Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Match 61 Match Summary

One taken, three spots left - Right, 61 games done in the season, and we have our first playoff spot sealed. Two teams have been eliminated from the race, while 7 are still in contention for the remaining three spots. The 62nd game of the season is already underway in Delhi, where the Rajasthan Royals have been inserted to bat by the Delhi Capitals. You can switch tabs and follow the action from that game. Cheers!

PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Venkatesh Iyer gets the award for his stunning, unbeaten knock of 73 runs from 40 balls. Iyer says that, technically, this was only his second game for RCB, but the first time he got a proper opportunity with the bat, which made the performance and the two points even more pleasing. He adds that RCB welcomed him really well and credits Mo Bobat, Andy Flower and Dinesh Karthik for creating a highly professional setup. According to him, the brand of cricket RCB play is something that excites him a lot. Iyer admits that, while he still shares an emotional bond with KKR, having played for them previously, he already feels at home at RCB. He also says that he would be lying if he claimed he was not frustrated at not getting opportunities earlier, but understood that this is a champion side and changing a winning combination is never easy. At the same time, he says he always tried to make it clear to the coaching staff that he was eager to play and capable of making an impact. Speaking about his innings, Iyer says it was a scratchy start, but batting alongside Virat Kohli helped immensely. He praises Kohli’s ability to communicate and says that is one quality common among all the greats of the game. Having not batted for a while, he needed a few deliveries to get into rhythm, but once he understood the nature of the wicket and got the freedom to take on the bowling, things started to fall into place.

The captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Jitesh Sharma says that RCB were in control of the game throughout and never really felt under pressure. He adds that the side knew exactly what they wanted to do with the ball on this wicket, had specific plans for particular batters and were able to execute them well. Speaking about Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, Jitesh says that the team is privileged to have bowlers of their quality and that their experience has been a huge help for him as a captain. Jitesh reiterates that RCB’s approach remains simple - to take one game at a time and focus on performing well in every match.

Time for the presentation ceremony...

Recap of the first innings - Earlier, the Punjab Kings opted to bowl first, and for the 8th time this season, they ended up conceding more than 200 runs. Virat Kohli's love affair with Punjab continued as he stitched together crucial partnerships, first with Devdutt Padikkal and then with Venkatesh Iyer. Venkatesh turned on the heat as the innings went on, while Tim David chipped in with a handy cameo to help RCB post 222.

RCB survive Shashank storm - With 223 runs to chase, the Punjab Kings were pegged back early with the loss of three wickets in the Powerplay, leaving themselves with an uphill battle. It was the arrival of Shashank Singh that injected life into the chase, with as many as 58 runs coming between overs 13 and 16. It was anybody's game from there, but Josh Hazlewood, after taking a bit of tap in his first two overs, came roaring back at the death to help RCB stave off the fightback and close out the game.

A quick chat with the Purple Cap holder - Bhuvneshwar Kumar says that he was in a good rhythm and just continued with the momentum from the previous games. On practicing the yorker, Bhuvneshwar says it is not about what he does before the match but what he works on throughout the year that makes the difference. He adds that bowling to world-class opponents and getting it right gives you confidence. On bowling alongside Hazlewood, he says the experience and skill Hazlewood brings make a big difference and that the two are complementing each other well. He is quick to give credit to Rasikh as well, saying he is going under the radar but doing a fine job. About them qualifying for the playoffs, he says it feels great and that the first aim was always to make the playoffs, with a top-two finish being the target. He says you can see how much it means to the group, having worked very hard over the last two months.

The skipper of the Punjab Kings - Shreyas Iyer says that RCB got off to a great start by taking on their bowlers right after the Powerplay. Says it was a commendable performance by them to get to 222 and also admits that they couldn't pick wickets regularly in the middle phase. Feels that the game was lost in the Powerplay itself while chasing, as they were three down in that phase and highlights that the majority of their run scorers were out early. He adds that his own early dismissal was something he is really disappointed about. He credits Shashank and Stoinis and a few others in the middle for a commendable effort, saying they were nearly at ten an over at one point, but fell short against some tremendous bowling from Bhuvi and Hazlewood. On taking positives into their final league game, he says he is always positive regardless of results and that results do not dictate who he is as a person. He says he always approaches things with a positive attitude, does not dwell too much on the past, and that this game is done and gone. He adds that tomorrow, he will see the sun rise again, and there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

Playoffs secured - Royal Challengers Bengaluru become the first team to qualify for the playoffs this season, and in doing so, they have made a strong statement in defence of their title. Punjab Kings, meanwhile, slip further into the muddle with a sixth straight defeat. The maximum they can now reach is 15 points, and they will need a whole host of other results to go their way to stand any chance.

OUT! CAUGHT! RCB BEAT PBKS BY 23 RUNS! And with this, the defending champions become the first team to qualify for the playoffs. For Punjab Kings, it is a sixth defeat on the trot, and their grip on that playoff qualification is looking increasingly precarious. Pace off at 105.7 kph, back of a length outside the off stump. Omarzai makes room and looks to flat-bat it down the ground, but gets it off the toe end and picks out long off perfectly. Tim David takes an absolute dolly there. Smiles all around in the RCB camp but absolutely contrasting scenes in the other dugout. PBKS have lost all three of their games in Dharamsala.

Nails the yorker, on middle. Harpreet Brar squeezes it out off an inside edge behind on the leg side for a run.

FOUR! Suyash Sharma should have done better there. Angled in at the sticks, on a length, it is the back-of-the-hand slower one. Brar has a heave across the line and it goes off a top edge to short third. Suyash Sharma moves to his right as the ball gets to him on the bounce. He fails to make the stop and the ball bounces past him for a boundary.

Banged in short, over middle. Harpreet Brar almost swings himself off his feet as he swings a bit too hard on the pull. The ball flies over his blade and goes behind to the keeper.

OUT! CAUGHT BY KOHLI! Not quite a yorker, but full and angling into the stumps. Shashank is rooted in the crease and goes for the pick-up shot again, but this time it comes off the toe of the bat and miscues straight to long on. Kohli is not dropping these. Gets down on his knees and pouches it comfortably. Kohli lets out a huge roar.

Harpreet Brar is the new batter.

Wide! This is down the leg side and let through by Shashank Singh.

Bethell in action again! A spectacular effort. Full and tailing back into the middle stump. Shashank sits deep in the crease, shuffles across, and whips it off the bottom half of the bat. It fizzes to the left of deep mid-wicket and Bethell is off in a flash, covering the ground and hurling himself into a full-length dive. The ball yorks his fingertips and rolls around him. The batters take a couple of runs.

WIDE! Reload! Slower bumper, but over the head height of the batter. Shashank Singh looks to pull but misses out. Wide called.

Rasikh Salam to bowl with the Punjab Kings needing 33 runs from 6 balls.

Oh my days, what an effort from Bethell! A hit-me delivery from Hazlewood, full toss on middle. Shashank moves across in the crease and whips it off the pads toward deep backward square leg. Bethell tracks it like a hawk, moves to his right, times his leap to perfection, and plucks it clean. But the moment he realises he is tumbling over the ropes, he throws it back into the playing area in a flash. Just the single taken. PBKS go upstairs for a waist-height no ball, but Ball Tracking shows it is comfortably below the waist.

Is that a clean effort? If it is, then Jacob Bethell has saved five runs for his team. First, there is a review from the Punjab Kings to check the height of the full toss. The ball is dipping below waist height, so it stays a fair delivery. Bethell’s effort also appears to have come up clean on the background check.

Bowls a yorker again, tailing in on leg. Azmatullah Omarzai's head falls over but he manages to flick it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Well bowled! At 143.2 kph, a sharp and quick bumper, over middle. Azmatullah Omarzai swings across for the pull but the ball climbs onto him and he is also beaten for pace.

FOUR! Off the edge, but PBKS won't mind one bit. Perfect yorker from Josh, on off. Azmatullah Omarzai tries to carve it powerfully through the cover region, but gets a fat outside edge and the ball squirts away to the deep third fence.

Decision overturned successfully! Hazlewood bowls it wide and very full, outside off, flirting with the tramline. Azmatullah Omarzai watches it closely and leaves. Wide called by the umpire. But RCB have gone upstairs for a review. It is a fair delivery to begin with. The TV confirms that the batter is standing slightly outside off at the point of release. So a revised guideline comes up. And the replay shows that the ball is passing well within that line.

Length ball, on middle and off, nipping in. Shashank Singh moves across in the crease to help it away to the leg side, but inside edges and the ball rolls off his pads to the off side for a single.

Josh Hazlewood (3-0-29-1) has been given the 19th over.

SIX! CRACKING HIT! Right off the meat of the bat. Bowls a half volley, on the middle stump, does Bhuvneshwar. Azmatullah Omarzai reads the length early, dances down the track by staying leg side of the ball. He launches it inside out over extra cover for a flat six. The ball goes on to hit the display car. 40 runs needed from 12 balls.

Attempted yorker on the stumps, Shashank whips it between long on and deep mid-wicket for a single only.

FOUR! Whipped into the gap! FIFTY FOR SHASHANK! Off just 22 balls, and this is his 6th IPL half century. Singh moves outside off in the crease and whips this low full toss between long on and deep mid-wicket. Bisects the fielders nicely and picks up a boundary to get to his milestone. This has been a fine fighting knock from him. But he knows the job is far from being done.