Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) turned their IPL 2026 clash with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) into a six-hitting statement on Sunday, with Australia batter Tim David playing the starring role. The 30-year-old blasted eight maximums on his way to a sensational 70 off just 25 balls, igniting M Chinnaswamy Stadium and sending the crowd into raptures.
Reactions from the stands and the dressing room only added to the drama, with RCB stalwart Virat Kohli and his wife Anushka Sharma visibly stunned by David’s raw power. Kohli was seen applauding and cheering from the RCB dugout while Anushka matched the same energy in the stands, with both moments quickly spreading across social media.
Quick facts
- Tim David powered RCB with 70 off 25 balls, including eight sixes, in IPL 2026 vs CSK.
- RCB posted 250-3 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium after batting first.
- CSK were bowled out for 207 in 19.4 overs.
- Seam bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar took three wickets for Bengaluru.
- Jacob Duffy, Abhinandan Singh and Krunal Pandya took two wickets each.
- RCB moved to the top of the 10-team table with a superior run-rate over Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings.
- All four teams (RCB, RR, DC and PBKS) had won their first two matches.
- Chennai’s campaign setback left them with a third loss in as many matches.
- CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad fell for 7 among early dismissals.
- Chennai’s notable contributions included Sarfaraz Khan’s 25-ball 50, Prashant Veer’s 43 and Jamie Overton’s 37.
- M.S. Dhoni is dealing with a calf strain and is expected to miss the first two weeks of an event running until May 31.
David’s 25-ball blitz set the tone for Bengaluru, steering the defending champions to 250-3—the highest total of the season so far. The hosts had been handed the first innings at the Chinnaswamy, and once they got momentum, the scoring rate surged to a level CSK struggled to match.
In reply, CSK’s chase never gathered proper rhythm as Bengaluru kept tightening the screws. The visitors were dismissed for 207 in 19.4 overs, sealing a dominant win for RCB and condemning CSK to a third defeat from three matches.
With the ball, Bengaluru’s attack delivered a full spread of wickets. Bhuvneshwar Kumar led the way with a three-wicket haul, while Jacob Duffy, Abhinandan Singh and Krunal Pandya each claimed two—ensuring CSK were constantly under pressure across the innings.
RCB’s batting blueprint
Bengaluru’s campaign momentum is reflected in their table position as well: they topped the 10-team IPL standings on run-rate ahead of Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings. Importantly, all four sides had already won their opening two games, keeping the early-season race tightly contested.
Last year, RCB clinched their first IPL title in 18 attempts, and they carried that belief into this match. Their batting began with a solid platform after Virat Kohli struck an 18-ball 28, and the rest of the lineup followed through—first maintaining the pace and then accelerating as the innings opened up.
Phil Salt contributed 46 as another opener, while Devdutt Padikkal reached his half-century. Skipper Rajat Patidar finished unbeaten on 48, and then David took over, turning the final stages into a power-hitting show that tilted the contest firmly in Bengaluru’s favor.
David especially made his mark at the back end of the innings, smashing England’s Jamie Overton for four sixes and a four during a 30-run 19th over. With the match already moving towards a big total, the impact of those overs proved decisive.
Patidar and David combined for a 99-run partnership off 36 balls, and Bengaluru plundered 97 runs from their last five overs. That late surge turned what could have been a competitive total into a mountain for CSK.
CSK’s chase and injury update
CSK were dealt a harsh early blow when they lost three wickets in quick succession. The collapse included the dismissal of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad for seven, leaving the visitors behind from the moment they started chasing.
Even so, Chennai’s batting did offer brief flashes of resistance. Sarfaraz Khan struck a 25-ball 50, while Prashant Veer made 43 and Jamie Overton added 37, keeping CSK within reach for stretches—but not long enough to overturn the late damage done by Bengaluru’s finishers.
There was also an off-field concern for Chennai: veteran M.S. Dhoni is recovering from a calf strain and is likely to miss the first two weeks of the tournament, which is scheduled to run until May 31.
