IPL 2026 | RCB's six storm sinks CSK

Benagluru: We will be reminded time and time again through social media how the Indian Premier League is the breeding ground for six-hitting talent. 

On Sunday night, it was no different at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here with 30 sixes smashed. Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Tim David and Rajat Patidar handed proper evidence of the havoc the hosts could conjure, en route to a convincing 43-run win against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings.  

Once RCB posted a mammoth 250 for three — on the back of David’s (70 not out, 25b) blitzkrieg — Devdutt Padikkal’s calm demeanour with a 29-ball 50 and Patidar’s 19-ball onslaught to 48 n.o., further complemented by CSK’s batting woes, it felt like only the margin of victory was to be known. 

RCB bowlers — namely Jacob Duffy (2/58), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/41), Abhinandan Singh (2/30) and Krunal Pandya (2/36) — then contributed to the visitors’ meltdown as they were bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs in exactly 100 minutes. 

CSK’s bumper signing Sanju Samson (9) endured his third consecutive failure while Ruturaj Gaikwad’s (7) poor start to the tournament continued as Duffy picked both openers. Bhuvneshwar then became the first quick to pick 200 IPL wickets, sending Ayush Mhatre (1) back to the hut. 

At 30/3 in 2.5 overs, it was a case of limiting the damage for the visitors but Sarfaraz Khan had other plans, kickstarting an onslaught with a 25-ball 50, smashing eight fours and two sixes. 

However, there was no life in CSK’s chase once Sarfaraz went back with wickets falling at regular intervals.

A game that seemed to start with some promise for the Super Kings finished as a drubbing that leaves them struggling at the bottom of the table. 

Earlier, David, Patidar and Padikkal appeared to be batting on a different surface as they mastered a tacky first innings strip to guide the Challengers to a massive total. 

David treated the CSK bowlers with utter disdain and made a mockery of the conditions in his short yet effective stay.

On the other hand, Padikkal saw through a tough phase, gained rhythm and never lost it. Patidar also joined the six-hitting party with an unbeaten 19-ball 48. 

After RCB were asked to bat, Virat Kohli (28) began with a poke to point, calling for a single and could have been curtains had it been a direct hit. His partner Phil Salt (46) made his intentions clear with his approach but kept finding the fielders off good shots. 

Kohli breathed another sigh of relief when Shivam Dube (1/30) handed him a golden opportunity by dropping him on seven off Khaleel Ahmed (0/37) in the third over. 

RCB then got the impetus when Matt Henry (0/36) erred with line and lengths to give away 16 runs in the fourth over. Kohli began with a wristy no-look six over wide long-on and followed it up with a gorgeous straight drive back past the bowler.

Kohli continued in his audacious way with a boundary over mid-wicket in the next over off Anshul Kamboj (1/52). However, his respite was short-lived, making the long walk back on 28, handing Dube a redemption at mid-wicket. 

After Salt’s dismissal, Patidar joined Padikkal as the duo stitched a 50-run partnership off just 15 balls. The Karnataka southpaw soon reached his 13th IPL fifty and second of the season in 28 balls. 

The Padikkal show finally came to an end when he tried to be a little cheeky but Jamie Overton’s yorker sent his leg stump for a stroll.

David made an absolute mockery of Overton’s third over, smashing him for three consecutive sixes as the Super Kings’ death-bowling woes was once again exposed, leaking 97 runs in the final five overs.