IPL 2026: Ruthless RCB storm into playoffs as Punjab Kings slump to sixth straight defeat

DHARAMSALA: It is often advised to conserve your breath at higher altitudes where the air gets thinner. But it doesn’t apply when you have an ultra-motivated and hyper-energetic Virat Kohli egging your team to scale greater heights. In the mountains of Dharamsala on Sunday afternoon, Royal Challengers Bengaluru soared into the playoffs with a clinical 23-run win, leaving the Punjab Kings gasping for breath to stay alive in the IPL.

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Kohli, forever in pursuit of excellence, set the tone for his team which didn’t have its regular captain Rajat Patidar due to injury. Kohli’s energy can be infectious for his teammates and overwhelming presence can weigh the opposition down mentally. The script played out just like Kohli wanted. His 58 off 37 may not come across as the standout performance on paper. Yet, that knock was the bedrock for Devdutt Padikkal’s 25-ball 45 and Venkatesh Iyer’s unbeaten 73 off 40 balls as RCB posted 222/4.




Bhuvneshwar Kumar maintained the momentum with another skillful spell with the new ball to expose the technical frailties of a modern T20 opener. By dismissing the deadly opening pair of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh inside the first three overs of the chase, Bhuvneshwar tied the leash on Punjab Kings’ pursuit. Soon, captain Shreyas Iyer’s defensive technique was exposed by Rasikh Salam Dar’s gentle outswinger and the chase was reeling at 19/3 in the fourth over.

Kohli never let the tempo drop during his stay at the crease, animatedly buoying his batting partners. The fist bumps felt harder. The frequent stares into the bowlers’ eyes were intimidating. Sledging Kings’ best bowler Harpreet Brar was an exemplary mind game. And then the scampering around the field coupled with rocket throws from the outfield, when Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis briefly threatened to script a remarkable comeback, sent a clear message to his team and the opponents—there can’t be any letup on the day.

Kohli and RCB turned up with one clear objective — become the first team to seal the last-four berth in the competition. That’s what champion teams do. They play to dominate. That’s exactly what Iyer’s Punjab Kings failed to do when they appeared invincible halfway through the tournament. It’s also remarkable how a campaign that looked like a walk in the park for Kings has suddenly become a drag in the mud. It’s down to the number game for Punjab Kings with one match remaining on the back of six consecutive defeats.

By the end of the RCB innings, Punjab Kings fielders appeared like dead flies as the ball travelled past the boundary with very little resistance. In the 40 overs of play, RCB showed how they have only grown as defending champions. The big names stepped up and let the younger boys fly. Iyer and Padikkal appeared to be merely chipping sixes as Kohli held one end firm. Bhuvneshwar and Josh Hazlewood delivered exceptional overs just when Punjab Kings thought they found some momentum through Shashank’s 27-ball 56-run onslaught to leave young Rasikh 33 runs to defend in the final over.

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