Ahmedabad, April 30 (IANS) Fast bowler Arshad Khan picked three wickets as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) were bowled out for just 155 runs in 19.2 overs against Gujarat Titans (GT) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Thursday.

Put in to bat first, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had a slow start to their innings. Mohammed Siraj bowled a tight opening over, giving away just six runs and keeping things under control early on.

However, the momentum quickly shifted in the very next over, thanks to Virat Kohli. The experienced batter took charge and attacked Kagiso Rabada aggressively, smashing five consecutive boundaries. Rabada ended up conceding 21 runs in that over, giving RCB an early boost.

Despite the strong counterattack, the Gujarat Titans struck back soon. Siraj provided the first breakthrough by dismissing Jacob Bethell, who continued his poor run of form and managed only five runs.

RCB suffered another big setback in the following over when Kohli tried to keep the pressure on but mistimed his shot. He chipped a good length delivery from Rabada straight to mid-wicket, where Rashid Khan completed the catch. Kohli scored a quick 28 off just 13 balls, hitting five fours and a six.

With two wickets down, Devdutt Padikkal kept the scoring rate high. He played some attacking shots, including two boundaries and a six against Siraj. RCB ended the powerplay at a strong 59/2.

Captain Rajat Patidar tried to build a partnership with Padikkal and looked in good touch with a couple of boundaries. However, he fell while attempting an aggressive shot at Arshad Khan. He was caught by Jason Holder at deep backward square leg.

The dismissal led to some controversy, as RCB players were unhappy with the decision. They believed Holder had not fully controlled the catch and that the ball may have touched the ground. However, the umpires ruled it out, and Patidar had to walk back.

GT tightened their grip further in the next over when Holder struck again, dismissing Jitesh Sharma for just one run. The wicket added more pressure on RCB’s struggling middle order.

The collapse continued as Rashid Khan made an immediate impact. He dismissed Tim David, who could score only nine runs. Holder took the catch once again, and by the end of 10 overs, RCB were in deep trouble at 91/5.

Things went from bad to worse when Krunal Pandya was dismissed in the next over. Trying to go for a big shot off Arshad Khan, he was caught at mid-wicket by Holder. RCB had now lost four wickets for just 17 runs, completely losing momentum.

Amid the collapse, Padikkal stood firm and continued to fight. He rotated the strike well and found boundaries regularly to keep the scoreboard moving. But his resistance ended when Rashid Khan bowled a brilliant delivery to clean him up. Padikkal scored 40 off 24 balls, including five fours and two sixes.

RCB’s lower order also failed to make much of an impact. Romario Shepherd tried to play a finishing role but managed only 17 runs before being dismissed by Holder.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar added a quick 15 runs, while impact player Venkatesh Iyer scored 12. But wickets kept falling at regular intervals.

In the end, RCB were bowled out before completing their full quota of 20 overs, capping off a disappointing finish after a promising start.

For GT, Arshad Khan was the standout bowler with three wickets. Jason Holder and Rashid Khan supported him well with two wickets each, while Siraj and Rabada chipped in with one wicket apiece to complete a strong bowling performance.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 155 all out in 19.2 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 40, Kohli 28; Arshad Khan 3-22, Rashid Khan 2-19, Jason Holder 2-29) against Gujarat Titans

–IANS

sds/bsk/