Picture Credit: BCCI
IPL 2026: Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted 201/8 against Rajasthan Royals in Match 16 of the Indian Premier League 2026 at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Friday, powered by a fighting 63 off 40 balls from captain Rajat Patidar and a late cameo of 29 off 15 by Venkatesh Iyer.
RCB endured a dramatic start as Jofra Archer dismissed Phil Salt with a sharp bouncer on the first ball. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal counterattacked, stitching together a rapid 45-run stand in just 17 deliveries.
The momentum shifted quickly when Padikkal fell for 14, caught by Shimron Hetmyer.
Soon after, Ravi Bishnoi bowled Kohli for 32 with a deceptive googly and followed it up by dismissing Krunal Pandya cheaply.
Rajasthan tightened its grip further as Brijesh Sharma trapped Jitesh Sharma, leaving RCB reeling at 76/5 in 8.4 overs.
Archer’s pace and Bishnoi’s spin proved decisive in dismantling the top order.
Romario Shepherd provided brief momentum with a quick 22 off 11 before falling to Ravindra Jadeja. The recovery was led by Patidar and Iyer, who steadied the innings and accelerated in the latter stages.
Patidar, initially cautious, reached his half-century in 35 balls before taking on both Nandre Burger and Bishnoi with aggressive strokeplay. He was eventually dismissed by Sandeep Sharma while attempting to accelerate further.
Iyer’s late flourish, supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, ensured RCB crossed the 200-mark.
For Rajasthan, Archer, Bishnoi, and Brijesh Sharma claimed two wickets each, while Sandeep Sharma and Jadeja picked up one apiece.
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