Live Blog - Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings - Punjab ...

17m ago

Kagiso Rabada has had the wood over Faf du Plessis in the IPL and he's done it again. It was a full ball around 137kph on the stumps. Du Plessis clears his front leg and looks to go down-town, but can only manage a top-edge with mid-on taking a simple catch.

Rabada vs du Plessis in the IPL: Balls 15 | Runs 16 | Wickets 3 | Average 5.33

3 Number of times that du Plessis has fallen to Rabada in as many IPL games

30m ago

The scorecard will show four fours and an explosive start for Virat Kohli, but Sam Curran should have had him for a second-ball duck. Curran drew an outside edge first ball with a fuller-length ball outside off towards short third. The next ball, he went closer drawing Kohli into a drive. The edge carried at a comfortable height to Bairstow at first slip but the ball burst through his hands for four. Interestingly, Bairstow was standing right in line to the keeper. The first slip is generally a little behind.

With a reprieve, Kohli was away. He drove Curran through covers, then clipped his past short fine leg before creaming a half-volley through covers to make it 16 runs off the first over.

34m ago

861 Number of runs for Virat Kohli against Punjab Kings in IPL

46m ago

That is some excellent death bowling from the RCB bowlers, but Shashank Singh's last over burst has helped Punjab Kings reach 176 for 6. Alzarri Joseph conceded just seven off the 17th over and even the one four he went for was through an inside-edge. Sam Curran then struck Yash Dayal for two fours, but it was Dayal who had the last laugh getting rid of Curran with a short ball with Anuj Rawat taking a fine one-handed catch.

Siraj bowled a sensational 19th over conceding just four runs and picking the wicket of Jitesh. He used the two-bouncer rule to his advantage and mixed his lengths superbly.

Just when it seemed Punjab might not reach a par total, Shashank stepped up. There might have been a mix-up with his name in the auction, but he showed why Kings were so eager to pick him. First ball of the final over, Joseph went on a length and too straight and Shashank nonchalantly flicked him imperiously over square leg. He then brought out the hook over midwicket followed by a slash past short third. Joseph came back well but Kings still managed to post a competitive score.

Punjab Kings: 176 for 6 after 20 overs

48m ago

1h ago

He's started off well slamming Mayank Dagar for two successive sixes, and is one of the best finishers going around. How many can Punjab conjure in the last four overs? They need a big finish.

Punjab Kings: 132 for 4 after 16 overs

210.23 Jitesh Sharma's strike rate in the death. RCB will have to be careful.

1h ago

Prabhsimran Singh looked good while he was around. He struck Cameron Green for a delicious flicked 90m six over square leg, before Shikhar Dhawan let loose crashing Mayank Dagar over long-on. Glenn Maxwell was then pummelled for a six by Prabhsimran but the bowler had the last laugh as he ended his innings on 25.

Liam Livingstone came in and tried to up the scoring rate against the spinners. He hammered Maxwell for a six and four, but it was the pace of Alzarri Joseph that did him in. The ball was short and wide, and Livingstone, like he so often does, swung for the hills. All he could manage was a thick edge to the keeper.

The very next ball it was Dhawan who perished for a 37-ball 45 caught at long-on with Maxwell absolutely pumped. Just when Kings seemed to be gaining some momentum, all the work has been undone.

Punjab Kings: 102 for 4 after 13 overs

1h ago

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2h ago

Jonny Bairstow's indifferent form continues. He gets off the mark with a heave wide of mid-on for his first four and follows it up with a crash through point, but falls the very next ball. It was a length ball on off which Bairstow wanted to deposit through the on-side. But, he could only manage a top-edge for Kohli to take a simple catch around short cover.

Prabhsimran Singh comes in at No. 3 and starts up with a solid punch down the ground, while Dayal continues to impress with another two-run over.

Punjab Kings 24 for 1 after four overs

2h ago

How many do Punjab Kings need in the first innings?

420 votes

2h ago

Five games in and no home team has lost a game so far. RCB will dearly want to continue with that trend. Their fans have flocked in huge numbers. There is still close to 20 minutes to go for play to start and the ground is packed to the rafters with the red RCB flags in abundance. There should be some early swing available for Siraj, who along with Yash Dayalwill want to extract some advantage. A big opening stand is what Kings will be eyeing with Dhawan and Bairstow. The average first-innings score in Bengaluru last year was 196, so a big first innings is essential for Kings.

It is a centre pitch that they are playing on today. The boundaries are 60m square on either side and 70m straight down the ground. The pitch, as expected, looks a belter.

Not long before the start. As we wait how about you go through Hemant Brar's preview for the game.

3h ago

Much to the delight of the home fans who have packed the stadium. Both teams are unchanged. Faf du Plessis, however, did say that they might make a change or two in the substitutes. He also said they will have to be wary of not losing wickets in clusters. Shikhar Dhawan also wanted to field first, but is happy to do whatever is in front of him.

RCB Playing XI: Faf du Plessis (capt), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Dinesh Karthik, Anuj Rawat, Alzarri Joseph, Mayank Dagar, Mohammed Siraj, Yash Dayal

Subs: Suyash Prabhudessai, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Swapnil Singh

Punjab Kings Playing XI: Shikhar Dhawan (capt), Johnny Bairstow, Prabhsmran Singh, Sam Curran, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Liam Livingstone, Shashank Singh, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar

Subs: Arshdeep Singh, Rilee Rossouw, Tanay Thyagarajan, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa

3h ago

Like they always do when Royal Challengers Bengaluru are in town. RCB did not have the best of starts as they went down to CSK in their opening fixture of IPL 2024. But they are back in the comforts of home and will want to get on the board nice and quick. Who’s at the other end? That will be Punjab Kings who have started strong with a win against Delhi Capitals.

Who are the people to keep an eye on? For starters, Virat Kohli is back in one of his favourite venues where he has scored runs for fun. In 82 IPL games, he has 2700 runs with four centuries and 20 fifties while averaging 39.13. Then there is also Faf du Plessis who will want to get among the runs, along with Rajat Patidar. Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik will want to continue their finishing form. For Kings, they have the hitters in Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow and Prabhsimran Singh and in Bengaluru, they could prove to be a handful.