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New Delhi: Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Rasikh Salam Dar starred as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) produced an impressive show with the ball to bundle out Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a paltry 146 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 on Wednesday. RCB bowlers stuck to good lengths and kept taking wickets at regular intervals to restrict the visitors below 150.

The bowlers got the hosts off to a superb start after RCB skipper Rajat Patidar won the toss and opted to bowl first in the game. Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar and Rasikh bowled tight lines to restrict LSG to 35/1 in the Powerplay, their lowest Powerplay total in IPL 2026. Rasikh drew the first blood for RCB in the 4th over by dismissing LSG opener Aiden Markram cheaply on 12.

Hazlewood then cramped LSG captain Rishabh Pant for room before a short ball from the pacer stuck him on the elbow, leading to his ouster from the field. Pant retired hurt after facing three balls from Hazlewood, but returned to bat later in the game. The pressure intensified on LSG after Powerplay as they lost Nicholas Pooran cheaply on 1 after Pant’s injury.

Andul Samad was also dismissed on a duck, leaving LSG reeling on 83/4. Ayush Badoni led the fightback for his team with a gritty knock of 38 runs off 24 balls. The Delhi batter combined with young Mukul Choudhary (38) to add 35 runs for the 5th wicket before getting caught by RCB keeper Jitesh Sharma off Rasikh’s bowling.

Mukul waged a lone battle with his 28-ball 38, which was laced with three fours and two sixes. The batter struggled to up the ante, but managed to help LSG recover from a poor start to post 146 runs on the board on a tacky surface at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Pant returned to bat after Badoni’s dismissal but was sent packing cheaply on 1 off 6 balls.

RCB bowlers pack a punch at Chinnaswamy