Royal Challengers Bengaluru stamped their authority once again on the road, dismantling Rajasthan Royals with a confident all-round show to clinch their fourth away win of the season. The visitors barely broke a sweat in chasing down 174, storming to a commanding victory that propelled them to third on the points table.
It all began with a disciplined bowling effort from RCB after opting to bowl first. Despite Yashasvi Jaiswal’s stylish 75 anchoring Rajasthan’s innings, the Royals could only manage 173/4 — a total that never quite looked enough on a surface that eased out under lights. Dhruv Jurel added some quick runs towards the end, but RCB’s bowlers ensured there were no late fireworks, keeping the hosts on a tight leash throughout.
The chase turned into a one-sided affair the moment Phil Salt took guard. The Englishman came out swinging, tearing into the Royals’ attack with a breathtaking display of power-hitting. He plundered 46 runs in the powerplay alone, helping RCB race to 65 without loss in the first six overs. His 65-run blitz came off just 28 balls and left Rajasthan gasping for answers.
Though Salt eventually fell to Kumar Kartikeya, the damage had already been done. Virat Kohli, ever the master of the chase, calmly compiled a well-paced half-century, while Devdutt Padikkal added a fluent 40 against his former franchise. The duo ensured there were no nerves or surprises, guiding RCB home with minimal fuss.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson(w/c), Nitish Rana, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel, Shimron Hetmyer, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jofra Archer, Maheesh Theekshana, Sandeep Sharma, Tushar Deshpande
