Punjab Kings Silence Chinnaswamy Crowd in a Rain-Soaked RCB Homecoming
Rain may have trimmed the overs, but the drama remained full-length at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru—RCB’s fortress. Except, it’s felt anything but that this season. Back at home, RCB were hoping for a change in fortune. Instead, they ran into a well-prepared Punjab Kings unit that outplayed them in all departments and handed them a five-wicket defeat, yet again on home turf.
The game, reduced to 14 overs a side due to persistent rain, saw RCB struggle from the get-go. With their top and middle order collapsing under pressure, it looked like another all-too-familiar script for their fans. But then came Tim David, breathing life into the innings with a stunning counterattack. Smashing a quickfire 50 off just 26 balls, he single-handedly dragged RCB to 95 for 9—a total that felt just about defendable on a sluggish surface.
Punjab’s bowlers, too, had done their homework. Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen, and Yuzvendra Chahal each picked up two wickets, dismantling RCB’s innings at regular intervals and ensuring no real partnership could bloom.And then came Nehal Wadhera, showing maturity in batting. His fluent 33 off 19 balls, filled with smart strokeplay and fearless intent, laid the foundation for the chase. Though a few wickets tumbled in the middle, Punjab never looked panicked. They crossed the finish line with 11 balls to spare, closing at 98 for 5 and sealing a statement win.
Unfortunately for RCB, the bowling and fielding didn’t rise to the occasion. Josh Hazlewood did try to shake things up, grabbing 3 wickets with trademark bounce and precision, but he lacked support from the other end. The rest of the attack leaked boundaries at crucial moments, letting Punjab Kings stay comfortably in the hunt.
Ironically, in a losing cause, Tim David was rightly adjudged Player of the Match—his innings the only bright spark in an otherwise dim night for the home side.As the crowd filtered out of Chinnaswamy under grey skies, RCB was left to reflect on yet another missed opportunity—this time at their own backyard. With the playoffs race heating up, things are getting tense in Bengaluru.Stick around for more post-match analysis, quirky stats, and inside stories from this rollercoaster of an IPL season!
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