IPL 2025: Wadhera Seals PBKS Win After RCB Fold for 95 | In a match truncated by rain, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) outclassed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by five wickets at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Reduced to 14 overs per side after a delayed start, RCB’s batting lineup crumbled to a meager 95/9 before PBKS chased down the target with ease.
Put in to bat, RCB’s innings got off to a rocky start as Phil Salt fell cheaply in the first over. What followed was a procession of wickets, with the middle order collapsing to 33/5. The home crowd watched in dismay as one batter after another failed to make an impact—eight of RCB’s players were dismissed for single-digit scores.
Just when it seemed RCB would struggle to cross 70, Tim David provided a late spark with a blistering half-century. His unbeaten 50 (26 balls), including three sixes in the final over, dragged RCB to a modest but defendable 95. For PBKS, Marco Jansen (2/10) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/11) were the standout bowlers, keeping the scoring in check with disciplined spells.
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In response, PBKS lost Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya early, but the small target meant they could afford a measured approach. Josh Hazlewood briefly threatened with two quick wickets, removing Josh Inglis and Shreyas Iyer in the same over to make it 48/4. However, Nehal Wadhera steadied the ship with a composed 33* (19), including a crucial six and four off Suyash Sharma that shifted momentum.
With just 33 needed off the last five overs, PBKS closed out the game comfortably, with Marcus Stoinis hitting the winning six to seal the victory with seven balls to spare.
Key Moments
- RCB’s Top-Order Collapse: The early wickets set the tone for another disappointing batting display.
- Tim David’s Lone Fight: His fifty was the only positive in an otherwise dismal innings.
- Wadhera’s Maturity: The young batter held his nerve to guide PBKS home under pressure.
