Guwahati, April 10 (NationPress) Captain Rajat Patidar delivered a valiant performance, scoring 63 runs off 40 balls, while Venkatesh Iyer added a crucial 29 runs off 15 balls to lead the defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a total of 201/8 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) during the 16th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the Baraspara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Friday.

The innings kicked off dramatically for RCB as Jofra Archer bowled a fierce bouncer that dismissed Phil Salt on the very first delivery. The opening over was eventful, with Archer troubling Virat Kohli with steep bounces, while Devdutt Padikkal managed to find the boundary early on.

Kohli quickly responded to the pressure, showcasing his prowess with authoritative drives and a couple of strong boundaries against Sandeep Sharma. He and Padikkal formed a rapid partnership, putting together 45 runs in just 17 balls for the second wicket, momentarily giving RCB the upper hand, despite Nandre Burger's deliveries that kept beating Kohli.

However, momentum shifted as Archer returned to break the partnership, dismissing Padikkal (14) who misplayed a flick to long leg, where Shimron Hetmyer made an excellent catch. The turning point followed shortly when Ravi Bishnoi bowled a cleverly disguised googly that sent Kohli back to the pavilion for a quick 32 off 16 balls.

Bishnoi continued his impressive spell by removing Krunal Pandya (1), who also fell victim to a catch by Hetmyer. RCB's struggle deepened as Brijesh Sharma trapped Jitesh Sharma (5) in front, leaving RCB in a precarious position at 76/5 in 8.4 overs.

Romario Shepherd provided a brief spark for RCB, hitting the first six in the 12th over, lofting Bishnoi over long-off on his first ball. However, his promising innings ended when he top-edged a slog off Ravindra Jadeja, scoring 22 runs off 11 balls.

Making his debut for RCB, Iyer came in to replace Padikkal as an Impact substitute, stepping into a challenging situation. Iyer teamed up with Patidar and quickly shifted the game's momentum.

Patidar initially played cautiously with 20 runs off 22 balls, but then exploded into action, reaching his half-century with 50 runs off 35 balls in just three overs. His aggressive play included powerful shots against Burger in the 15th over, sending one ball soaring over long-off and a quick pull for six over deep square leg.

Patidar followed up with back-to-back sixes against Bishnoi before being dismissed by the experienced Sandeep Sharma with a slower ball on the pads.

With aspirations to score big, Patidar was caught at deep mid-wicket after a high hit. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Iyer contributed quick runs, including multiple boundaries as RCB finished their innings strong in 20 overs.

For the Royals, Archer, Bishnoi, and Brijesh each took two wickets, while Sandeep Sharma and Jadeja claimed one wicket apiece.

Summary: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 201/8 in 20 overs (Rajat Patidar 63, Virat Kohli 32; Ravi Bishnoi 2-32, Jofra Archer 2-33) against Rajasthan Royals.