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RCB's bowlers dominated to secure victory on a tricky pitch offering grip and uneven bounce. The disciplined bowling unit bundled Lucknow Super Giants out for just 146.
What happened in RCB vs LSG clash?(PTI)Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) delivered a commanding performance to defeat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by five wickets with 29 balls to spare, at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday. The sluggish pitch with uneven bounce played into the hands of RCB’s varied bowling attack, helping the defending IPL champions register their fourth win in five matches and climb to the top of the points table.
RCB bowlers dominate on slow Chinnaswamy surface
The bowlers were the real architects of RCB’s victory. On a surface that offered grip and variable bounce, Rasikh Salam Dar stole the show with career-best figures of 4/24. The Jammu and Kashmir pacer cleverly mixed his pace, using slower deliveries and pinpoint yorkers to dismantle LSG’s lower order. Bhuvneshwar Kumar complemented him perfectly, picking up 3/27 and reaching a personal milestone as Krunal Pandya claimed his 100th IPL wicket.
Josh Hazlewood maintained his usual accuracy and bowled at an economy rate of 5, while Suyash Sharma extracted sharp turn even without taking wickets.
The disciplined bowling unit restricted Lucknow Super Giants to a modest 146 all out in 20 overs. Mitchell Marsh top-scored with 40 off 32 balls, while Mukul Choudhary 39 (28) and Ayush Badoni 38 (24) tried to rebuild, but the middle and death overs collapsed dramatically.
LSG batting stutters after early promise
LSG started brightly but lost momentum quickly. Aiden Markram fell to a leading edge off Rasikh, and Nicholas Pooran’s poor run continued as he dragged a short ball onto his stumps off Hazlewood. The biggest blow came when skipper Rishabh Pant retired hurt after being struck on the left elbow by a sharp short-pitched delivery from Hazlewood. Pant later returned briefly but was dismissed for just one run on a stunning catch by Phil Salt at deep mid-wicket. He did not take the field afterward, with Nicholas Pooran captaining in his absence and Mukul Choudhary keeping wickets.
Virat Kohli masterclass powers RCB chase
Chasing 147, RCB lost Phil Salt early but found their rhythm through Virat Kohli. The star batter, coming in as an impact substitute after missing fielding due to a niggle from the previous game, took charge immediately. Kohli smashed 49 off 34 balls, including four boundaries in one over off Prince Yadav. His aggressive intent nullified the early setback and kept the required run rate under control.
Rajat Patidar 27 (13) and Jitesh Sharma 23 (9), along with Tim David 14 (8) and Romario Shepherd 14 (8) provided handy cameos as RCB cruised to 149/5 in just 15.1 overs. Prince Yadav claimed 3/32, and Avesh Khan took 2/23 for LSG, but their efforts proved insufficient against RCB’s confident batting display.
What’s next for RCB and LSG?
RCB will stay at home and face the Delhi Capitals in a day match on Saturday, April 18. Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants will travel to New Chandigarh to take on a strong Punjab Kings side on Sunday, April 19.
About the Author
Aachal Maniyar
Aachal Maniyar is a Senior Content Producer at LiveMint, where she covers US sports with a focus on major leagues, marquee events, and athlete-driven stories, while also reporting extensively on cricket and global sports. With over five years of first-hand journalism experience, she combines sharp editorial judgment with real-time sports storytelling across platforms. <br><br> Her reporting journey spans leading newsrooms including Thomson Reuters, India TV, BTVI, ET NOW, and CNBC TV18, where she has worked across breaking news, live match coverage, feature writing, interviews, video scripting, and anchoring. This multi-platform exposure has shaped her ability to deliver context-rich sports and business journalism tailored for both television and digital audiences. <br><br> Aachal has conducted and produced exclusive interviews with athletes and public figures such as India cricketer Dhruv Jurel, Indian women’s hockey captain Savita Punia, and industrialist Ratan Tata, along with several emerging and established sports personalities. Her body of work includes in-depth explainers, athlete profiles, emotionally resonant fan narratives, and data-backed match analysis across cricket, Olympic sports, and international competitions. <br><br> She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune, and believes in reporting that is grounded in accuracy, clarity, and credibility. Her philosophy is simple: sports journalism should go beyond scores and statistics, capturing the human stories, pressure moments, and decisions that shape the game and the people who play it.
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