Who Won Yesterday’s IPL Match 34: A damp Friday evening at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium turned into a night of sharp twists and shining performances, as Punjab Kings (PBKS) outplayed Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by five wickets in the 34th match of the IPL 2025 .
The contest, shortened to 14 overs a side due to persistent rain, saw thrilling cricket packed into every delivery from Tim David’s explosive lone stand to Josh Hazlewood’s sharp burst and Nehal Wadhera’s steady hand under pressure.
RCB, pushed onto the back foot early, showed glimpses of grit but were ultimately outclassed by a better-executing PBKS unit. The win boosts Punjab’s confidence, especially ahead of the reverse fixture coming up in just a few days, while Bengaluru will be ruing another missed opportunity at home.
Match Summary:
- Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- Date & Time: April 18, 2025, 7:30 PM IST
- Match Result:Punjab Kings won by 5 wickets (14-over match)
- RCB: 95/9 (14)
- PBKS: 98/5 (12.1)
- Toss:Punjab Kings won the toss and opted to field
Captains:
- Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar
- Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Innings: 95/9 (14 Overs)
After being put into bat under the grey skies, RCB crumbled early. Arshdeep Singh and Marco Jansen rocked the top order, removing Phil Salt (4), Kohli (1), and Krunal Pandya (1) within the Powerplay. Liam Livingstone (4) and Jitesh Sharma (2) offered no resistance, as wickets tumbled in a heap.
Only stand-in skipper Rajat Patidar (23 off 18) showed some fight before perishing to Yuzvendra Chahal. At 63/9, RCB looked down and out. But Tim David unleashed a stunning counterattack, hammering 50* off just 26 deliveries – a knock that featured 3 fours and 5 sixes. He single-handedly lifted the side to 95/9, a score that was at least defendable on a sticky surface.
Punjab Kings Innings: 98/5 (12.1 Overs)
In response, PBKS lost their openers early, with Hazlewood breathing fire. The Australian quick dismissed Priyansh Arya (16), Josh Inglis (14), and skipper Shreyas Iyer (7), finishing with figures of 3/14. Bhuvneshwar Kumar also chipped in, removing Prabhsimran Singh and Shashank Singh.
However, Nehal Wadhera held firm at one end. Calm and collected under pressure, he struck a composed 33 off 19 balls, guiding PBKS safely past the target with 11 deliveries to spare. Marcus Stoinis (7*) provided the finishing touches as the visitors closed the game at 98/5 in 12.1 overs.
Top Performers:
- Most Runs for RCB: Tim David – 50 (26 balls)
- Most Runs for PBKS: Nehal Wadhera – 33 (19 balls)
- Most Wickets for RCB: Josh Hazlewood – 3/14
- Most Wickets for PBKS: Arshdeep Singh – 2/23
RCB vs PBKS: IPL 2025 Award Winners:
- Curvv Super Striker of the Match: Tim David (RCB) – Strike rate: 192.31
- My11Circle Fantasy King of the Match: Tim David (RCB) – 122 fantasy points
- Angel One Most Sixes: Tim David (RCB) – 5 sixes
- Rupay on the Go Fours: Tim David (RCB) – 3 fours
- TATA IPL Green Dot Balls of the Match: Marco Jansen (PBKS) – 11 dot balls
- Player of the Match: Tim David (RCB)
Note: Each award carried a prize purse of ₹1 lakh.
Turning Point: RCB’s Top-Order Collapse
The match slipped from RCB’s grasp in the early overs of their innings. Reduced to 33/5 inside the first six overs, the Bengaluru-based side never recovered from the early jolts. Kohli’s early exit (1 off 3), combined with the failures of Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma, and Krunal Pandya, left the lower order with far too much to do.
Despite Tim David’s brilliance, the lack of support from the other end meant the total remained well below par. PBKS capitalised on this momentum, and while Hazlewood provided a glimmer of hope, the total was always one big over away from being chased.
Unsung Hero: Tim David (RCB)
Though on the losing side, Tim David was unquestionably the heartbeat of the RCB innings. Coming in when the team was in tatters at 33/5, he not only steadied the ship but also accelerated brilliantly in the final overs. His 50 off 26 was a masterclass in controlled aggression calculated, confident, and crucial. He cleared the ropes five times and found the boundary thrice, taking the team from a position of collapse to a fighting score.
Had any of the other batters supported him, the script could’ve been entirely different.
Playing XI & Impact Substitutes:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB):
Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma, Yash Dayal
Punjab Kings (PBKS):
Priyansh Arya, Nehal Wadhera, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Josh Inglis (wk), Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Harpreet Brar, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal