INDIA: Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 24 runs in Match 27 of IPL 2023 at the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali on Thursday.
RCB Vs PBKS
RCB, batting first, set a target of 175 runs for PBKS, reaching 174/4 in 20 overs, with Faf du Plessis scoring 84 runs off 56 balls and Virat Kohli contributing 59 runs off 47 balls. For PBKS’ bowling department, Harpreet Brar took two wickets, while Arshdeep Singh and Nathan Ellis claimed a wicket each.
Early in the game, it appeared that RCB’s batting strategy was inadequate because they suddenly slowed down after a good powerplay despite having two scheduled batters at the crease.
Brar removed Kohli after he mainly battled in the middle overs. PBKS should be commended for their bowling performance because they made effective use of the environment, bringing out their changes of pace and mostly avoiding bowling in the slot. Their cutters did have better traction on the surface, and they were able to limit RCB to a goal that they felt confident in pursuing.
PBKS started their innings disastrously, losing three wickets in just four overs, and finished their powerplay with 49-4. Despite a fighting effort by Prabhsimran Singh (46) and Jitesh Sharma (41), PBKS were all out for 150 runs in 18.2 overs, failing to chase down the target set by Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Throughout the match, it did not look like that PBKS were struggling with the run rate, but the frequency at which they lost wickets kept them out of the game.
Mohammed Siraj performed brilliantly for RCB, taking four wickets and running out a batter with his direct throw. He was given the Man of the Match award for his performance. This game made Mohammed Siraj the current purple cap leader and Faf du Plessis the orange cap leader.
With this win, RCB improved their position in the IPL 2023 points table, moving to the 5th position with six points from six matches, while PBKS slid to the 7th position with six points from six games. Both teams will be looking to perform better in their upcoming matches.
Also Read: IPL 2023: Stoinis’ All-round Brilliance Leads LSG to 10-Run Win over RR
