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Rajasthan Royals look unstoppable early in IPL 2026, blending youth and experience perfectly. Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to bounce back in their next outing, focusing on tightening their death bowling.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 T20 cricket match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in Guwahati.
(PTI)Rajasthan Royals (RR) continued their unbeaten streak in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 by claiming a six-wicket win over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with 12 balls to spare, in a high-scoring encounter at the ACA Stadium in Guwahati. RR chased down a challenging target of 202 with ease, powered by the explosive batting from young guns Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel. Their fourth consecutive victory kept RR at the top of the points table.
RCB post a competitive total despite a middle-order collapse
Rajasthan Royals won the toss and elected to bowl first after a brief rain delay. RCB's innings was a mix of fireworks and collapses. Opener Phil Salt departed early for a golden duck in the first over, followed by Devdutt Padikkal 14 (7) in the third over. Even though Virat Kohli 32 (16) tried to provide a steady start, he got dismissed in the fifth over, leaving RCB reeling at 58/3 in 4.5 overs. After that, regular wickets kept the pressure on.
Captain Rajat Patidar played a crucial knock of 63 runs off 40 balls, stabilizing the middle order. Impact player Venkatesh Iyer added a quick 29 off 15 balls, including two sixes in the death overs. RCB managed to post 201/8 in 20 overs, a total that looked defendable on a good batting surface.
Bowling for RR, the pacers and spinners shared the spoils, restricting RCB from going bigger in the final stages. The pitch offered decent bounce, but batters found it easier as the game progressed.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Dhruv Jurel power RR to a comfortable win
Rajasthan Royals' chase got off to a flying start. Young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed a breathtaking 78 off just 26 balls, laced with eight fours and seven sixes. His aggressive approach put RCB under immediate pressure, taking the required run rate down significantly.
Yashasvi Jaiswal chipped in with a quick 13 before falling. After Sooryavanshi's departure, Dhruv Jurel took charge. The wicketkeeper-batter remained unbeaten on 81 off 43 balls, playing with maturity and power. He found good support from Ravindra Jadeja, who stayed not out on 24 (25).
RR reached the target in the 18th over, finishing at 202/4. Jurel's punch down to long-on for a single sealed the deal, ending RCB's winning streak. The duo's unbeaten partnership proved decisive in the middle and death overs.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, after winning Player of the Match award
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi kept it grounded after being named Player of the Match. “No, sir, it’s not like that,” he said when asked about cutting a cake. “Today we have to sleep a little early because we have an early flight tomorrow.”
On his fearless batting, the young star explained, “I just try to do what I do in practice… don’t try anything extra and back my natural game.” He added that while facing stars like Bumrah and Hazlewood, “At the back of the mind it stays that who is bowling, but I was trying to play the ball, not look at the bowler.”
Vaibhav also credited his father, coaches, and guardian Romi sir for keeping him focused: “The journey is very long, this has just started… You have to focus on your process and your work.”
IPL 2026 points table after RR vs RCB match
RR now sit comfortably at the top of the IPL 2026 points table with 8 points and a strong net run rate of +2.055. On the other hand, RCB suffered their first loss of the season and are in third place with 4 points from three games and an NRR of 1.231.
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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