Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) faced a severe batting collapse in their IPL match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday, managing only 95/9 after the match was reduced to 14 overs a side. Tim David’s resilient unbeaten half-century of 50 runs off 22 balls emerged as the sole highlight, while Punjab’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Marco Jansen (2/10) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/11), dominated the proceedings in the first innings.
The match started disastrously for RCB as Phil Salt departed early, scoring just four runs in Arshdeep Singh’s opening over. The situation worsened when Virat Kohli was caught by Marco Jansen for a duck, triggering a top-order collapse.
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By the end of the powerplay, RCB found themselves in deep trouble at 26/3, with their key batters back in the dugout. The middle order’s performance proved equally disappointing, with Krunal Pandya, Jitesh Sharma, and Impact Substitute Manoj Bhandage contributing minimal runs.
The team’s score plummeted to 42/7 by the ninth over, as Punjab’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure.
David’s counterattack in the final over, including three consecutive sixes against Brar, provided some respite to the struggling hosts.
The usually vibrant Chinnaswamy Stadium fell silent as wickets continued to fall. Marco Jansen’s spectacular catch to dismiss Virat Kohli particularly deflated the home crowd’s spirits.
Punjab’s Commanding Position and RCB’s Uphill Task
Punjab Kings now face a modest target of 96 runs, putting them in a commanding position. RCB’s bowlers face an uphill task of defending this low total against Punjab’s in-form batting lineup.
The match situation demands extraordinary effort from RCB’s bowling unit, as early wickets remain their only hope of staging a comeback. Any substantial partnership from Punjab’s batters could swiftly end the contest.
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