HIGHLIGHTS Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants IPL 2026 Match 23 - Result, Scorecard

We are back for the chase! We can already see Virat Kohli getting ready near the boundary line, which means he will come in as the Impact Sub for RCB and will open the innings alongside Phil Salt. The umpires and the LSG players are also back out on the field. It is confirmed that Suyash Sharma has been substituted out by RCB. Another interesting thing is that Mukul Choudhary has donned the keeping gloves for LSG. Everyone must have thought that if Pant is unable to keep wickets, then it would be Nicholas Pooran. Anyway, Mohammad Shami has the new ball in hand and is raring to go. Let's play...

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Too easy a chase? On paper, this does look like a very straightforward chase and Harsha Bhogle on air even mentioned that for a team batting first and playing out the full 20 overs, this is the lowest score of the season. RCB will be looking to knock over this target of 147 runs without a fuss and zoom to the top of the standings. But will the LSG bowlers put up a real fight, or even pull off a huge win? Let's find out as the chase is up next.

A few words with Bhuvi - Bhuvneshwar Kumar calls it a strong bowling performance and credits all the bowlers, adding that it came down to the experience each of them brings as individuals. About his hand, he mentions that his hand is good enough for bowling but not quite fit for fielding. Praises the catches taken by Salt and David, noting that those efforts played a key role in restricting the opposition below 150. On his secret to succeed at this age, Bhuvi chuckles and then says, maybe he is just ageing like a fine wine. Shares that he gets a lot of time off the field once the IPL is done, which allows him to get that strength. On the pitch, he calls it a typical wicket which they used to get two years back. Mentions that if you can time the ball well, it is still a good wicket to play on.

Batting woes continue for LSG - Lucknow Super Giants continue to be the only team this season not to have crossed the 200-run mark with the bat even once. Last season, the LSG top-order was firing on all cylinders, which shielded that underperforming middle order, but this season, that top order has been hit and miss and the middle order hasn't been able to get them out of trouble. There were a few bright sparks for the Super Giants as Mitchell Marsh grinded it out up top and then Ayush Badoni and Mukul Choudhary played a couple of fighting knocks, which might not be enough, even with their highly-rated pace attack.

RCB's day out with the ball - Before the game started, we mentioned that RCB have scored in excess of 200 runs in every game so far this season, but what we didn't mention was that they had also conceded 200 or more runs in all of those matches. However, it has been a completely different ball game tonight and they haven't even allowed LSG to get to 150 runs. Overall, the pacers were simply sensational - Josh Hazlewood was at his economical best, Bhuvneshwar Kumar showcased all his skills but it was Rasikh Salam who got the first and the last wicket of the innings, with a couple of more in between to finish with a four-fer. The spinners were slightly on the expensive side, conceding 72 runs in their combined 8 overs, but Krunal Pandya did pick up a couple of big wickets, rounding off a happy outing in the field for the home side.

Advantage RCB at the interval - A sensational bowling effort from the Royal Challengers and they would take a score of 146 any day of the week and twice on Sunday here at the Chinnaswamy. Sure, the pitch has played a lot slower, but with the shorter boundaries and the form of the RCB batters, LSG would have at least liked 170-180 runs on the board.

Rasikh Salam to Avesh Khan, OUT! KNOCKED HIM OVER! A yorker and straight on the off stump. Avesh shuffles across, moving away to the off side to scoop it over short fine leg, but fails to connect. Misses to put the bat on the ball and sees his off stump go for a walk. Despite falling on his follow-through, Salam collects himself to celebrate his four-wicket haul. LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS ARE BOWLED OUT ON 146!

Rasikh Salam to Digvesh Singh, Misses the run out chance! Jitesh could have read a book and scored the bullseye here, but he misses. On a good length around off. Digvesh Singh shapes for a flick but misses, and the ball carries through to the keeper. They sneak a bye. Jitesh has a shy at the striker’s end with an underarm throw but misses. Rasikh, moving in to back up, fumbles the collection mid-pitch but it stays in his vicinity.

Rasikh Salam to Digvesh Singh, Full and slower, outside the off stump. Digvesh commits too early, loses his bottom hand and ends up toeing the ball straight back. Rasikh reacts sharply in his follow-through, diving to his left to cut it off and keep it to a dot.

Rasikh Salam to Digvesh Singh, Deceptive pace off delivery, outside off and full. Digvesh loosely hangs his bat away from the body, but the ball just does not rise and beats the bat, rolling back to the keeper.

Who's the last man in for LSG? Digvesh Singh or Prince Yadav? It will be Digvesh Singh.

Rasikh Salam to Mukul Choudhary, OUT! BOWLED! Salam gets his third and wins the duel against Mukul Choudhary. Clever variation, shifting both pace and trajectory. He goes full and brings it back into the pads. Mukul walks forward and looks to manufacture a wristy flick, but misjudges it completely. Swings across the line, misses, and the ball slips through the pads to crash into the leg stump. Lucknow Super Giants are 145/9 down.

Rasikh Salam to Mukul Choudhary, SIX! SMACKED! A very slow full ball, around off. Mukul Choudhary has to wait for months for the ball to arrive. Gets low on his knee, and slogs it comfortably over the long on fielder for a six.

Rasikh Salam is back in to bowl the final over of the innings. Can LSG get to 150?

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mukul Choudhary, A single to end the over and Mukul Choudhary will keep strike to begin the final over. Back of a length and outside off, slapped away through cover-point for a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Avesh Khan, No hat-trick! A slower length ball, outside off, Avesh Khan clears the front leg and drags it without any timing through mid on for a single.

Who walks out to face the hat-trick ball? It will be Avesh Khan.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mohammad Shami, OUT! FLATTENS THE STICKS! Two in two for Bhuvi and he is on a hat trick. A pinpoint yorker, aimed at the sticks, right at the base of the off and middle poles. Mohammad Shami clears the front leg to hit it across, but his bat comes down after the ball passes him and he hears the death rattle behind him. Shami comes and Shami goes.

Mohammad Shami walks out to bat now.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to George Linde, OUT! STRAIGHT UP AND TAKEN​​! Tim David has made it look so easy. At 126.9 kph. Slower delivery, wide outside the off stump, on a back of a length. Linde throws his hands at it without any footwork. He slices it off the bottom edge over backward point. David, at deep third, runs over his left shoulder to his left and completes a magnificent running catch. Keeps his eyes on the ball and makes it look effortless. Lucknow Super Giants are 137/7 down now, losing their Impact Sub.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mukul Choudhary, Yorker on the leg stump. Mukul inside the crease and whips across to deep square leg, and gets a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to George Linde, Falls just short! Full and on the leg stump line. George Linde clears the front leg and lofts it off the toe end, toward long on. Romario Shepherd runs to his right, and dives to catch, but the ball lands just short and hits his right knee instead. Two taken.

Josh Hazlewood to George Linde, Hits the hard length, keeping the line of attack on the stumps and it skids through. George Linde is hurried on the pull shot, gets no connection and the ball deflects off the thigh pad to the backward point region for a leg bye. Excellent spell from Josh Hazlewood. He ends with figures of 4-0-20-1.

Josh Hazlewood to George Linde, At 138.7 kph, full in length, on leg. Linde with a bottom-handed lofted shot down the ground. The fielder from long off gets across and stops it. Two taken.

Josh Hazlewood to George Linde, FOUR! Gets the reward for innovation, does Linde! Short of a length, pitched outside leg. George Linde moves outside leg, switches his stance, uses the pace of the ball, and reverse ramps it over the keeper for a boundary.

Josh Hazlewood to George Linde, On a length, at 135.7 kph, on top of middle. George stands tall and punches it straight to the cover fielder.

Josh Hazlewood to Mukul Choudhary, Full and straight, around off, Mukul Choudhary gets on the front foot and drives it to long off for a run.

Josh Hazlewood to Mukul Choudhary, A slower length ball, on middle and off. Mukul Choudhary pulls it along the ground through square leg and gets back for the second quickly before the throw is relayed back to the keeper. Salt with another good piece of fielding in the deep.

Josh Hazlewood to Mukul Choudhary, WIDE! Mukul shows his cards early by walking forward and Hazlewood spears one down leg. Choudhary leaves.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to George Linde, Aims the sticks, on a hard length, George Linde is cramped up for room and bunts it back to the bowler. Bhuvneshwar Kumar continues to be as frugal as ever. 3-0-23-1 so far are his bowling figures.

Rishabh Pant's return is short-lived. Time to use the Impact Sub for LSG? Yes, indeed. George Linde comes out to bat, replacing Ayush Badoni in the line-up as well.

Ayush Badoni is substituted by George Linde

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Rishabh Pant, OUT! CAUGHT! Salt adds another phenomenal catch to his name and Pant's painful stay comes to an end. Full toss, dipping, around knee height, angling across from off stump. Pant bends low and goes hard across the line, whipping through aerially into the leg side. It flies off the bat but gets no distance, dipping quickly as Salt charges in and across to his left from deep mid-wicket. He flings himself forward, gets his hands in the perfect position and takes a terrific low catch inches off the ground. Lucknow Super Giants are 124/6.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mukul Choudhary, Nails the yorker in, on middle. Mukul drills it to long on for a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mukul Choudhary, WIDE! Over-the-head slower short ball, Mukul tries to power it away with the pull shot but misses.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mukul Choudhary, Short in length, on the stumps. Mukul pulls it off the back foot between long on and deep mid-wicket. Devdutt Padikkal slides across and keeps it down to a couple of runs only.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Rishabh Pant, DROPPED! Suyash is the guilty party. Wide yorker, outside off. Rishabh Pant crouches low, opens the bat face at the point of contact and slices it flat to the left of Suyash Sharma at short third. He dives, gets his hand on the ball, but eventually puts it down and parries the ball to deep third. Patidar from backward point chases the ball before the ropes and keeps it down to a single. A big lifeline for Pant.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mukul Choudhary, Short and outside off, climbing on the batter. Mukul mistimes the pull shot, just over mid on for a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2-0-17-0) is back on.

Rasikh Salam to Rishabh Pant, Slower dipping wide full toss, outside off. Pant reaches out for it, but misses to connect. Another top over from Rasikh Salam. 3-0-18-2 so far for him.

Again, a wicket in the over right after the break and it is the set batter that has to go as well. A brave call from LSG as Rishabh Pant is back on with a heavily strapped left bicep/elbow region.

Rasikh Salam to Ayush Badoni, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! An important wicket for RCB given how Badoni was batting. Salam continues to take pace off from the ball and keeps banging in short, on off. Ayush Badoni climbs on the imaginary ladder, in an attempt to ramp it over the short third fielder, but he has to generate his own power to do so. But only manages a thick outside edge behind. Jitesh Sharma leaps to his right and takes a good catch. Badoni looks at the heavens in disappointment, but a fine knock in adversity from him. LSG are 118/5.

Rasikh Salam to Mukul Choudhary, Slips in a full toss on leg. Mukul Choudhary whips it to deep backward square leg. Shepherd there stops it in the deep. Just a single.

Rasikh Salam to Mukul Choudhary, Surprise bumper from Rasikh now, on the bodyline. Mukul Choudhary is taken aback by the slower one, and just manages to duck late.

Rasikh Salam to Ayush Badoni, Another slower ball, full and on off, Badoni creams it to deep cover for an easy single.

Rasikh Salam to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! That's a fine shot from Badoni. Slower ball, outside off, on a good length. Badoni has enough room to access and guides the ball between the short third and backward point fielders for a boundary. Moves to 37 off 22 balls, does Ayush.

STRATEGIC BREAK! The RCB spin duo is done with their respective spells, conceding 72 runs of their collective 8 overs. And on a track like Bengaluru, those are pretty decent figures. Yes, the pitch is on the slower side, but they didn't give much in this middle phase. Though a nice little partnership between Badoni and Mukul is brewing up here. Badoni, in particular, has played a very mature hand to keep LSG afloat, but they will need to have a move on now if they are post anywhere beyond 160 or 170. RCB have used five bowlers only so far and might as well stick to the pace trio to close out well. Rasikh Salam is back on after the break. 2-0-12-2 so far for him.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Short and wide, spinning away, tapped away through cover-point for another single. 10 off the over.

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, Flatter and just outside off, cut away late and firmly through backward point for a run

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, FOUR! Another googly, turning in from off and middle, Choudhary sits down to sweep and rolls his wrists nicely over the ball, hitting it right of deep square leg for a boundary.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, A wrong'un now, shorter and on the pads, tucked away to deep square leg for one. The batters look for two but decide against it.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Badoni shuffles around in the crease to put off the bowler and Suyash ends up bowling it shorter on middle. Badoni manages to hit it wide of long on and scampers back for two runs.

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, A flatter leg break on middle and leg, Choudhary rocks back and hits it down to long on for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Mukul Choudhary, Good length on off, flicked away to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Mukul Choudhary, SIX! Mukul breaks free, but they will need plenty of those. Aimed at the sticks, on a fuller length. Mukul Choudhary clears the front leg to make room and slogs it over the deep mid-wicket fence for a six. 100 UP FOR LSG!

Krunal Pandya to Mukul Choudhary, Holds on the surface a bit as this is bowled slower through the air. Full and on the stumps. Mukul presses forward and blocks it watchfully.

Krunal Pandya to Mukul Choudhary, Oh, a run-out chance, but Mukul Choudhary manages to scamper back. Fired in very quick, on a length and on middle. Choudhary rocks back and half-pulls it to mid on and sets off for the single, is more than halfway through, but Badoni rightly sends him back.

Krunal Pandya to Mukul Choudhary, Really experienced bowling from KP. Slowed up again, fuller and on middle and leg, Choudhary blocks it but gets more of an inside edge.

Krunal Pandya to Mukul Choudhary, Nagging length on middle, rushes the batter off the pitch. Choudhary manages to block it down the track.

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, Flatter one on the pads, tucked down past square leg for a single. Just 5 runs off the over, another tidy one for RCB.

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, A flighted wrong'un, outside the line of off stump. This time Choudhary sees it coming and gets a big stride in to make the block.

Rishabh Pant is seen sitting in the LSG dugout, with his left arm all strapped up. He is in talks with the head coach, Justin Langer now. Looks like the skipper might come back to bat.

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, FOUR! Just a bit of bat on it, and the ball rolls away to the fence. Quick and full, on leg stump, Choudhary looks to sweep it fine but gets an inside edge and the ball brushes the pad to roll past the keeper and into the fine leg fence.

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, Bowled flatter again, a tad fuller and on middle, Choudhary stays back and gets rushed but manages to jam it out.

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, A flatter leg-break now, on middle and leg, Choudhary rocks back to defend but gets a big inside edge onto the pads.

Suyash Sharma to Mukul Choudhary, Half an appeal for LBW, turned down. Probably doing too much. Another googly from Suyash Sharma, around middle and on a good length as well. Choudhary fails to read it, plays all around it and gets hit on the pads.

Krunal Pandya to Ayush Badoni, Floated up, on middle and leg, on a nagging length as well. Badoni watchfully keeps it out on the off side.

Krunal Pandya to Ayush Badoni, Smart batting from Badoni. Good length on middle, worked away from inside the crease, in between long on and deep mid-wicket and for a couple of runs as well.

Krunal Pandya to Mukul Choudhary, Fuller one, darted in, Mukul eases it down to long on for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Mukul Choudhary, FOUR! Delicately played. Full and on middle, Mukul Choudhary lunges across to get inside the line and plays the paddle sweep down to fine leg for a boundary.

It is going downhill for the Super Giants now. Possibly the last batting pair in the middle for the visitors if Pant isn't fit enough to bat on. Here's Mukul Choudhary in at number 6.

Krunal Pandya to Abdul Samad, OUT! CAUGHT! Just like Pooran, Abdul Samad's meek run continues as well. Crafty bowling from Krunal Pandya and according to Pommie Mbangwa on air, it's Krunal's 100th IPL wicket. Pandya slows it up again and drifts the ball full, down leg. Samad looks to just clip it away but the ball sticks in the pitch, takes the leading edge and lobs to short extra cover. The RCB skipper Rajat Patidar takes the dolly and LSG are now 4 down for 83.

Krunal Pandya to Ayush Badoni, Slower through the air, short and on off, Badoni waits back and punches it to deep cover for a single.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Dragged length, on off, Badoni stays back and punches it down with a straight bat through mid on for a run. 11 off the over, a positive one for LSG.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Tossed up, fuller and on off, pushed down to mid off.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! That's nicely played. A fraction too short again, just outside off, Badoni leans back and cuts it late, sliding the ball off the face of the bat and to the right of backward point for another boundary.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Gets away with it, does Suyash. A half-tracker, wide of the off stump, Badoni goes after it but ends up cutting it straight to the cover-point fielder.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Good length, on the pads, tucked away neatly to the left of deep backward square leg for a couple of runs more.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! You need to stay positive and that's what Ayush Badoni is trying to do. Shortish length, wide outside off, Badoni cuts it uppishly but in the gap between short third and backward point for a boundary.

Krunal Pandya to Abdul Samad, Slower delivery on the stumps, Abdul Samad pushes it to the mid-wicket region. At halfway mark, LSG are 71/3.

How many times do we see a wicket fall right after the break? Far too often, and this one is a huge one as well. Abdul Samad is the next batter in.

Krunal Pandya to Mitchell Marsh, OUT! PLAYED ON! Massive, massive wicket for the Royal Challengers. Krunal outshines Marsh with his bag of tricks. It is a round arm delivery, fired on a lower trajectory from around the stump. It lands on a length and skids through the surface, hurrying Marsh into the shot. Mitchell tries to force it to the off side, but chops it back onto the stumps behind. RCB are joyous and Lucknow Super Giants go further down in the hole and are 71/3.

Krunal Pandya to Ayush Badoni, Not that full, on middle and leg, tipped off the front foot to the square leg region for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Ayush Badoni, SIX! That is some shot from Badoni. A bouncer by Krunal, but a bit wayward, down leg. Ayush Badoni uses the pace of the ball, gets inside the line and hooks it up and over the deep fine leg region for a 63 meter six.

Krunal Pandya to Ayush Badoni, At 92 kph, pushed into the batter in front of the stumps, full in length. Badoni takes a big stride and smothers the spin.

Krunal Pandya to Mitchell Marsh, Wide full toss, outside off. Marsh slaps it to deep point for a single.

STRATEGIC BREAK! A lot to think about for LSG as they look to conjure up a fightback. Two wickets down, the scoring rate is just 7 an over and Rishabh Pant might be out of the contest, which makes them 3 down right now. Mitchell Marsh has mustered up some runs but needs to stick around for longer and Ayush Badoni has the ability to turn the game on its head as well. On the other hand, RCB will hope that they get a couple of more breakthroughs soon after the break and gain complete control of the first innings. Also, if Pant is unable to get back in the mix, it might force LSG's hand in terms of the Impact Sub as well. For now, let's get back to the action.

Suyash Sharma to Mitchell Marsh, Slightly on a length and Marsh dinks it into the leg side, in front of square for a single. Just 8 runs from this over. RCB on top right now.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Slides down leg, Badoni steers it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Suyash Sharma to Mitchell Marsh, Dragged length, around off. Marsh mistimes the heave to long on for a single.

Suyash Sharma to Mitchell Marsh, So much happening out there! An appeal for LBW, a chance of a run out, but Marsh somehow survives. The umpire shakes his head on the appeal, but after a bit of pondering, RCB have taken the review. Pushed full and on the line of the stumps. Marsh gets down on a knee to play the sweep shot, but misses and is hit on the back thigh pad. The ball then lobs into the cover-point region and they, for a moment, think to pinch a leg bye, but there is a big miscommunication between the batters and Marsh is forced to retreat back as Badoni denies. The point fielder is quick to get on the ball and throws it but misses his shy. Jitesh dives to collect the ball to his left, but it stays out of his reach as well, but is backed up behind. Now then, UltraEdge shows a flat line. Ball Tracking shows that the ball is clipping or brushing the leg pole on the umpire's call. So the on-field call is upheld and Marsh can have a breather.

Suyash Sharma to Mitchell Marsh, FOUR! Off the inside edge! Marsh doesn't read the googly off Suyash's wrists or even off the surface. Goes to drive the length ball into the off side, but it spins back in and takes the inside edge before rushing to the deep fine leg fence. Totally outfoxed there, the big Bison.

Suyash Sharma to Ayush Badoni, Flat and on the stumps, nudged across to the square leg region for a run.

Spin from both ends now. Suyash Sharma comes on to bowl.

Krunal Pandya to Mitchell Marsh, SIX! Sails over! Tossed up at the stumps, full in length. Marsh creates room by backing away and pumps it downtown for a cracking six. Marsh gets going. 15 runs from the over.

Krunal Pandya to Mitchell Marsh, Slows it up, full and on leg, sliding in. Marsh tries to hit it straight, but only manages an inside edge to short fine leg.

Krunal Pandya to Mitchell Marsh, WIDE! Pushed wide outside off, and beyond the tramline. Marsh leaves.

Krunal Pandya to Mitchell Marsh, FOUR! Into the gap! Dropped full and on middle. Marsh gets down early and sweeps it to the right of deep square leg. The ball just lands on the bounce and goes into the fence.

Krunal Pandya to Mitchell Marsh, WIDE! And there's the Krunal Pandya bouncer. Short, quick and over the head. Marsh, before he could blink, the ball flew over his head. A good leaping grab by Jitesh Sharma behind. Called a wide though.

Krunal Pandya to Ayush Badoni, Slides one on the leg stump, on a dragged length. Badoni gets back and across and tucks it to deep square leg for one more.

Krunal Pandya to Mitchell Marsh, Flights it fractionally fuller, at 95.4 kph, on middle. Marsh plays with a straight bat and drives it to long off for a single.

Krunal Pandya to Ayush Badoni, Slowish delivery, on leg, Badoni nudges it gently off the back foot to deep square leg for a single.

Time for a bowling change as Krunal Pandya comes into the attack

Josh Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh, Swing and a miss! Around off and on a hard length, again, staying underground but this time, Hazlewood did take pace off. Mitchell Marsh is outfoxed by the lack of lift and pace and gets beaten again.

Josh Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh, Ouch! Another body blow, but Marsh instantly raises his thumb, citing he is okay. Not much bounce on this one, actually. Hits the hard length, but it stays low and angles into the batter. Mitchell Marsh is rushed on the pull shot, but the ball beats the inside edge and hits Marsh around the abdomen area.

Josh Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh, Fires it onto the pads again, full in length. Marsh gets on the back foot and tucks it to short mid-wicket.

Josh Hazlewood to Ayush Badoni, A little bit fuller and at the pads. Badoni misses the flick and the ball deflects behind to deep fine leg for a leg bye.

Josh Hazlewood to Ayush Badoni, FOUR! Shot of the night so far! Back of a length, outside off. Ayush Badoni stands tall, lets the ball arrive and deliberately dabs the ball to the right of deep third for a boundary. Good use of pace and bounce from Badoni to open his account.

Another day, another low score for Nicholas Pooran and LSG are in a spot of bother now, especially if Rishabh Pant is unable to bat again. With that said, Ayush Badoni walks out to bat. Wow, there's a short leg in place now. RCB really trying to intimidate the new batter.

Josh Hazlewood to Nicholas Pooran, OUT! CHOPPED ON! Living on a length, they say and Hazlewood doesn't break a sweat. Hoff slams the deck hard at 140.6 kph, and angles the ball across the batter. Nicholas Pooran shapes up to play the pull shot, across the line, but ends up getting a massive inside edge and the ball crashes into the stumps behind. Wicket number 2 for Hazlewood. Nicholas Pooran is absolutely livid with himself as he departs. Lucknow Super Giants are 35/2, virtually three down now.

Wow, a rare win in the Powerplay for the bowling side at the Chinnaswamy. Usually, it's raining sixes in the first 6 overs in Bengaluru, but the RCB pacers have done brilliantly so far and Josh Hazlewood will continue, bowling his third over now.

Rasikh Salam to Nicholas Pooran, Way too full and around off, Pooran shovels it to the left of the cover fielder for only a single. Lucknow Super Giants end their Powerplay at 35/1. Pommie Mbangwa on air informs that this is LSG's lowest Powerplay score this year.

Rasikh Salam to Nicholas Pooran, The slower one now, full and around off. Pooran carves it straight to Padikkal at cover.

Rasikh Salam to Nicholas Pooran, Decent short ball, aiming at the body of the southpaw. It keeps coming in and Nicholas Pooran safely ducks under it.

Rasikh Salam to Nicholas Pooran, From around the stump. A low full toss, on off. Pooran tries to push it straight, but gets a thick inside edge toward mid-wicket.

Rasikh Salam to Mitchell Marsh, Full and straight, on middle, gently driven toward long off for a single.

Rasikh Salam to Mitchell Marsh, Slower delivery, at 104.9 kph, on a length and tight on the stumps. Marsh punches it to the cover-point fielder.

Change? Not yet. Rasikh Salam (1-0-10-1) to continue.

Josh Hazlewood to Nicholas Pooran, Immaculate length again and just a run off that over, that too inside the Powerplay. Good length, around the top of off, rises a bit sharply and Nicholas Pooran gets hi hands out of the way as he lets the ball pass through to the keeper.

Josh Hazlewood to Nicholas Pooran, Josh immediately goes fuller to Pooran, bowling it around leg and Nicky P opts to just block it off.

LSG physio, Patrick Farhart, and one of the reserve players have made their way out to the middle. It looks like Rishabh Pant needs some medical help after taking a couple of body blows. The magic spray is being applied to his left elbow now. Pant's pain is quite visible as it is sprayed. It looks like the ball has struck him on the weak spot of the bone. He is not looking comfortable at all out there. Not good signs for LSG, as Pant is walking off the field. Hazlewood shows some concern with a pat on his shoulder as Pant makes a slow walk back. Nicholas Pooran is the next batter in for the Super Giants.

Josh Hazlewood to Rishabh Pant, Ouch! Rishabh Pant is looking in some discomfort and is unable to continue. A blow to the batting team as Rishabh Pant is retired hurt.

Josh Hazlewood to Rishabh Pant, Hazlewood is landing it on a coin right now. Another back-of-a-length delivery, on off stump, Pant looks to pull but the ball skids through and catches the bottom underedge of the bat and goes into the ground. Actually, the ball might have hit Pant's left elbow, or underneath it.

Josh Hazlewood to Rishabh Pant, Ouch! That must have hurt. Slightly shorter, in and around off stump, Pant is a bit indecisive and tries to lean across the off side and pull it fine but ends up getting hit on the body.

Josh Hazlewood to Rishabh Pant, Oh, that's carried through nicely. Back of a length, over middle, angling a bit across the left-hander. Rishabh Pant stays put and has a swipe across the line but the ball zips past the blade.

Josh Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh, Back of a length on middle, angling in. Marsh looks to pull but the ball isn't short enough and he gets rushed, resulting in an inside edge towards backward square leg. Marsh does get a single.

That's a frustrating way to get dismissed. It looked like Markram was just getting settled in but RCB get an early breakthrough they were after. In comes the LSG skipper, Rishabh Pant, at number 3. Also, Josh Hazlewood (1-0-5-0) is back into the attack, replacing Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Rasikh Salam to Aiden Markram, OUT! CAUGHT! Oh, that's something we don't see often. Rasikh Salam breaks the opening stand and RCB have their first wicket. Rasikh looks to go full and at the toes but ends up serving a low full toss on the pads. Aiden Markram looks to flick it over the leg side but closes the bat face early and skews the ball off the leading edge onto the other side. The ball lobs towards extra cover, where Devdutt Padikkal takes a simple catch and Markram is unhappy with the way he's got out here.

Rasikh Salam to Mitchell Marsh, Slower ball, at 108 kph, full and straight as well. Marsh checks the drive and just eases it to the right of mid on for one more.

Rasikh Salam to Aiden Markram, Good length on the pads, pushed away between mid on and mid-wicket for a single.

Live visuals show that Bhuvneshwar Kumar is in the dugout right now, and the physio is applying the ice pack on his left wrist. He got stung while stopping the ball off his own bowling, in over 2.4.

Rasikh Salam to Aiden Markram, SIX! Oh, that's a scrumptious shot from Markram. Length ball on middle, comes at a gentle pace as well. Aiden Markram lifts the back leg and hits through the line, lifting the ball high and over long on for a biggie.

Rasikh Salam to Mitchell Marsh, Hard length around off, tapped away in front of covers for a quick single.

Rasikh Salam to Aiden Markram, Good length, slightly into the pitch and on off, sticks in the pitch as well. Markram leans forward to drive but has to adjust and just pats it back past the bowler for a run.

RCB introduce Rasikh Salam into the attack, replacing Josh Hazlewood.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, SIX! DISPATCHED ON THE ROOF! A knuckle-ball, shorter and on middle. This one sits up nicely for the batter and Mitchell Marsh has all the time in the world to rock back and clobber it over the square leg fence for a 102-meter behemoth of a six. New ball, please!

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, On a good length, shaping back into off stump, blocked off by Marsh.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Aiden Markram, Gets a good hand on it, does Bhuvneshwar Kumar and probably saves three runs as well. Hard length around off, Markram gets onto the front foot, lifts the back leg and punches it down the pitch. Bhuvi sticks down a left hand in the follow-through and deflects the ball just behind and the batters get another single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, A bit of shape back into the right-hander this time. Back of a length, on off and middle, Marsh presses back and works it past square leg for one.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, Fuller this time, angled in towards middle stump, Marsh pushes it back to the bowler.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, Back of a length, just outside off, Marsh comes forward to negate the bounce and blocks it to covers.

Excellent over from Hazlewood as well. Right on target. The new ball is moving and there is a good bit of bounce on offer, not much. A pretty watchful start by the LSG openers. Bhuvi to continue.

Josh Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh, Terrific start for the Hoff, just five singles off his first over. That in-between length, in the channel, Marsh gets a bit squared up and edges it down towards short third, where the fielder is well inside the circle, almost at a deep slip. The ball lands in front and the fielder fumbles, allowing the batters to scamper through for a run.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Good-length delivery, outside off, Markram stands tall and classily plays it on the up, and through point for a single.

Josh Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh, Fuller this time, angled in towards the pads, Marsh gets his hands out in front and flicks it towards square leg for another quick single. Tidy start so far from Josh Hazlewood.

Josh Hazlewood to Aiden Markram, Sharp bounce on offer yet again for Josh. Pitched on a hard length around off, cuts back in a bit, sharply too. Markram dabs it down towards point and picks up a run.

Josh Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh, Shortish length, straighter in line, tucked away through square leg for a single.

Josh Hazlewood to Mitchell Marsh, Play and a miss. Hazlewood uses his height and hits the deck around off, gets the ball to seam away with some extra bounce. Marsh looks to rock back and punch it through covers but is well beaten.

Swing for the bowler, runs for the batters. A pretty decent start for both teams. And here comes Josh Hazlewood to steam in from the opposite end.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, Short of a good length, wide outside off, smacked away to deep backward point for one more to close out the first over. 9 runs off it.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Aiden Markram, Good length, in and around off stump, punched on the up and square through the cover region for a single again as Markram also gets off the mark.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, Back of a length on middle, nudged down in front of mid-wicket for a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, Nicely driven. Fuller in length, Bhuvi looks for some more swing, Marsh gets forward and caresses it wide of deep point for a couple of runs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, EDGED AND FOUR! A slice of some early luck for Mitch here and LSG are underway. Good length again, outside off, Mitchell Marsh has a slash at it but gets a thick outside edge that flies to the right of the diving first slip fielder and into the deep third fence.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar to Mitchell Marsh, Just a hint of movement away from the right-hander. Bowled on a good length and in the channel, Mitchell Marsh looks to drive on the up but gets an inside edge back onto the deck.

We are all set to get going at the Chinnaswamy. The camera straightaway pans to Virat Kohli in the RCB dressing room. He hasn't taken the field and will come out to bat as an impact sub for RCB. The two umpires now walk out. Rajat Patidar leads his men out to the middle as the Royal Challengers scatter throughout the park. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh make their way to the crease to open for Lucknow Super Giants. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the new ball and is raring to go. LSG are yet to score 200 this year. Can they do that this time around? Let's see. The Bison vs Bhuvi first up, then. A slip in position and off we go...

'The Bison' is also up for a chat - Mitchell Marsh says that conditions-based, yes, 200 has become the norm, and the question now is, has the team batting first got enough on the board? On the general Powerplay score being around 65-70 runs this season, he chuckles that it is more like 90 these days, and mentions that it is a new element in the game, seeing the fearless youngsters go hard at the bowlers, and they will look to do the same as well. On batting alongside Aiden Markram, Mitch says that they are close friends and loves to open the batting alongside him.

A quick chat with Phil Salt - On the license for RCB batters to go hard from ball one, Salt says that is simply the way T20 cricket is moving right now, and the IPL is very much at the forefront of that shift. Says everyone in the side carries that license to take the game on. On becoming a more 360 player, Salt says plans naturally evolve as opponents build more data on you over time. He stresses that the foundation of his game is built on solid defensive technique above everything else. He tries to hit the ball where it deserves to be hit, sets himself up as well as he can, and reacts accordingly.Finally, on taking some impressive catches on the boundary, Salt heaps praise on the fielding coach, calling him simply unbelievable. He describes the catching sessions as high intensity. Says if he isn't bowling and isn't keeping wickets, he wants to contribute to the team in every way he possibly can.

The LSG skipper - Rishabh Pant says that eventually you have to play better cricket, whether you bat first or bowl first. Adds that they don't want to introspect after every match and want the individuals to put their hands up and win the game for the team. Mentions that they will try to soak up the pressure and get the job done. Ends by informing that they are going with an unchanged team.

The captain of RCB - Rajat Patidar calls it a good surface and says they want to take advantage of it by putting the opposition under pressure. About the conditions, he says there's not much change, though he highlights that there was a lot of grass as compared to this one. On the positives so far, he says everything is going better for the team and different guys have stepped up and are performing well as well. Informs that Josh Hazlewood comes in for Jacob Duffy.

Impact Sub options for RCB - Virat Kohli, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Kanishk Chouhan, and Venkatesh Iyer.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI) - Phil Salt, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (C), Jitesh Sharma (WK), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam (In for Virat Kohli), and Josh Hazlewood (In for Jacob Duffy).

Impact Sub options for LSG - Mayank Yadav, George Linde, Manimaran Siddharth, Matthew Breetzke, and Himmat Singh.

Lucknow Super Giants (Unchanged XI) - Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (C/WK), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammad Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh, and Prince Yadav.

TOSS - All in readiness for the toss. Rajat Patidar and Rishabh Pant are out in the middle and give each other a hug before the toss takes place. Pant calls incorrectly and a massive roar goes around the Chinnaswamy. RCB opt to BOWL first.

PITCH REPORT - Pommie Mbangwa and Faf du Plessis are inspecting the conditions in Bengaluru. Pommie first points out the dimensions, saying that the square boundaries are 61 meters and 68 meters, and adds that there's a shepherding going on about which side you want to be hit as a captain. Further tells that the straight hit is 74 meters, but it is small. Highlights that 55 sixes have already been struck at this venue. Plessis calls it an unbelievable wicket to bat as an opener. Also feels that sometimes the new ball might get a bit of swing and bounce here as well. Plessis further notes that the surface is a touch drier than it usually is. Highlights that normally there is a little bit of green grass but this time around, it looks a touch barer and feels that there won't be much bounce and seam movement. Also details that spin generally doesn't play a huge role at Chinnaswamy in terms of wickets taken, but points out that the likes of Krunal Pandya, who are good with their lengths, have been very effective, especially when they target the stumps. Still, he calls it a very good pitch and expects a good score, in the range of 220.

High-scoring thriller on the cards? As mentioned earlier, RCB have scored in excess of 200 runs in all four matches they have played this season, but LSG are yet to concede a score of 200 or more and they have won both their matches while bowling first and lost both matches when they have batted first. Can the Super Giants get that highly-tauted batting line-up firing on all cylinders? Or will RCB continue on their merry way? Only time will tell. Stay tuned for the toss and team news.

LSG hungry for a comeback - Despite a topsy-turvy start to their 2026 campaign, LSG boasts one of the most disciplined bowling attacks in the tournament, spearheaded by the veteran Mohammed Shami. They face the ultimate test tonight: can the league’s most economical bowling unit silence the league’s most aggressive batting lineup? Also, the Super Giants may have an ace up their sleeve in the form of Mayank Yadav, who, on this very ground, announced himself at this grand stage and might be match-fit as LSG look to halt RCB's streak of 4 wins in a row at the Chinnaswamy.

RCB look for another big score - Currently sitting in the top three of the table, they have turned the Chinnaswamy into a fortress, consistently breaching the 200-run mark in every game so far this season. With Rajat Patidar leading the charge and the legendary Virat Kohli in the mix alongside the explosive duo of Phil Salt and Tim David, the Bengaluru batting powerhouse looks nearly unstoppable on this batting paradise. Also, the change to get Jacob Duffy back in over recently recovered Josh Hazlewood seems to be working for RCB, but their bowling does need a bit more control and for that Krunal Pandya will be key with his change in pace and lengths as well.

The tussle continues - Welcome to the high-octane atmosphere of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru! Hosts and reigning champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to go up against Lucknow Super Giants. The home side come into this clash on the back of a resounding victory against rivals Mumbai Indians, whereas the Super Giants look to get back to winning ways after a huge loss against Gujarat Titans in their last fixture.

... MATCH DAY ...

Homecoming of the champions - After a couple of games on the road, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are back at their den for three home games in a row. First up, they take on the Lucknow Super Giants in match number 23. RCB will be looking to make the most of this home leg, while LSG will aim to bounce back from their recent loss. Momentum with the hosts - RCB won just 2 of their 5 home games last season, but this time around, they have won both their matches in Bengaluru so far. They are halfway through a stretch of 4 games in 9 days, and a dominant win over MI should set them up well for the remainder of that run. Batting firing on all cylinders - Their batting prowess has been on display, breaching 200 in their last 3 games while batting first and chasing down 202 on the opening night. With all of their top five scoring over 120 runs, the batting looks in excellent shape. Mixed returns with the ball - Their bowling has come under fire at times, but the cushion provided by the batters has helped. Jacob Duffy has picked up 6 wickets in 3 innings, though he has been a bit expensive, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar has done a decent job of keeping things in check. Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya have also played important roles through the middle phase. The one loose end - The 5th bowling option remains a concern, with Romario Shepherd going at 14.57 so far. Rasikh Salam did make an impression despite suffering from cramps against MI and could be the answer to that role. With just a day's break between RCB's last two games, one feels Josh Hazlewood was rested as they look to ease him back in gradually. His return will be a big boost, especially considering he picked up the most wickets (8) at the Chinnaswamy last season at a strike rate of 10.3. LSG in search of consistency - Coming to the Lucknow Super Giants, their campaign has been a bit of a mixed bag so far. They started with a defeat, bounced back with 2 consecutive wins, but are now coming off another loss. They now travel to Bengaluru, where they are yet to lose in the IPL, having won both their games here. Concerns with the bat - There has been promise with the ball, but the batters have let them down. In what is a top-heavy setup, Aiden Markram has got starts in the last 3 games but has not converted them into substantial scores, while his opening partner, Mitchell Marsh, has struggled to make an impact. There was a knock of note from Rishabh Pant in the win against SRH, but little apart from that. More than anyone, the form of Nicholas Pooran will be a concern. It has been 13 innings since his last fifty in this format. Promise with the ball - On the bowling front, there is more reason for optimism. With Mohammad Shami's arrival and Prince Yadav continuing to grow as a bowler since last season, they have formed a promising new-ball pairing. Their ability to make early inroads will be crucial, especially against a strong RCB top order. Waiting for the support cast - The inclusion of George Linde has added a new dimension to their attack. While he did not make an impact with the ball against GT, he contributed with the bat, which augurs well for LSG. However, the likes of Avesh Khan and Digvesh Singh, who starred last season, are yet to hit their stride and will need to step up. Team form (Last 5 completed games, recent first) - RCB - WLWWW | LSG - LWWLL. Test for the bowlers - 200 has been breached in all 4 innings so far, with runs flowing at 11.42 per over and 55 sixes in just 2 games. A stiff challenge awaits the bowlers, and it will come down to who executes better with the ball. Who are you backing to come out on top?