Without hesitation, Faf du Plessis won the toss and elected to field first at the Chinnaswamy and their pacers backed the decision with some impressive bowling. Yash Dayal bowled straight three overs inside the 40-run powerplay, conceding just 10 runs to cover up Mohammed Siraj and Alzarri Joseph’s economy of 9.50 and 10 respectively. Realising the below-par run rate with the loss of Jonny Bairstow, Prabhsimran Singh tried to take on the RCB bowlers, eventually getting outsmarted by Glenn Maxwell in the 9th over with the score reflecting 72/2 in nine overs. Liam Livingstone and Dhawan tried to carry the momentum but Joseph and Maxwell outfoxed them on back-to-back deliveries before Jitesh Sharma smacked consecutive sixes against Mayank Dagar to pile 128 runs in 15 overs. While RCB pacers allowed just 28 runs in the next four overs, Joseph spilled 20 runs in the last over with Shashank Singh’s quickfire 8-ball 21 propelling PBKS to 176/6 in 20 overs.

Similar to their counterparts, RCB lost their opening partnership in the third over following a 16-run first over as Faf du Plessis holed out off Kagiso Rabada at mid-on. The promotion of Cameron Green to No. 3 did not go RCB’s way as the Proteas pacer struck for the second time inside the 50-run powerplay. Rajat Patidar played second fiddle to Kohli who was striking at 166.67 inside the field restrictions with the latter notching up his 100th fifty-plus score in the 10th over with the score reading 85/2. Immediately after, Harpreet Brar cleaned up Patidar with Maxwell following him back to the pavilion in a space of ten deliveries. With a well-set Kohli on the charge leading RCB to 118/4 in 15 overs, Harshal Patel was summoned and he delivered, despite leaking two boundaries to Kohli, getting rid of the RCB star. It was followed by Sam Curran dismissing Anuj Rawat in the next over, thereby curtailing the equation to 36 required from 18 balls. The impact sub Mahipal Lomror joined hands with Dinesh Karthik for the seventh wicket and extracted 13 runs each of the 18th and 19th over leaving RCB 10 runs short in the final over. It was Karthik who kept his calm and hit a six and a four to seal the deal with four balls to spare.

this is so wholesome 🤌❤️pic.twitter.com/hQHBr6jzkQ

— rea (@reaadubey) March 25, 2024

Be it IND or RCB, he often runs out of partners when he is in form. 💔 pic.twitter.com/H6slNH7UHm

— Yashvi (@BreatheKohli) March 25, 2024

Intense

Harshal patel entering RCB dressing room after the match pic.twitter.com/GlKzEkI1ni

— R R (@RacchaRidhvik) March 25, 2024

Superb

#RCBvPBKS

Convo between RCB and their Fans: pic.twitter.com/o5XJnwPCsR

— 🇮🇳 رومانا (@RomanaRaza) March 25, 2024

So true!

Dinesh Karthik to RCB Fans #RCBvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/ofRpWLTDAs

— Harshhh! (@Harsh_humour) March 25, 2024