Results in brief: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (149/5 in 15.1 overs) beat Lucknow Super Giants (146 all out) by five wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday.
RCB vs LSG: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD
Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced one of their most complete performances of the season to beat Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets with 29 balls remaining to return to the top of the IPL 2026 table on Wednesday.On a slower-than-usual surface at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, RCB made the right call – from toss to execution.
When RCB was asked to bowl first on a pitch without grass and two paces, the RCB attack performed with discipline and clarity. They denied LSG any rhythm during the innings and eventually bowled them out for 146, a sub-par total almost immediately.
Josh Hazlewood set the tone in PowerPlay with a spell that underlined the control of aggression. His three overs with the new ball went for just 10 runs and included a wicket as LSG crawled to 35 for one in the first six overs. There was little space on the menu and little room for error.
Rasikh Salam then took the decisive blows. His figures of 4 for 24 reflected both his accuracy and awareness of the conditions, repeatedly hitting tough lengths that made the stroke play difficult. Bhuvneshwar Kumar complemented him perfectly, finishing with 3 for 27 and ensuring that LSG never found any continuity through the middle overs.
The night turned sour for LSG when Hazlewood’s delivery hit skipper Rishabh Pant on the left elbow early in the innings. He was forced to retire injured without scoring and didn’t return until the innings started to slip. Pant managed just one run before he fell to Bhuvneshwar and was not out later, raising further concerns for the visitors.
Mitchell Marsh provided a brief resistance with 40 off 32 balls, hitting a couple of neat sixes to ease the pressure momentarily. But Krunal Pandya smartly adjusted the pace and dismissed him just when LSG needed to pick up the pace.
Ayush Badoni (38) and Mukul Choudhary (39) attempted a revival but a lack of partnership hurt LSG throughout. While the runs were against the spin – Pandya and Suyash Sharma conceded 72 in eight overs together – there was no sustained momentum. The innings plummeted at the death, with LSG losing six wickets in the last five overs to add just 34 runs at that stage.
Chasing 146, RCB never let the game slip away. Virat Kohli ensured an early check with a blistering start that effectively killed off any hopes of a comeback. On a pitch that required a measured stroke play, Kohli’s intent at the top gave RCB the cushion they needed.
From there the chase was clinical. The batsmen paced the innings smartly, avoiding unnecessary risks and taking chances to score without letting the pressure build. The goal was achieved comfortably, highlighting the gulf between the two sides on the night.
Krunal Pandya’s all-round contribution, including two wickets earlier in the evening, added further depth to RCB’s performance. While Suyash Sharma went wicketless, the overall bowling effort remained tight and well-coordinated.
For RCB, the result marked a significant shift in their domestic fortunes. On a ground often associated with high-scoring chases and unpredictable results, they adapted better to the conditions and executed their plans with authority.
It was a night where little went wrong for LSG – from an early injury to their captain to a batting that never found momentum. Their inability to build partnerships and finish hard ultimately left them with too little to defend.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
15 April 2026 11:00 PM IST
