Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) piled up 250 for 3 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Sunday, a total that landed as the franchise’s third-highest score in the IPL. The innings also marked the highest team total ever posted against CSK, surpassing Kings XI Punjab’s 231 for 4 in 2014 and Gujarat Titans’ 231 for 3 in 2024.
RCB have now produced three IPL totals of 250 or more, which is the second-most by any side in the league—only Sunrisers Hyderabad have done it more times (five). Looking across all men’s T20 cricket, only India (seven) and SRH (five) have managed more than three such 250-plus scores.
CSK were further left chasing the game as RCB stretched their winning run to four straight matches against them in IPL history. Remarkably, each of those victories came while RCB defended totals of 190 or higher. This is the first time RCB have managed a four-match sequence of wins over CSK; their previous best run was three consecutive triumphs between 2009 and 2010. The momentum began in 2024, and RCB completed their first league double over CSK in 2025.
In the final phase of the RCB innings, the batting surge was even more pronounced: the side managed 97 runs in the last five overs, which is tied for the second-best such figure by any team in IPL cricket. RCB also hold the outright record for runs in that period, with 112 against Gujarat Lions in 2016. Delhi Capitals (DC) have previously matched the same “97 in the last five” mark, achieving it against Gujarat Titans in 2024.
RCB also hammered the boundary consistently late on. Their batters struck 16 sixes in the last 10 overs, the second-highest count in the IPL—only their own 18 sixes against Gujarat Lions in 2016 top it. Overall, RCB piled up 159 runs in the final ten overs, which is tied for the third-highest team total in that time window in IPL history.
There was a clear acceleration once Phil Salt was dismissed in the 11th over. From that point, RCB’s run rate climbed to 16.82, as they went on to score 157 runs in 9.2 overs. That figure stands as the best run rate in an IPL innings for any team scoring 100-plus after the fall of the second wicket.
Tim David made a late impact on Sunday as well, finishing with 70 not out after being introduced at the 15th over. Only one batter in men’s T20 cricket has reached 70-plus from the 15th over onward—Daniel Sams, who struck 71 against Sussex in 2022 (in a game where fall-of-wickets over data is available).
David’s contribution to RCB’s finishing burst was particularly significant in the death overs. His 68 runs between overs 17 and 20 are the most by any batter in an IPL innings. In men’s T20 cricket, only four batters have scored more runs at the death in an innings where ball-by-ball data is available.
With the ball, Bhuvneshwar Kumar continued to add to his IPL tally, reaching 202 wickets. He became only the second player to cross the 200-wicket milestone in the competition, following Yuzvendra Chahal, who has 224 wickets.
Sarfaraz Khan provided another notable stat with the bat as he struck 50 runs in the powerplay. It was the first time in IPL history that a batter who came in at No. 4 or lower achieved a 50-plus score during the opening overs. The previous best in that category was Tilak Varma’s 43 against Gujarat Titans in 2023.
Only one batter in men’s T20 cricket has managed a 50-plus powerplay score while batting at No. 4 or lower before Sarfaraz—Sahil Chauhan, who made 66 not out off 17 balls against Cyprus in 2024 (with ball-by-ball data available).
In CSK’s chase, six-hitting was widespread: nine CSK batters hit at least one six. Ayush Mhatre and Matt Henry were the only exceptions. It was also a historic marker, representing the first time nine batters have found the boundary at least once with sixes in a single T20 innings.
Earlier in the match, RCB’s own batting featured even more boundary pressure. All five RCB batters in their innings struck a six. The game also joined only a short list of T20 matches where 14 batters hit sixes— the other instance being a BBL 2020-21 encounter between Melbourne Stars and Sydney Thunder.
