Royal Challengers Bangalore registered an easy win by five wickets Lucknow Super Giants In Match 23 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
Asked to bat first, LSG faced a tough performance with the bat and were all out for 146 runs in 20 overs. Mitchell Marsh scored 40 off 32 balls, while Ayush Badoni (38 off 24) and Mukul Chaudhary (39 off 28) tried to take hold of the innings after the initial jitters. However, regular wickets prevented them from building sustained momentum.
RCB's bowling unit put in a disciplined performance, with Rasikh Salam Dar taking an impressive four wickets. Bhuvneshwar Kumar He ably supported them, taking three wickets, while Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood made crucial breakthroughs.
In reply, RCB chased the target easily and scored 149/5 in just 15.1 overs. Virat Kohli scored 49 runs in 34 balls and had a brilliant partnership with captain Rajat Patidar, who scored 27 runs. Jitesh Sharma (23 off 9) provided the final innings, while Tim David and Romario Shepherd took the hosts to their third consecutive win this season.
talking points
1. Josh Hazlewood's brilliant comeback
Josh Hazlewood Made an impressive comeback into the XI, bowled a tough spell and took a crucial wicket. His control of the new ball and ability to consistently hit tough lengths put the LSG batsmen under pressure. More than just the wicket column, it was their discipline and experience that was setting the tone for the rest of the bowling unit.
On a surface where support was minimal, he demonstrated his class by maintaining excellent lines and lengths, making life difficult for the opposition batsmen.
2. Influential player Virat Kohli leaves an impact
Virat Kohli Proved once again why he remains the backbone of RCB's batting lineup. Coming in as the impact player, Kohli played a composed but authoritative innings of 49 runs which ensured that the chase remained completely under control. Even though he missed the half-century, Kohli's contribution laid the foundation for a comfortable chase.
3. RCB gets over the line, claims top spot
RCB's stellar performance with both bat and ball ensured that they crossed the finish line without any major hurdles. After Kohli's dismissal, the middle and lower order came forward with Tim David and Romario Shepherd Finished the job in style. With this convincing win, RCB moved to the top of the points table, underscoring their strong form this season.
RCB vs LSG: Who said what?
Rajat Patidar, RCB captain
“It was brilliant (on bowling). I think the good thing is that we won the toss. And the way the fast bowlers hit the deck was good to watch. Even I don't know what he will bowl next but I will say that he is a very courageous bowler (about Krunal Pandya). At the same time, Suyyash's stump-to-stump bowling was worth watching. (On the new ball pairing of Bhuvneshwar and Josh Hazlewood) Of course, for a captain, if you have specialist bowlers in the T20 league, it makes the job easier because you don't have to tell them what to do next. The experience and ideas are helping all the other bowlers too. (On fielding of RCB) The team has been emphasizing on fielding since the beginning of IPL. Then (Phil) Salt came and he usually takes flying catches with one hand. This was a great catch for him. No, there is still a long way to go (on title expectations). Right now, we're only focusing on one game at a time.“
Nicholas Pooran, stand-in LSG captain
“It has been a tough season for us, we have been performing poorly with the bat. The 175 would have been competitive. But it's no secret that we struggled with the bat throughout the season and today we paid the price for it. This is T20 cricket. It is a tough game. Being consistent is also a tough game. But people are working really hard and we're ready for them. We will try to fight this also. And I believe it is a matter of time. Just be patient, be ready for the opportunity and take it on the team. (On his batting) I am feeling really good and hitting the ball well. Unfortunately, everything did not go my way in the tournament this time. But this has happened before also. I am already in this position, I know how to fight. And I am confident that I will get out of this.“
Josh Hazlewood, Player of the Match
“It's been a bit of a long journey over the last few months, but yes, I think the fight came off in the last game against Rajasthan. Felt much better today and my rhythm also feels in good condition. (When hitting the right length) A little bit of everything in there. You have to look at who you are playing against, who the players are at the other end and the conditions obviously play a role. Today it was a quite slow wicket and it was a bit up-and-down, so I just had to overcome that length and get the result. Today it was an all-round effort. I thought all the bowlers bowled unbelievable. I would like to bowl some fun balls, but as a Test bowler, it is quite difficult to bowl good slower balls. Always keep working on them. You always have to have it in your arsenal and keep moving forward.“
“So I think that's a huge advantage for us. (Rasikh Salaam on Dar) Yes, he obviously missed the first few games, but he has been selected in the last couple and has been training house down. He has some good skills and we have seen that in the last few games. Also bowls difficult overs. This is a big tournament for Rasikh. Will you be playing every game from now on?) Hopefully there are plans to continue playing. Our schedule is pretty good from here, so I can keep playing.”
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