A powerful batting performance by Tim David, Rajat Patidar, and Devdutt Padikkal, supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s effective bowling with figures of 3-41, guided defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a convincing 43-run win against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their IPL 2026 clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The match witnessed RCB’s batsmen taking charge, with David scoring an unbeaten 70 off 25 balls, Patidar contributing an unbeaten 48 off 19 balls, and Padikkal setting the tone with a fluent 50 off 29 balls, marking his second consecutive half-century of the season.
The combined efforts of the trio, including a remarkable 99-run partnership off just 35 balls between David and Patidar, propelled RCB to a challenging total of 250/3, setting a new record for the highest total in IPL 2026. David’s exceptional hitting, including three consecutive sixes off Noor Ahmad and a flurry of boundaries in the penultimate over, led to his second IPL half-century in just 21 balls, drawing applause even from Virat Kohli in the RCB dugout.
In response, CSK struggled under the pressure of the target, with Sarfaraz Khan’s 50 off 24 balls and Prashant Veer’s 43 being the only notable contributions amidst a series of failures from the top order. Bhuvneshwar Kumar showcased his bowling prowess, reaching the milestone of 200 wickets in the IPL, as CSK was bundled out for 207 in 19.4 overs. This victory marked RCB’s fourth consecutive win over CSK, a first in the history of the IPL.
RCB started cautiously, with Phil Salt and Virat Kohli facing the early challenges posed by Khaleel Ahmed and Matt Henry. Kohli’s aggressive play, including a six and two boundaries, was cut short at 28 off 18 balls, but Salt found his rhythm to score 46 off 30 balls before being dismissed. Padikkal, after being dropped once, accelerated in the middle overs, reaching his half-century off 29 balls before falling to Jamie Overton.
The partnership between Patidar and David, starting at 151/3 in 14.1 overs, turned the tide with an impressive counterattack. Patidar’s aggressive hitting and David’s explosive strokeplay, especially in the final overs, left CSK struggling. Despite some late resistance from Veer and Overton, CSK fell short as RCB emerged victorious in a match that did not live up to its pre-game hype.
