The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) got back to their winning ways with a win against Punjab Kings in Match 27 of the TATA IPL 2023. The game took place at the Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali on April 20, 2023. RCB won the game by 24 runs, thanks to the composed half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis and a career-best IPL performance from Mohammad Siraj.
Batting first, RCB posted a competitive total of 174/4, powered by Kohli's knock of 59 off 47 and du Plessis' 84 off 56. PBKS started their chase on the back foot and lost opener Atharva Taide early in the innings. They struggled to gain momentum throughout the innings and lost wickets at regular intervals, with Siraj being the pick of the bowlers with 4/24.
Jitesh Sharma tried to lead a late charge with his knock of 41 off 27, but it wasn't enough to save PBKS from the defeat. With this win, RCB moved up to the second position in the points table.
The game was not without its share of drama, with Kohli's bowling changes and reviews proving to be spot-on. PBKS had a tough time with the bat, losing wickets regularly in the powerplay overs.
Prabhsimran Singh and Jitesh Sharma tried to keep the innings alive with some big hits, but they failed to get the required runs.
Kohli's aggressive start helped RCB set a good platform for the innings. Faf du Plessis then took over and smashed a couple of sixes to accelerate the scoring rate. The RCB captain brought back Siraj, and he dismissed Liam Livingstone with a review, which proved to be a turning point in the game.
PBKS kept losing wickets regularly, but Jitesh Sharma gave them some hope with his attacking display. He hit a few big shots and reduced the equation to 30 needed off 18 balls. But Siraj came back and picked up two quick wickets to seal the game in RCB's favor.
Overall, it was a well-fought game, and RCB came out on top thanks to some brilliant performances from their top order and bowlers.