IPL 2025: Arshdeep, Jansen and Chahal restrict RCB to 95/9 in rain-shortened clash

Bengaluru, April 18 (IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru endured a nightmare outing with the bat as they crumbled to just 95/9 against Punjab Kings in a rain-curtailed 14-over-a-side contest in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Friday.

The match, delayed by two hours due to rain, was reduced to 14 overs-per-side, with special playing conditions allowing only three bowlers to bowl a maximum of 4 overs, and one permitted two.

After losing the toss, RCB were asked to bat first, and the tone was set early by pacer Arshdeep Singh. He dismissed the dangerous Phil Salt in the first over, forcing a top-edged pull that Josh Inglis (4) dived forward to pouch at square leg. Virat Kohli (1) followed soon after, also falling to Arshdeep while attempting a pull shot.

Walking down the pitch, Kohli mistimed a short ball angled across him and was caught by Marco Jansen running back from mid-on. Arshdeep finished the power-play with two wickets, both of them pivotal. Xavier Bartlett, sharing the new ball, kept up the pressure with tight lines and later removed Liam Livingstone (4) on the final delivery of the power-play. Livingstone tried to carve a length ball over cover but ended up skying it to point, reducing RCB to 33/3 in 4 overs.

Yuzvendra Chahal, brought into the attack immediately after the power-play, made an instant impact. He had Jitesh Sharma caught at deep square leg, and soon after, Rajat Patidar (2) holed out to long-off trying to go over the top. Marco Jansen returned to get rid of Krunal Pandya (1) and Impact Substitute Manoj Bhandage (1) lbw, reducing RCB to 42/7, and then dismissed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 8.

Tim David provided a late flourish to an otherwise dismal RCB innings with a power-packed cameo. He smashed Bartlett for two fierce boundaries over square leg and then turned his attention to Harpreet Brar in the final over, clobbering him for three consecutive sixes to ignite the crowd.

When Harpreet overstepped on the final ball, David had a free hit and managed to squeeze out two more runs, bringing up a fighting 50 off just 26 balls. His lone resistance added a touch of respectability to RCB’s modest total and ensured they at least crossed the 90-run mark.

Yash Dayal was the final batter to fall, as RCB ended their innings at 95/9. Arshdeep (2-23), Jansen (2-10), Chahal (2-11) and Harpreet Brar (2-25) were the stars with the ball.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 95/9 in 14 overs (Tim David 50 not out, Rajat Patidar 23; Marco Jansen 2-10, Yuzvendra Chahal 2-11) against Punjab Kings

--IANS

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