Bengaluru: The M Chinnaswamy Stadium finally roared in relief on Wednesday night as Royal Challengers Bengaluru broke their jinx against Lucknow Super Giants at home, handing the visitors a convincing five-wicket defeat in IPL 2026.
Defending champions RCB, led by skipper Rajat Patidar, chose to bowl first after winning the toss — a decision that paid rich dividends. Their disciplined bowling attack dismantled LSG for a modest 146 in the full 20 overs. Rasikh Dar ran riot with four wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up three. Even Josh Hazlewood, who earned Player of the Match honours, kept things tight. LSG never really got going; Rishabh Pant’s early injury and eventual dismissal after a brief return added to their woes. Ayush Badoni (38) and Mukul Chaudhary (39) tried to steady the ship, but the collapse was complete.
Chasing 147, RCB made light work of the target, finishing in just 15.1 overs with five wickets in hand. Virat Kohli, coming in as Impact Player, blasted 49 off 34 balls, setting a fiery tone with Devdutt Padikkal. Captain Patidar then smashed 27 off just 13 deliveries, while Jitesh Sharma’s quick 23 kept the momentum alive. Tim David and Romario Shepherd calmly sealed the deal.
This victory holds special flavour for RCB fans — it was their first-ever win over LSG at the Chinnaswamy, where Lucknow had previously enjoyed a clean record. The home side’s bowlers and top-order batsmen clicked perfectly to secure a comprehensive win.
With this result, RCB strengthened their position at the top of the table, sending a loud message to the rest of the league.
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