Match Details
After being sent to bat first, Faf du Plessis and Virat Kohli, the usual openers set a perfect platform for big a commendable total. They started off with some crisp stroke play mixed with excellent running between the wickets. The duo stuck around for a long time and notched up 137 runs for the opening wicket. This was also the highest partnership in Mohali. In addition, this was the second time a century-plus stand was witnessed in this edition of IPL, and guess what it was RCB again.
The first breakthrough came in the first ball of the 17th over when skipper Sam Curran handed the ball to Harpreet Brar. The left-arm spinner enforced two wickets in two balls removing Virat Kohli and Glenn Maxwell. Faf played some outrageous shots but was taken aback by the wittiness of Nathan Ellis. With some late contributions from the middle order, RCB could fetch 174 runs on the board for the loss of four wickets. Faf du Plessis (84) and Virat Kohli (59) were the highest run-getters while Brar emerged with two wickets.
Arriving for the chase, Punjab Kings were out on the back foot by the RCB bowlers. Mohammed Siraj and Wayne Parnell operated from both ends enforcing a flurry of wickets in the Dhawan-less Punjab side. Atharva Taide failed to gleam for the second time in the competition while Matt Short returned back with just eight runs.
Liam Livingstone was a no-show on his first exposure in the 16th edition of IPL. The middle order collapsed and it was just Prabhsimran Singh (46) who looked strong from the top five. It felt as if he was filling the big shoes of usual skipper Shikhar Dhawan and was doing a fabulous job.
Whenever the Punjab-based franchise tried to stitch partnerships, RCB bowlers returned with a scalp. Mohammed Siraj was spitting venom today and was well assisted by Wayne Parnell and Harshal Patel. Although Jitesh Sharma (41off 27) was the lone assaulter for PBKS, he failed to steer his side past the finishing line. Virat Kohli dropped his catch while the gloveman was on 38 but it didn't matter much as Siraj took the onus of all-out folding on his own shoulders. Wanindu Hasaranga was sensational with the ball and on the field as well. He bagged two wickets and forced a run-out on Harpreet Singh Bhatia.