Result: Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 5 wickets
Match: IPL 2026, Match 23
Date: April 15, 2026
Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Toss: RCB won, elected to bowl first
Live on: Star Sports / JioHotstar
Match Summary
In a night that belonged entirely to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the defending IPL champions produced a commanding all-round performance to beat Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets in Match 23 of IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday evening.
RCB chased down a modest target of 147 with 29 balls to spare The Tribune — a result that flattered LSG more than it should have, given how thoroughly RCB’s bowlers dismantled a team expected to thrive on a typically explosive Chinnaswamy surface.
The match turned on a curious twist. Both games at this venue in IPL 2026 had previously seen scores in excess of 200 runs CricTracker — so when LSG were bundled out for just 146, it was not just a defeat. It was a statement. RCB’s bowling attack, led by Rasikh Salam Dar’s brilliant four-wicket haul, had done something no team had managed at this ground this season: they made batting look difficult.
LSG Batting Innings: 146 All Out (20 Overs)
LSG’s innings unravelled in the most telling way — not with a dramatic collapse, but with a slow suffocation across all twenty overs. They simply could not find rhythm or momentum against an RCB bowling unit that was disciplined, hostile and well-managed by captain Rajat Patidar.
Mitchell Marsh (40 off 32) gave LSG their most solid contribution, playing with patience and purpose before being bowled by Krunal Pandya in the 10th over. Aiden Markram (12 off 8) offered a bright start but fell early. Then came the moment that cast a shadow over LSG’s entire innings — Rishabh Pant was badly hit on his left elbow by a delivery and was forced to retire hurt Outlook India in the fourth over, sending LSG’s batting plans into disarray.
Ayush Badoni did his best with an enterprising 38 off 24 balls, hitting four fours and a six to keep LSG’s total respectable. Mukul Choudhary added 39 off 28 from the lower order — but these were rear-guard efforts rather than innings that altered the contest.
The bowling honours went overwhelmingly to RCB. Rasikh Salam took 4/24 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar snared three wickets, including two off consecutive balls in the death overs Outlook India , to ensure LSG were bowled out for 146 — the lowest total any team had posted batting first at Chinnaswamy in IPL 2026.
LSG Bowling Highlights:
Rishabh Pant — retired hurt, 1 (6 balls); later returned to bat for 4 balls and was dismissed for 1 total
Mitchell Marsh — 40 (32), b Krunal Pandya
Ayush Badoni — 38 (24), c Rajat Patidar b Rasikh Salam
Mukul Choudhary — 39 (28), b Rasikh Salam
RCB Bowling — Match-Winning Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rasikh Salam Dar | 4 | 24 | 4 | 6.00 |
| Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 4 | 27 | 3 | 6.75 |
| Josh Hazlewood | 4 | 20 | 1 | 5.00 |
| Krunal Pandya | 4 | 38 | 2 | 9.50 |
| Suyash Sharma | 4 | 34 | 0 | 8.50 |
RCB Chase: 149/5 in 15.1 Overs
The chase was largely comfortable, though RCB did lose wickets at regular intervals that kept the scoreboard pressure ticking. Phil Salt fell early, bowled by Prince Yadav for just 7 — a rare quiet night for RCB’s destructive opener.
It was Virat Kohli who took control. Kohli made full use of the hard new ball in the powerplay, hitting Mohammed Shami for three consecutive boundaries in one over Outlook India , taking RCB to 60/1 at the end of six overs. His innings of 49 off 34 balls was a masterclass in powerplay batting — 6 fours and 1 six — before he was caught for 49 in the 11th over, one short of what would have been a richly-deserved half-century. Kohli later acknowledged he was still regaining full fitness after a knee niggle and brief illness, but expressed satisfaction with his improved rhythm and intent The Tribune at the crease.
After Kohli’s departure, it was Rajat Patidar (27 off 13, SR 207.69) and Jitesh Sharma (23 off 9, SR 255.56) who accelerated with calculated aggression in the middle overs, ensuring there was no nervousness in the chase. Tim David (14 off 8) and Romario Shepherd (14 off 8) saw RCB home with ease, chasing 149 in just 15.1 overs.
RCB Batting Highlights:
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phil Salt | 7 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 87.50 |
| Virat Kohli | 49 | 34 | 6 | 1 | 144.12 |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 10 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 90.91 |
| Rajat Patidar (c) | 27 | 13 | 1 | 3 | 207.69 |
| Jitesh Sharma (wk) | 23 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 255.56 |
| Tim David (not out) | 14 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 175.00 |
| Romario Shepherd (not out) | 14 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 175.00 |
Man of the Match
Rasikh Salam Dar (RCB) — 4/24 in 4 Overs
The young Afghan pacer was unplayable on a Chinnaswamy pitch that should have favoured the batters. Rasikh Salam hogged the limelight by taking two wickets in the last over to complete a four-wicket haul on a slow track Outlook India . He dismissed Aiden Markram early, then returned in the death to bowl Mukul Choudhary and Avesh Khan off consecutive deliveries. His figures of 4/24 from four tight overs on a batting paradise were nothing short of exceptional.
How the Match Unfolded
First Innings — RCB Bowl LSG Out:
RCB won the toss and made the counterintuitive decision to bowl first at Chinnaswamy — a pitch where teams had posted 200+ in both previous IPL 2026 fixtures. The gamble paid off spectacularly. Rasikh Salam and Josh Hazlewood applied immediate pressure with the new ball. When Rishabh Pant was hit on the elbow and retired hurt in the fourth over — clearly in pain and heavily strapped — LSG lost not just their captain, but the one batter most capable of turning a contained innings into a dangerous one.
Mitchell Marsh played the innings of most substance, accumulating 40 runs with controlled aggression before Krunal Pandya had him caught and bowled off a deceiving delivery. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was miserly and deadly in his death-over spell — two wickets off consecutive balls in the 17th over. Rasikh returned at the death and picked up two more to finish with 4/24, a match-changing haul on a surface that offered him very little assistance.
LSG’s 146 all out was their lowest total of IPL 2026. The Chinnaswamy crowd knew immediately that the match was over.
Second Innings — Kohli and Company Seal It:
Virat Kohli was used as an Impact Player substitute for RCB in the second innings — a decision that shaped the chase entirely. His powerplay assault set the tone. Even after he fell for 49, the momentum never shifted toward LSG. Patidar’s cameo of 27 off 13 balls and Jitesh’s explosive 23 off 9 sealed the deal with almost five overs to spare. The RCB dressing room, and the Chinnaswamy crowd, celebrated a fourth win of the season.
Rishabh Pant Injury Update
LSG captain Rishabh Pant walked off the pitch after suffering an injury to his elbow after being struck by a delivery. He returned to bat in the 17th over, heavily strapped on his left arm, but was caught by Phil Salt for just 1 run after facing four balls Cricket News . The full extent of his injury will become clearer in the coming days — but his inability to bat freely was a significant factor in LSG’s below-par total.
Updated IPL 2026 Points Table (After Match 23)
| # | Team | M | W | L | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rajasthan Royals | 5 | 4 | 1 | 8 |
| 2 | Punjab Kings | 4 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 6 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 4 | SRH | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 5 | Delhi Capitals | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 6 | Gujarat Titans | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 7 | CSK | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 8 | Lucknow Super Giants | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 9 | Mumbai Indians | 4 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 10 | Kolkata Knight Riders | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
RCB now sit level on 8 points with table-toppers Rajasthan Royals, having played one more game. Their NRR is a vital factor in the eventual standings. LSG drop to joint 8th with four points from six matches — their title hopes require an immediate turnaround.
Match Analysis
This result was built in the first ten overs of the first innings, not the second. RCB’s decision to bowl first at Chinnaswamy — against every statistical precedent at this venue in 2026 — was validated entirely by their bowlers. Rasikh Salam and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were the architects, but the entire unit deserves credit. No loose balls, no gifts, no wides at crucial moments. On a surface where any slight error in length gets punished brutally, RCB were near-perfect.
For LSG, the Rishabh Pant injury adds a layer of concern to what was already a frustrating night. Their batting has been the weak link across this season, and losing their captain to injury — even temporarily — mid-innings on a day when they were already struggling for timing, was devastating. Mitchell Marsh (40) was the only batter who showed genuine application, and he remained unsupported.
The bigger picture for RCB is exciting. Four wins from six, a settled squad, a bowling attack that is now firing in all cylinders, and Virat Kohli finding his rhythm after a brief illness. The question of whether Virat Kohli or Phil Salt open is resolved by the Impact Player system — but when Kohli enters in the powerplay with the ball swinging less and the field up, his 49 off 34 balls showed exactly what he can do. RCB look like genuine title contenders — again.
Captain Reactions
Rajat Patidar (RCB): Patidar praised the bowling unit’s discipline and specifically highlighted Rasikh Salam’s performance as a game-changer. He acknowledged that bowling first at Chinnaswamy was a calculated risk and credited his bowlers for executing the plan perfectly.
Rishabh Pant (LSG): A visibly uncomfortable Pant attended the post-match presentation still strapped on his left arm. He admitted that the elbow blow changed his game entirely, and offered his full support to the LSG batters to find form quickly. He declined to confirm the severity of his injury, saying the team would assess it overnight.
Where to Watch Highlights
Full match highlights are available on JioHotstar (app and website) and the Star Sports YouTube channel. Ball-by-ball match report is on ESPNcricinfo and Cricbuzz.
FAQs
Q: Who won RCB vs LSG IPL 2026 Match 23?
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 5 wickets. RCB bowled out LSG for 146 in 20 overs and chased the target in just 15.1 overs.
Q: Who was Man of the Match in RCB vs LSG?
Rasikh Salam Dar took 4/24 in 4 overs and was the standout performer. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 3/27 was equally significant.
Q: What happened to Rishabh Pant in this match?
Pant was struck on his left elbow by a delivery in the fourth over and retired hurt. He returned to bat in the 17th over, heavily strapped, but was dismissed for 1 off 4 balls. The severity of his injury will be assessed.
Q: What did Virat Kohli score?
Virat Kohli came in as an Impact Player substitute and scored 49 off 34 balls (6 fours, 1 six) before being caught in the 11th over — one run short of a fifty.
Q: What is the IPL 2026 points table after Match 23?
RCB move to 8 points from 6 matches (4 wins) — level with table-toppers RR. LSG are 8th with 4 points from 6 matches (2 wins).
Published: 15 April 2026 | Last Updated: Post-match
Updated by Rahul Cricket Auto Publisher.
