutt Padikkal was a tough call, but was done keeping the surface in mind. Appreciates the way Punjab Kings played and says they take a lot of learnings, and concludes that they are in a good frame of mind and will look to do better going ahead.

Earlier, Shreyas Iyer had no hesitation in opting to bowl first in a rain-curtailed 14-over contest. RCB went too hard at the start and didn’t give themselves enough time to assess the conditions. PBKS were sharp with the ball and equally alert in the field to capitalise, reducing RCB to 42/7 at one stage. However, Tim David's maiden IPL fifty brought some respectability to the total, lifting them to 95.

With only 96 runs to chase, the Punjab Kings did lose both openers early, but not before getting a couple of boundaries away. There was never any real scoreboard pressure, but to their credit, RCB didn’t let PBKS run away with it either. Josh Hazlewood led the charge and even gave them a glimmer of hope with a double strike. However, Nehal Wadhera was the calming influence Punjab needed. He batted with maturity, guiding his side over the line and ensuring they didn’t botch the chase.

Back-to-back wins for the Punjab Kings! After that blip in Hyderabad, where they couldn't defend 245, the Kings have bounced back in style with a couple of statement victories. As for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it’s now three home defeats on the trot. Sent in to bat, they never really came to grips with the steep bounce on offer. They had more time than they thought with the bat and simply didn’t put enough runs on the board.

Yash Dayal to Marcus Stoinis, SIX! BANG! That's a thumping shot to seal the game by 5 wickets. Yash Dayal serves it right in the slot, on middle and off, Marcus Stoinis winds up and heaves it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie to wrap things up. Punjab Kings win by 5 wickets and 11 balls to spare.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nehal Wadhera, FOUR! Top shot! Gets his side within touching distance now. Short of a length, outside off, Nehal Wadhera weighs on the back foot and slaps it through covers for a boundary to end the over. Punjab Kings need just 4 more runs off the last two overs now.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nehal Wadhera, SIX! Ice in the veins for Nehal, surely! Back of a length, on the hips, he swivels back and pulls it behind square on the leg side for a six. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Marcus Stoinis, Hard length, angling in, over off, Marcus Stoinis punches at it and gets a thick outside edge that dribbles to deep third for a single. 

Marcus Stoinis is in next.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Shashank Singh, OUT! CAUGHT! Shashank Singh holes out! Bhuvneshwar Kumar serves it on a back of a length, angling it into the batter, on middle and leg, Shashank Singh makes a bit of room and looks to go big, straight back over the bowler's head, but only gets height and not the distance. Phil Salt takes a straightforward catch at long on. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nehal Wadhera, Back of a length, over middle, Nehal Wadhera steps out and swipes it to deep square leg for a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Nehal Wadhera, Bhuvneshwar Kumar comes back into the attack and angles it across, around off, on a length, Nehal Wadhera cuts it straight to backward point.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, Full, on off, Nehal Wadhera taps it to backward point and takes a single. 15 runs come off this over and Punjab Kings now need just 16 more runs off 18 balls. 

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, Swing and a miss! Serves the googly, outside off, Nehal gets down for the slog sweep but fails to connect.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, Nicely bowled! Full and around off, skids through quicker to go past the outside edge as Nehal looks to push at it.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, FOUR! Absolutely crunched! Suyash Sharma is becoming a bit too predictable, and Nehal Wadhera is making him pay. Full and outside off, turning away, Nehal Wadhera frees his arms and thumps it through covers.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, FOUR BYES! It's all going Punjab's way at the moment! Tossed up, full and around off, turning away. Nehal Wadhera is beaten on the outside edge, and the ball evades the keeper to his left and races to the deep third fence for a boundary. 

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, SIX! Nehal Wadhera continues to take on Suyash Sharma! Three boundaries on the trot, in the last three balls, off his bowling now. A bit too full and outside off, Nehal Wadhera tonks it over long off for a biggie.

Josh Hazlewood to Shashank Singh, A stifled appeal for caught behind but is turned down. Short and just outside off, Shashank Singh looks to play at it with a straight bat but misses and gets beaten on the outside edge.

Josh Hazlewood to Nehal Wadhera, Fires it full, on leg, this one skids through as well. Nehal Wadhera swivels to whip it off his pads but misses. The ball goes towards square leg off the pads and the batters sneak a leg bye.

Josh Hazlewood to Nehal Wadhera, Nehal Wadhera gives the bowler a charge, and Josh has an earful to say to him. Short and over off, Nehal steps out and swings hard but fails to connect. 

Josh Hazlewood to Shashank Singh, Josh goes hard into the surface this time, over off, Shashank Singh cuts it through covers for a single.

Josh Hazlewood to Shashank Singh, Hard length, over off, Singh dabs it to short third. Two dots to start the over from Josh Hazlewood!

Josh Hazlewood to Shashank Singh, Hazlewood serves it full, on middle and off, Shashank Singh covers the line and tucks it to mid on.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, SIX! That is more like it. That will release the pressure. Full on off, Wadhera goes for the slog sweep and nails it, as he puts this one over mid-wicket for a big six.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, FOUR! That should ease a lot of nerves for Nehal Wadhera and the Punjab dugout. Tossed up, on middle, Nehal reverse sweeps and gets it right this time. Hits it over backward point for a boundary.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, Full wide outside off, googly, Nehal Wadhera goes for the reverse-sweep over short third man but can't get any connection as he loses his balance and falls on the ground. Jitesh Sharma takes off the bails, but Nehal had his back leg grounded inside the crease at that time.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, Another googly that goes past the batter. This is some bowling! The pressure is building on Punjab Kings! Full and around off, going away from Nehal as he looks to push at it. 

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, Full, outside off, googly, Nehal Wadhera is lured into the drive as he looks to drive through the line and is beaten on the outside edge.

Suyash Sharma to Nehal Wadhera, An appeal for LBW but is turned down. Probably was pitching outside leg. Royal Challengers Bengaluru do not challenge it. Suyash Sharma bowls the wrong'un around leg and gets it to turn away. Nehal Wadhera fails to read the ball off the hand and misses on the flick, and gets hit on the pad.

Shashank Singh comes out to bat.

Josh Hazlewood to Josh Inglis, OUT! CAUGHT! Wicket number two of the over and RCB are right back in the contest! Back of length outside off, Josh Inglis goes for the cut and gets a bit of a thick outside edge that flies down straight to deep third man, where Suyash Sharma makes no mistake as he crouches and takes it around his knees. PBKS are now 53/4, needing 43 runs in 36 balls.

Josh Hazlewood to Nehal Wadhera, Off the mark straightaway. Josh Hazlewood keeps it nice and full, on off, Nehal Wadhera just nudges it to cover and takes a run.

Nehal Wadhera is in next.

Josh Hazlewood to Shreyas Iyer, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! The change of bowling works for Royal Challengers Bengaluru! Back-of-a-length delivery, around off, that rises on Shreyas Iyer, who looks to cut it and gets a thick outside edge that flies to the keeper, Jitesh Sharma, who times his jump to perfection and takes it with both hands. Good catch by Jitesh.

Josh Hazlewood to Shreyas Iyer, Keeps it tight, on a length, on middle and off, Iyer pushes it back to the bowler.

Josh Hazlewood to Josh Inglis, Length ball on off, Josh Inglis steers this one to the deep third man fielder for one.

Josh Hazlewood to Shreyas Iyer, Hazlewood comes back into the attack and lands it outside off, on a fuller length, Shreyas Iyer steers it to deep third for a single.

Suyash Sharma to Shreyas Iyer, Full on middle, Shreyas Iyer takes a step across and flicks this behind square, along the ground to deep fine leg for a single to retain the strike.

Suyash Sharma to Josh Inglis, Pushed through, short and on middle, Josh Inglis knocks it off the back foot to long on for a single.

Suyash Sharma to Josh Inglis, Full, googly, turning into the right hander, in the channel outside off, Josh Inglis goes for the cover drive with not much feet movement, and the ball beats his inside edge. 

Suyash Sharma to Shreyas Iyer, Floated up, fuller in length, Iyer clips it uppishly but away from the fielder at mid-wicket. They cross.

Suyash Sharma to Shreyas Iyer, Another googly, short and on middle, Iyer plays it with the turn to mid-wicket.

Suyash Sharma to Josh Inglis, Starts with a googly, short and on off, Inglis cuts it towards point where Rajat Patidar dives to his right and stops it but it is not enough to prevent the single.

Double change? Yes, Suyash Sharma comes into the attack.