Royal Challengers Bengaluru marked a special tribute to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and film star Vijay during their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings on Sunday, with Venkatesh Iyer turning a milestone knock into a viral moment. Coming in at No. 4 after the injury to Rajat Patidar, Venkatesh produced an unbeaten 73 from 40 balls, striking eight fours and clearing the ropes four times to steer RCB beyond the 220-run mark.
Key takeaways
- Venkatesh Iyer, promoted to No. 4 after Rajat Patidar’s injury, finished with 73* off 40 balls against Punjab Kings.
- His innings featured eight boundaries through the gaps and four big hits over the boundary to help RCB pass 220.
- After reaching the half-century, Venkatesh repeated a celebratory pose made famous by Vijay from the film Mersal, with the clip quickly going viral.
- RCB’s other top scores were Virat Kohli (58 off 37), Devdutt Padikkal (45 off 25) and Tim David (28 off 12).
- A second-wicket stand worth 76 runs between Kohli and Padikkal laid the early foundation for Bengaluru.
- Punjab needed the result badly to keep their playoff chances alive, while a win would hand RCB a postseason berth.
Venkatesh’s Vijay-style celebration steals the show
RCB’s tribute began immediately after Venkatesh reached the fifty mark. After taking guard in place of the injured Rajat Patidar at No. 4, the batter played with real authority, taking the fight to Punjab’s bowling and accelerating when required. Once his half-century arrived, he mimicked a gesture associated with Vijay’s Mersal, and the footage of that celebration spread rapidly online, with many fans highlighting the clear similarity between the two.
On the batting front, Venkatesh’s control was evident from the way he dominated the bowlers during the latter stages of the innings. His unbeaten knock ensured RCB’s total moved well beyond the 220 mark, setting a challenging target for PBKS. Even after the initial momentum shifted at moments, Bengaluru kept the pressure on and carried wickets in hand into the final overs.
Kohli and Padikkal build the platform as RCB chase momentum
Being asked to bat first, RCB drew significant contributions from Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, and later Tim David. Kohli struck 58 from 37 balls, Padikkal made 45 off 25, while David added 28 from just 12 deliveries to reinforce the innings during the late surge. The foundation, though, came through the second-wicket partnership: Kohli and Padikkal combined for a 76-run stand that kept the scoreboard moving consistently on a surface that offered batting-friendly conditions.
RCB’s start had a wobble when Jacob Bethell was dismissed early by Harpreet Brar. Still, Kohli and Padikkal responded strongly, countering the early pressure with boundaries and smart strike rotation. Kohli looked particularly fluent, making use of the pace of Arshdeep Singh and Lockie Ferguson, while Padikkal struck back against both pace and spin to prevent Punjab from settling into a rhythm.
Punjab’s bowlers did manage to make inroads, but Bengaluru’s aggressive approach inside the powerplay helped them tilt momentum quickly in their direction. With Kohli’s wristy flicks and Padikkal’s lofted hitting, RCB sustained a run-rate above 10 per over during the first half of the innings and looked well set as the chase of 220-plus became increasingly realistic.
From 101/2 to a commanding finish
At the halfway point of their innings, RCB were well placed at 101 for two. Kohli held one end firmly, and Venkatesh Iyer joined the batting after Padikkal’s dismissal following a quick and breezy knock. Kohli, meanwhile, reached his 67th IPL half-century in 31 balls, but his stay ended when he was caught in the deep. The dismissal came via Yuzvendra Chahal, who returned figures of 1/42 after conceding 21 runs in his opening over.
Despite losing Kohli and then Padikkal, RCB did not lose tempo. Venkatesh took charge through the middle overs, tightening Bengaluru’s grip on the contest and lifting the scoreboard to 157 for three at the end of 15 overs. His timing was especially sharp against Ferguson, smashing the bowler for sixes over long-off and long-on to propel RCB to 187 for three in 17 overs.
Venkatesh maintained an attacking line against both pace and spin, peppering the HPCA ground with boundaries as the innings approached its final stretch. Tim David also contributed with his characteristic intent, launching attacks from the word go in the late overs. Although Punjab managed to slow the run flow slightly after the strategic timeout, RCB still headed into the death phase firmly in control, with wickets in hand and enough momentum to close strongly.
(With PTI inputs)
