Bengaluru: A marauding batting show led by Tim David, Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s incisive spell of 3-41 propelled defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a commanding 43-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their IPL 2026 encounter at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
The marquee contest saw RCB’s batting unit dismantle CSK’s attack with relentless hitting, as David’s 70 not out off just 25 balls and Patidar’s unbeaten 48 off only 19 balls provided for a grandstand finish after Padikkal’s fluent 50 off 29 balls – his second consecutive fifty of the season - had set the tone for the daunting total.
The trio’s combined effort, including an unbroken 99-run stand off just 35 balls between David and Patidar, who indulged in mind-blowing range-hitting, lifted RCB to a daunting 250/3, thus setting a new record for highest total in IPL 2026.
After clobbering Noor Ahmad for three consecutive sixes, a sensational David cut loose in the penultimate over by smashing Jamie Overton for four sixes and a four to reach his second IPL half-century in just 21 balls. His power-hitting had even got Virat Kohli to rise from his seat in the RCB dugout.
In reply, CSK faltered under scoreboard pressure, with Sarfaraz Khan’s 50 off 24 balls and Prashant Veer’s 43 the lone acts of resistance amid a string of failures from the top order.
