Rajat Patidar-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) missed the chance to move to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 points table after suffering a close 9-run defeat against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

RCB failed to get good start

Chasing a mammoth 213 target in a rain-affected match, RCB failed to get a good start as Virat Kohli was dismissed for a two-ball duck. His quick dismissal put the defending champions under pressure right from the start. However, captain Rajat Patidar and Tim David played important knocks later in the innings, RCB eventually fell short of the target.

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Even after the loss, RCB are still placed inside the top four. However, with only a few league matches left, the team will need strong performances to stay in the playoff race.

Virat Kohli's pep talk in RCB dressing room

After the match, Virat Kohli gave a pep talk to teammates in the dressing room, where he tried to lift the team’s mood. In a video shared by RCB on social media, Kohli reminded the squad about the mindset that helped them win matches earlier in the season.

“We got those wins because we were enjoying ourselves and focusing only on our own standards. We were not thinking too much about the opposition,” Kohli told his teammates.

“And I want to see absolute enjoyment and excitement to get back in the park, regardless of what the jersey colour on the other side is," he added.

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LSG's bowling kept RCB in chase

Lucknow’s bowlers played a major role in the victory. Mohammed Shami gave the team the perfect start by striking in the very first over. Soon after, Prince Yadav produced a brilliant delivery to dismiss Kohli and leave RCB struggling at 9 for 2.

RCB then fought back strongly through a solid partnership between Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar. The duo added 95 runs for the third wicket and brought the chase back on track. Patidar looked in excellent form during his innings of 61 and attacked the bowlers with confidence.

Towards the end, Tim David, Krunal Pandya and Romario Shepherd kept RCB’s hopes alive with some powerful hitting. But Lucknow held their nerve in the final moments of the game.

Digvesh Rathi bowled a calm final over and successfully defended 20 runs, helping LSG seal an important win.


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