In a high-scoring match at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium on Sunday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) beat Punjab Kings by 23 runs to become the first team to advance to the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 playoffs.

Despite Shashank Singh’s valiant fifty, RCB maintained a disciplined bowling attack, led by Rasikh Salam Dar, who took three wickets, to hold the Punjab Kings to 199/8 while defending a huge total of 222/4. RCB’s victory helped them advance to 18 points in 13 games and earn a berth in the playoffs.

Priyansh Arya was dismissed by Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the first over for a duck, giving the Punjab Kings a terrible start to the chase. After only two runs, the seasoned pacer hit once again in his subsequent over when Prabhsimran Singh edged a good-length delivery to first slip.

Impact substitute Rasikh Salam Dar’s dismissal of Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer for one solidified RCB’s dominance even more.

As wickets were falling all around him, Cooper Connolly and Suryansh Shedge mounted a counterattack. At the conclusion of the Power-play, Connolly assaulted Rasikh to help the Punjab Kings rally to 49/3, while Shedge took on Josh Hazlewood with a boundary and a six.

Romario Shepherd broke the deadlock in the eighth over as Connolly kept playing aggressively. Connolly made another attempt at a big shot, but he was taken at deep square leg after hitting 37 runs from 22 pitches, including three sixes and three fours.

After that, Shedge and Marcus Stoinis formed a valuable partnership as they steadily rebuilt the innings with well-placed boundaries and a judicious strike rotation. But when Virat Kohli took a fantastic catch at long-off to get rid of Shedge for 35 off 22 balls, RCB responded.

The Punjab Kings still had a chance, with Stoinis on one end and Shashank Singh mounting a strong offensive on the other. By hitting three sixes in a single over off Suyash Sharma and then hitting further boundaries to keep the necessary run rate under check, Shashank shifted the momentum of the chase.

Punjab Kings needed 77 runs from the last five overs as they reached 146/5 after 15 overs, and Stoinis changed things up by hitting back-to-back boundaries against Rasikh.

As the chase was still ongoing, Shashank maintained his efforts and hit an amazing helicopter shot against Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Nevertheless, Hazlewood made a vital breakthrough in the 17th over by catching Stoinis lbw for 37 off 25 deliveries.

In spite of losing his teammate, Shashank persisted in his assault and scored a quick half-century in only 22 balls. However, the necessary rate kept rising because there was not much help from the other side.

Rasikh ultimately secured the game for RCB in the last over by dismissing Shashank, who had just scored 56 off 27 balls with four fours and four sixes, when he was caught at long-on. On the last delivery, Rasikh then grabbed another wicket, bringing the Punjab Kings’ total to 199/8.

Riding on an unbroken 73 from Venkatesh Iyer and Virat Kohli’s 58, RCB had previously scored 222/4. With his rapid 45, Devdutt Padikkal made a significant contribution as well.

When asked to bat first, Kohli and Jacob Bethell needed some time to get used to the environment, and as a result, RCB only managed 17 runs in the first two overs. Harpreet Brar ultimately bowled Bethell for 11 off seven pitches because he had trouble getting the timing right.

After then, Padikkal quickly turned the tables by smashing a six off of his opening ball. Kohli also joined the assault, combining powerful stroke play with skillful strike rotation to maintain a rapid pace on the scoreboard. Their collaboration allowed RCB to score 61/1 at the conclusion of the Power-play.

Yuzvendra Chahal was brought in by the Punjab Kings to try to lower the run rate, but the leg-spinner gave up 21 runs in his first over. Brar struck once again, dismissing Padikkal for an entertaining 45 runs off 25 balls, with four fours and three sixes, after Kohli and Padikkal had scored 76 runs for the second wicket.

In only 31 balls, Kohli reached his half century as he kept up his dominance. After being caught at deep mid-wicket off Chahal, he later fell for 58 off 37 balls.

After then, Venkatesh Iyer assumed command in the final overs. He finished his fifty off 29 balls after a sluggish start and a fantastic pickup. The left-hander continued undefeated, hitting eight fours and four sixes in his 73 off 40 balls. As RCB surpassed the 220-run barrier, Tim David added late support with a rapid 28 off just 12 balls.

Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 222/4 in 20 overs (Venkatesh Iyer 73*, Virat Kohli 58, Devdutt Padikkal 45; Harpreet Brar 2-35, Yuzvendra Chahal 1-42)
Punjab Kings 199/8 in 20 overs (Shashank Singh 56, Cooper Connolly 37, Suryansh Shedge 35; Rasikh Salam Dar 3-36, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-38)