Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL, 2026 May 13 Full score card

FOUR! Done and dusted! RCB ace the chase with 5 balls to spare, with Virat Kohli playing right through. Saurabh Dubey bends his back and bowls the short ball, on off. Jitesh gets on his toes and gets on top of the bounce before pulling it to the right of long on for a boundary to seal the win.

RCB are just one hit away from the win here. Saurabh Dubey to bowl the final over.

Banged into the surface, on off, Jitesh Sharma gets his hands high for the pull. He is early into the stroke and it goes off the toe end to the right of the keeper for a single. 3 runs needed off the final over.

Not a lot going in favour of Arora in the LBW appeal. Low full toss, on leg from around the stumps. Kohli has a swipe across the line but misses and is hit on the front pad. The ball rolls to mid-wicket, and Virat crosses over. He wants another but Jitesh is not alert to the possibility of a second, and they settle with one. Vaibhav convinces Rahane to go for the review. The UltraEdge comes up with a spike, confirming the inside edge. Anyway, the impact looked outside the line of the leg stump there.

FOUR! Nicely done! Arora sticks to the wide yorker plan from around the wicket. Kohli reaches out to slice it with an open bat face. There is a man at point inside the circle but Virat plays it to his left and the ball speeds away to the fence.

Very full, on off. Sharma digs it out to long off and turns the strike over.

HUNDRED FOR KOHLI! From just 58 balls. 9th hundred in IPL cricket for Virat. A knock of the highest order from the chase master. The Raipur crowd, who had to wait patiently through the rain earlier in the evening, have been treated to a special knock in what is the final game of the season at this venue. Low full toss, outside off. Kohli walks across and drills it to long off for a single to reach his hundred. Just a raise of the bat from Virat to acknowledge the applause from the crowd and his teammates.

Full and going across the right-hander. Jitesh leans into the drive and plays it to deep cover for a single.

Who bowls the 19th? It will be Vaibhav Arora.

Off-pace delivery, on a short of a length, on middle. Sharma works it to wide mid on and takes a single.

The next batter in is Jitesh Sharma.

OUT! TAKEN! An absolute blinder from Manish Pandey. The stunned expression on Tim David's face mirrors that of almost everyone out in the middle. This is served on a good length and skidding through just outside off, David throws his hands at it and cuts it hard behind point. He hits it uppishly and the ball flies quickly towards backward point, where Pandey reacts brilliantly to his non-dominant side. Manish flings himself low to his left full-stretch by sticking out the left hand and the ball just sticks in the palm.

Is that a clean catch? Well, no one in the ground can believe it and Tim David has been asked to wait. The third umpire sees a lot of replays from different angles, and he is convinced that Manish Pandey has taken a left-handed stunner. He did well to keep it under control as well.

Off-pace delivery, on a good length, around off. Kohli shuffles across to flick it away. Gets a soft leading edge and the ball rolls to point for one. Moves to 99, does Virat.

SIX! Just a flick of the wrists and it goes all the way! A bit too full by Tyagi, on middle and leg. Kohli snaps his wrists in a flash and whips it way over deep mid-wicket for a biggie. Virat follows it up with a little jig as well. He certainly enjoyed that one himself.

Takes pace off and bowls it into the wicket again. This is around leg and there to be put away. Kohli rolls his wrists and helps the pull but picks out short fine leg.

Slams in the short ball, on middle. David drags it without much timing to mid-wicket. Rinku Singh sprints to his right and slides to cut it off. Just a single.

Kartik Tyagi to finish his spell now. 3-0-23-2 so far for him.

Pushed through, on a good length, on middle and leg. David pushes it to long on for a single.

Will the extra ball cost Roy?

Wide! Down leg, on a length. David misses out on the glance. Angkrish Raghuvanshi moves to his left and gets a glove on it. The ball rolls in front of short fine leg. Kohli sets off and seeing that David also commits to the run before retreating.

Fuller and on middle, Kohli leans forward and clips it through mid-wicket for a single. With no fielder there, Roy himself chases the ball to his right.

SIX! The kind of shot that you would play on loop. A Kohli special, truly, which takes him to 91. Full and tossed on middle and off, Virat Kohli lunges forward, plants the front foot to the leg side of the ball, finds the middle and effortlessly launches it over the long off fence for a six. Didn't try to hit it out of anger and that pretty much sums up the kind of control he is in tonight.

Two is the call and they will scoot through nicely! Short and outside off. Virat Kohli with a crisp back foot punch to the left of cover. Kartik Tyagi comes charging across to his right from deep point and cuts it off. Two taken.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Too short, on middle and leg, asking to be hit. Kohli rocks back and pulls it hard and to the right of deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Full and on middle. Kohli pushes it back to Roy.

Narine provides a big wicket at a crucial time for KKR. Tim David is the next batter in for RCB as they need 36 runs from 24 balls. Anukul Roy (2-0-21-0) is back on.

OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! Rajat Patidar tries to repeat the does, but it does not come off. Multiple cracks at it and Ajinkya Rahane just about manages to hold on. Carrom ball by Narine, on a nagging length, on off and middle. Patidar puts his head down and swings hard at it. The ball turns away a bit and Patidar cuts across the line of the ball. Slices it high in the air towards extra cover, where Rahane settles under it on the edge of the ring. He bends to take the catch but the ball bobbles four times in his hand and he eventually falls on his back. Even then, he does not grab it cleanly and the ball lands on his stomach, after which he manages to cling on.

SIX! Clean strike! Off-break, on a length, on middle. This is right in the hitting arc and Patidar takes full toll. He clears the front leg and clobbers it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

Full and on off, Kohli dabs it in front of point and hurries to the other end.

FOUR! In the gap! Narine continues to be on the shorter side. This is fractionally short but enough for Kohli. He rocks back and pulls it to the left of deep mid-wicket for a boundary. Kohli brings up 14,000 runs in T20s. He becomes the 6th batter to reach this landmark.

Pushed through, on the shorter side, outside off. Kohli makes room to force it away. Ends up chopping it back towards the bowler.

Drops it short, on off and middle. This is slapped to deep cover for a single.

Last 5 overs to go. RCB need 48 runs to win. Sunil Narine will bowl out. Can he produce a wicket here? Let's see...

FOUR! The extra ball cost Vaibhav Arora! Fuller one and on middle and leg, Virat Kohli brings his wrists into play and flicks it stylishly wide of long on for four more runs.

RCB will need a big shot on the final ball, as despite a couple of wides, it's been fairly decent from Arora.

WIDE! Pace off, full and way outside off, Virat Kohli gets down across but misses his swipe again. This is given as a wide as the ball is well over the tramline.

A full toss, around off, Rajat Patidar fails to make the most of it as he loses his shape and scythes it wide of mid on for one.

Wide! Slower bumper, just on off, Rajat Patidar looks to upper cut it but misses as the ball goes on the bounce to the keeper. Patidar takes a review for a wide not given on field. Ball Tracker shows that the ball is above the head of the batter, but the third umpire wants to confirm with UltraEdge as well. Flatline on it and the on-field call is changed to a wide.

Short of a length and around off, Virat Kohli takes a couple of steps forward and pulls it wide of long on for one.

A slower one, full and well outside off, angles away, Virat Kohli goes down and across to swipe it away but misses. Not called a wide. Kohli has a chat with his partner but does not take the review.

FOUR! Gets it away! Tries the wide yorker again, but just misses and serves a low full toss, outside off. Virat Kohli reaches out and, with the full face of the bat, drills it to the long off fence for a boundary.

Nails the wide yorker, outside off, angling away, Virat Kohli fails to dig it out.

RCB need 60 runs from 36 balls. Vaibhav Arora to continue. Can he back up the previous over from Kartik Tyagi?

Another slower one, good length and on middle, Virat Kohli works it to deep mid-wicket for one. A wicket and just 4 runs off the over!

Pace off, on a length and on middle, Rajat Patidar clips it through mid-wicket for one.

Another well-directed bumper, at 142.3 kph, on middle, Rajat Patidar takes his eyes off going for the hook but misses. There is a gentle shout from the keeper for a caught behind, but nothing doing.

The physio looks quite concerned as she rushes out to check on Rajat Patidar. Another member of the medical staff has made his way out as well and is asking the usual concussion-check questions to the RCB skipper. The test is complete, and Patidar is ready to resume.

Oh...that's nasty! Kartik Tyagi bangs in a quick bouncer at 141 kph, on middle, Rajat Patidar is a bit late to react and fails to get out of the way of it. He turns his head back and takes a blow on the back of his helmet. Immediate concerns from the players around him, with Tyagi also walking up to him to see if he is fine or not.

Fuller and on middle, angling in, Rajat Patidar flicks it away in the vast gap at deep mid-wicket for a brace.

End of a 92-run stand. In walks the RCB skipper, Rajat Patidar. Can KKR land another blow in the next over or two and suddenly make things interesting?

OUT! TAKEN! The first ball after the strategic break brings a wicket for KKR. Kartik Tyagi bangs this into the pitch, keeps it outside off, takes pace off as well. Devdutt Padikkal makes room to slap it away but hits it more from the bottom half of the bat. It flies straight to catching cover, where Ajinkya Rahane takes a sharp catch over his head. RCB are 129/2, still needing 64 runs in 41 balls.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Royal Challengers Bengaluru are absolutely cruising in this chase at the moment, with Virat Kohli once again leading the way. Kolkata Knight Riders are desperately searching for that one moment of inspiration that could potentially spark a comeback and breathe life back into this contest. KKR have not helped their cause either. They have been inconsistent with the ball, have put down a couple of chances in the field, and their ground fielding has also lacked sharpness. Ajinkya Rahane is having an animated conversation in the KKR huddle, trying to rally his troops for one final push and somehow find a way back into the game. Kartik Tyagi (2-0-19-1) has been brought back.

Back of a length and on middle, Devdutt Padikkal rolls his wrists and pulls it to deep square leg for one more. 64 needed in 42 balls now.

Bangs this into the pitch, on middle, Virat Kohli hops up and swats it down to long on for one.

Fuller and on middle, angling in, Virat Kohli clips it to the left of deep mid-wicket for a couple of more runs.

Hard length and around leg, Virat Kohli flicks it away wide of deep square leg for a brace.

Back of a length and angling into the body of the batter, Devdutt Padikkal nudges it through mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Up and over! Short of a length and outside off, begging to be put away. Devdutt Padikkal gets the chance to free his arms and crunches it over point for a boundary. It continues to get worse for Arora.

Vaibhav Arora has been brought back into the attack. He conceded 16 runs in his first over and also dropped Padikkal on 22. Can he redeem himself?

Takes no risk against Narine. Pitched short and slightly outside leg, Devdutt Padikkal knocks it off the back foot to long on for an easy single. 75 needed off 48 balls.

A bit quicker through the air, at 94.2 kph, on leg, on a length, and skidding through. Padikkal is pinned in the crease, looks to whip it across, but is hit on the thigh pad instead.

Prodigious turn, touch full and outside off, turning away from the left-hander. Padikkal hangs back to fend it away, but gets an outside edge and the ball goes on the bounce to the short third fielder.

Spins in sharply, short on middle. Virat Kohli goes back and across and swats it along the ground to the left of long on for a single.

Holds up a bit on the surface, on a length, on the stumps. Padikkal camps back to pull but scuffs it off the toe end to deep mid-wicket for a run.

At 92 kph, this is short, around off. Kohli punches it off the back foot to the left of cover. Manish Pandey slides to his left in the inner ring and keeps it down to a single.

FOUR! A loosener and it gets the dose! Way too short by Roy, on the leg stump. Devdutt Padikkal has all the time in the world to use the depth of the crease and he pulls it between deep square leg and deep mid-wicket for a boundary. He moves to 31 (19), does Padikkal.

Short on middle and leg, tucked across to deep square leg for a single.

Slows it up with a good bit of flight, full and around off. Devdutt knocks it away to long on for a run.

WIDE! Pushed across the left-hander, on a length. Devdutt Padikkal gets low and spreads across the crease to play the reverse sweep, but fails to connect. Angkrish Raghuvanshi collects the ball to his left and whips the bails off. KKR appeal for stumping, and the on-field umpires send it upstairs for a review. The side on replay does show that Padikkal's back leg momentarily lifted, but he is quick to plant it into the crease before Raghuvanshi dislodges the bails. NOT OUT.

Kohli backs away outside leg and seeing that, Roy pushes it into the batter to cramp Virat for room. Kohli adjusts well and jabs it to deep cover-point for a run.

FOUR! Wonderful exhibition of footwork and placement! Not that short by Anukul, on middle and sliding in with the arm. Kohli is quick to pick the length and goes deep inside the crease before pulling it over mid-wicket for a cracking boundary.

Short, outside leg, Devdutt Padikkal rocks back and pulls it to deep backward square leg for a run.

Halfway through the chase. RCB are going along nicely. KKR desperately need wickets, and they need them quickly, if they are to claw their way back.

FIFTY FOR VIRAT KOHLI! Off just 32 balls and this is his 67th IPL fifty. After a couple of ducks, the chase master is back among runs with a well-constructed knock so far. This is dug in short on the stumps, and Kohli hangs back before pulling it to the left of deep square leg for a couple of more runs to complete his milestone. Having been dropped on 21 by Powell, Virat is certainly making that lifeline count.

Good length, around off, Devdutt chops it to the left of backward point for a single.

Follows the batter and bowls it full on middle and leg, Kohli works it into the leg side for a single.

FOUR! That's a slap! Short of a good length, on middle, Virat Kohli needs no second invitation as he has all the time to press back and pull it wide of mid-wicket for a boundary.

Again, good awareness by this pair! Slow and short, on off. Virat Kohli mistimes the pull shot off the top edge, to the left of deep square leg. Anukul Roy runs across and fumbles to pick up. He recovers eventually, but the throw is a bit sloppy from him to the bowler, which brings out frustration from Green. Two taken.

Brilliant understanding between the batters! Slower off cutter, on a length, on off. Kohli plays it late and tucks it with soft hands through mid on and they convert a single into a double.

Dropped short on middle, Virat is quick to pivot on the back foot and pulls it to deep mid-wicket for an easy single.

Two Wides! Speared down leg, full in length. Devdutt leaves and the keeper fumbles to collect it to the right. The ball rolls to the short fine leg region and they cross for a bye. The 50-run partnership comes up between Padikkal and Kohli.

BEATEN! Roy bowls it across the left-hander, on a fractionally fuller length. Devdutt Padikkal gets across and down on a knee to play the reverse sweep but misses. Angkrish Raghuvanshi collects the ball to his left. Oh, hang on! Devdutt Padikkal has a chat with Kohli and eventually reviews it for a wide not given. The replay shows that the ball has clearly passed beyond the tramline. The on-field decision is overturned. Wide called.

At 92.7 kph, Roy darts in a short ball, on the leg stump. Kohli hangs back and heaves it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a single.

WIDE! Fired wide outside off and it spins beyond the tramline, Kohli leaves.

Holds on slightly, short and drifting outside off. Padikkal goes deep in the crease and knocks it down to long off for a run.

Flatter at 92.5 kph, this is a bit fuller, around off. Kohli backs away and drives it through mid off for a single.

Slides in on the leg stump. Kohli presses back and knocks the length ball to the bowler.

Arm ball, on a length, skids through on middle. Kohli backs away and punches it to cover.

Short again and on off, Virat Kohli heaves it to deep mid-wicket for one more.

How costly will that drop prove to be for KKR?

WIDE! Tries the slower one, but serves this on a length and way outside off. Virat Kohli lets it go.

DROPPED! Both batters have been given a life now. Cameron Green bangs this into the pitch, takes pace off. Devdutt Padikkal goes for the pull but does not get the timing right on this one. It flies towards deep backward square leg, where Vaibhav Arora moves to his left and tries to grab it with both hands, crouching down, but spills it out. They cross. Arora is not having a great outing so far.

Back of a length and on middle, nips back in sharply, Virat Kohli stays back to dab it down but gets an inside edge towards short fine for another run.

Slower one, full and on middle and leg, Devdutt Padikkal chips it towards mid-wicket for a run.

FOUR! Firmly struck! Pitched up and around off, Devdutt Padikkal reaches out and hits through the line to smack it well wide of mid off for a boundary.

Fuller in length and on middle, Virat Kohli eases it down to long on for a single.

Cameron Green is brought into the attack now, replacing Kartik Tyagi.

Flatter, short and outside off, Virat Kohli looks to cut but chops it down towards short third for one. Just 5 runs off the over!

Tossed up, full and on off, Devdutt Padikkal leans forward and knocks it through extra covers for one.

Flighted, full and on off, Virat Kohli gets low and lofts it on the bounce to long on for a run.

Dragged back, on middle, gets some extra bounce, Virat Kohli moves back and pats it down to the leg side.

Slows it up, full and on middle, Virat Kohli gets deep inside his crease and clips it through mid-wicket and comes back for the second run.

Floated, short and on off, Virat Kohli punches it to short cover.

STRATEGIC BREAK! Barring Bethell's wicket off a snorter from Kartik, this has been RCB's Powerplay without second thoughts. Kohli has looked his usual self, albeit dropped by Powell, off a tough chance. Padikkal, too, has looked influential since his arrival and the two have kept RCB firmly ahead in the contest, both in terms of runs comparison and the asking rate as well. They are 66/1, and at the same stage, KKR were 56/2. The Royal Challengers need 127 runs from 84 balls, and the Knight Riders would be desperate to break this partnership. Can the old fox, Sunil Narine, do that job? He will continue his spell as the field spreads.

Good length and on the sixth stump line, skids through and angles away too, Devdutt Padikkal tries to cut but misses. Royal Challengers Bengaluru are 66/1 at the end of the Powerplay!

Hits the deck hard and around off, takes off a bit, Devdutt Padikkal stabs it off the bottom part of his bat down the pitch.

Slower one, on a length and on off, Virat Kohli pushes it towards cover-point for a single.

SIX! Picked up and how! Short of a length and on middle, angling down the leg side. Virat Kohli stays inside the line of it and, using his wrists, whips it over the deep backward square leg fence for a biggie.

DROPPED! A tough chance though! Hits the length hard and around off, Virat Kohli plays it on the up again, punches it hard but fails to keep it down. It flies at the rate of knots towards short cover, where Rovman Powell leaps up to take it above his head but the ball bursts through his hands. Two taken. Powell will feel he should have taken that.

Fuller one and around off, Virat Kohli plays a cracking drive on the up, but hits it on the bounce straight to mid off. That deserved more.

WIDE! Back of a length but outside off, just over the tramline, Virat Kohli leaves it alone. Wided.

Last over of the Powerplay. Kartik Tyagi will bowl it. 1-0-9-1 so far.

FOUR! In the gap! Looped up by Narine, fuller and outside off. The ball spins away, and Padikkal is allowed to free his arms. He punches it past cover, and it races away to the fence.

FOUR! Narine errs, and Padikkal makes him pay. Dragged down, down leg. Padikkal goes on the back foot in a flash and pulls it to the right of the man at short fine leg for a four.

Keeps it short, outside off, Kohli goes deep in the crease and hits it to long on using his bottom hand. They cross.

Shorter and around leg. Padikkal fails to help it away. The ball clips the pads and goes to short fine leg for a leg bye.

Turn for Narine. Slows it down and drags the length back, around off. Padikkal pushes out in front. It goes off the outer half to short third.

Starts with the flighted delivery, full and on middle. It is the off break, Kohli plays it with the turn towards square leg for a single.

Is it time for some spin? Right on cue, as Sunil Narine comes into the attack. Kohli vs Narine, the match-up everyone was waiting for here.

Another short ball and it keeps rising, over middle. Padikkal arches back to play the upper-cut but misses.

Well bowled! Bends his back and digs it in short, around the right shoulder. Padikkal hops to ride the bounce but the ball keeps climbing on him. DDP takes his eyes off the ball and fends it down the strip.

FOUR! A poor delivery and it gets the treatment. Pushed across the left-hander but it is too wide and too short as well. Padikkal climbs into it as he frees his arms and cuts it past point for four more.

FOUR! Padikkal is away! Tyagi errs in his line. On a back of a length, Devdutt glances it fine off the pads and picks up a boundary to get going.

A wicket in the Powerplay for KKR, which has not happened quite often for them. Just the 10th for them this season, the least of all sides. Devdutt Padikkal, the Impact Sub for RCB, walks out to bat at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! The short ball does the trick for Kartik Tyagi. A strange dismissal. Seam-up ball, dug in short, at the bodyline of the batter. Bethell presses back and swivels a bit for the pull. The ball gets big on him and catches the top edge. On any other day, the ball would have sailed over the keeper's head and gone for a six but the ball pings Jacob on the helmet off the top edge. It balloons back towards the bowler and Tyagi takes a dolly.

Serves it on top of off, on a back of a length. Kohli pats it in front of mid off and turns the strike over.

Change? Yes, Kartik Tyagi replaces Vaibhav Arora.

A bit of nip back into the right-hander, on a good length, on middle and leg. Kohli hangs back to deal with it. Ekes out an inside edge to short fine leg and the batters cross for a quick single. Kohli bumps into the bowler accidentally and is quick to apologise.

Hits the back of a length, around off. Bethell glides it to deep backward point and crosses over.

Much better! Closer to the off stump, on a good length. Jacob steers it to short third with an open bat face.

FOUR! Hammered away! Bashed on a hard length, width offered by Dubey. Bethell is not going to miss out as he stands tall on top of the bounce and smacks it through covers for another boundary.

FOUR! Gets it through! The length is pulled back by Dubey, outside off. Bethell hops to ride the bounce and does not try to overhit this one. He punches it past the diving Rovman Powell at point. Vaibhav Arora gets around to his left in the deep and dives. He lays a hand on it but the trickles into the fence.

SIX! Lovely shot! Dubey pitches it up, on off. Bethell presses onto the front foot and keeps a still head as he swings through the line. He launches it over mid on for a six.

All the good work from the first over gets undone. Vaibhav Arora struggled with his line, and the momentum is with RCB now.

FOUR! Make that a hat-trick of boundaries. A stark contrast from the first over. Too straight from Arora, on a good length. Kohli tickles it off the pads down to deep fine leg. The fielder in the deep is a bit square and he stands no chance. 18 runs off the over.

FOUR! From too straight to too wide, and Kohli cashes in. Short and wide on off, there to be put away. Kohli gets on his toes, frees his arms and slaps it over point for four more.

FOUR! Easily done! Sliding onto the pads, on a length at 136.6 kph. Kohli brings his wrists into play and plays the pick-up shot. He has no intention of keeping it down and plays it well wide of deep fine leg to his left.

Leg bye! Hits the good length, on middle and leg. Bethell leans across to work it away on the leg side but is beaten on the inside edge. The ball goes off the thigh pad on the off side for a leg bye.

Half a shout for LBW! That is going down leg. Shaping back into the pads, on a good length. Kohli is beaten on the flick due to the swing and gets rapped high on the front pad. The ball drops beside the strip on the leg side and the batters cross over for a leg bye.

FOUR! Put away! Vaibhav Arora begins with a fuller delivery, on middle, shaping in. Virat Kohli just with the flick of the wrists, times it past the diving mid-wicket fielder for the first boundary of the chase.

Vaibhav Arora will share the attack.

Touch fuller and on middle, shapes in, Virat Kohli tucks it to mid-wicket for a single. A big roar from the crowd as he gets off the mark after consecutive ducks.

RCB are underway with extras! Hard length and on middle, gets it to shape in this time. Jacob Bethell fails to flick it away and gets hit on the pads as the ball rolls towards point. A leg bye taken.

And again! Short of a length and once again bowls this in the corridor of uncertainty, shaping away. Jacob Bethell steps across to cut the swing, has a feel for it but gets beaten again.

Excellent stuff from the debutant! Back of length and in the channel outside off, keeps the seam up and moves it away. Jacob Bethell has a poke at it but the ball zips past the outside edge again.

Hits the length and on the sixth stump line, Jacob Bethell opens the bat face and guides it straight to point.

A beauty to start with! Saurabh Dubey starts with a good-length delivery, just around off, gets it to shape away. Jacob Bethell pushes at it with hard hands but gets beaten on the outside edge.

OUT! RAGHUVANSHI IS RUN OUT! Superb final over from Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Just 10 runs from it and KKR finish at 192/4. Excellent low, dipping full toss by Bhuvneshwar, on the stumps. Rinku cannot get properly under it and drills it off the toe end through mid on. The call is for two and they hustle back for the brace but Devdutt Padikkal is quick to rush in off the ropes. He picks the ball and fires a precise on-the-bounce throw to the bowler. Angkrish Raghuvanshi is forced to dive to slide his bat in, but Bhuvneshwar Kumar collects the ball beside the stumps and whips the bails off in a flash. The on-field umpires want to have a look at it, and the replay confirms that Raghuvanshi is found fairly short.

Aims the stumps and serves a full toss, Angkrish Raghuvanshi moves across a bit in the crease and runs it down to long on for a run.

Fuller one, on middle. Rinku gets low and heaves it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Oh, doesn't take a single! Surprising! Low full toss, on off, Rinku heaves it off the inner half of the bat to deep mid-wicket but refuses the single.

SIX! He has picked the bones out of it! Bhuvi misses his yorker by a few inches and serves a friendly half volley, on the leg stump. Rinku Singh finds the ball into the slot, clears the front leg and smokes it deep into the stands behind deep mid-wicket.

Top start! Yorker at 134.3 kph, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi can only shovle it out to the right of the backward point fielder for a single.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3-0-24-1) to bowl the final over. Can he keep KKR under 190 here?

At 141.4 kph, this is a full toss on the pads. Rinku Singh flicks it to the right of deep backward square leg. Krunal Pandya comes charging across to his right and mops it up in the deep. The batters hare back for the second run comfortably. So 10 from the penultimate over.

Extra bounce from a shorter length, outside off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi arches back, trying to guide it to the off side, but it runs off the bottom end to the left of short third for a run.

Knee-high full toss again, Rinku heaves it off the toe end to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Full toss, around off. Rinku Singh slices it to deep point. The ball lands and turns away from Jacob Bethell, who makes a late adjustment by diving to his left and saves two for his team.

FOUR! Whipped away! A bit too full, on leg, Rinku Singh uses his wrists and whips it behind square on the leg side for a boundary.

Oh, goodness! That flirted past the leg pole. Rinku shows his cards early by backing away outside leg. Seeing that, Josh Hazlewood fires in a full toss, outside leg. Rinku slashes hard at it, but only gets an edge past the leg stump and the ball rolls back to the keeper.

Nails the yorker, keeps the stumps on attack, does Rasikh. Angkrish Raghuvanshi jams it out on the pitch. Rasikh is done with his spell, with figures 4-0-35-1.

Low full toss, on middle, slanting in. Rinku slices it away to deep cover for a run.

Nice yorker, on middle. Angkrish Raghuvanshi carves it down to the right of long off. Kohli moves across and stops it. The batters cross for a single.

Missed out! Angkrish is gutted with himself for not getting any bat on it. Too full, around off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi switches his stance to play the reverse scoop, but misses.

FOUR! PUNISHED! Slower delivery, on a good length, outside off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi waits on it, clears the front leg and clobbers it down the ground for a cracking boundary.

Around the stump, speared full on leg, Rinku flicks it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a run. This brings up the 50-run partnership between Rinku and Angkrish.

Will Josh Hazlewood bowl out now? No, Rajat Patidar is saving his final over. Here is Rasikh Salam to bowl now. 3-0-28-1 for him so far.

Low full toss, on off, Rinku shuffles across in the crease, and whips it across to deep mid-wicket for a run. 12 runs from this over. 3-0-24-1 so far for Bhuvi.

Proactive running once more! Brilliant cricket from Rinku and Angkrish. Into the blockhole, on leg, Rinku dinks it with soft hands through mid on and they scamper back for the second run.

And again! Excellent piece of running between the wickets. Back of a length, following the batter, as Rinku shuffles outside leg. Rinku adjusts and tucks it behind square on the leg side for a couple of runs.

The call is for two, and they will get it! Too full, on leg, flicked off the pads into the deep mid-wicket region. Tim David runs in off the ropes, and by the time he throws it to the bowler, the batters hustle back for the second run.

FOUR! That's cunningly played by Rinku! Off-pace delivery, short and outside off. Rinku Singh picks the off cutter, stands tall and ramps it over the short third fielder for a boundary.

Full, on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi uses his bottom hand to chip it straight over the bowler's head. Virat Kohli runs across to his left from long on and cuts it off. One taken.

STRATEGIC BREAK! The platform is nicely set for the Kolkata Knight Riders, who still have Rovman Powell to come. Ideally, KKR will be looking to push past the 200-run mark from here. That said, RCB still have a couple of overs of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and with one each from Josh Hazlewood and Rasikh Salam left, it won't be easy for the batting side. A crucial final phase of the KKR innings is coming up. Bhuvneshwar to bowl after the break.

SIX! That spoils the over! Josh Hazlewood hits the deck hard and around middle. Rinku Singh steps across to get inside the line of it and hooks it over the fine leg fence for a biggie. 12 runs off the over.

Hard length and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi opens the bat face and guides it to deep third for one.

FOUR! Gets it away! This is short again and well outside off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi uses the width on offer and slashes hard at it. He ends up slicing it away past backward point for a boundary.

Short of a length and around leg, Rinku Singh makes room and punches it through extra covers for a single.

Bangs in a sharp bouncer, on off, angles away, Rinku Singh sways away and tries the upper cut but misses. Jitesh Sharma grabs it behind the stumps and appeals gently, but nothing doing. However, Rajat Patidar goes for the review here. UltraEdge shows a flat line when the ball passes the bat. RCB lose a review.

Josh Hazlewood sees the batter back away, changes his line outside leg stump, lands this back of a length. Rinku Singh is a long way outside leg, tries to cut it away but gets cramped up and misses.

Josh Hazlewood (2-0-13-1) returns for his 3rd over.

Slows it up, full and on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi goes inside out again and drills it hard but finds extra cover this time.

SIX! Up, up and away! Tossed up, full and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi backs away to go inside out, extends his arms and carves it beautifully over deep extra cover for a biggie.

Quicker, full and on leg, Rinku Singh clips it to deep mid-wicket for another run.

Flatter, full and on off, Rinku Singh looks to push it away but gets an inside edge towards the vacant mid-wicket region. Krunal Pandya himself runs after the ball but cannot save the second.

Flighted, full and on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi drives it to long off for a single.

Floated, short and on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi backs away and punches it to extra cover.

RCB have decided to use their Impact Sub option by bringing in Devdutt Padikkal, while Jacob Duffy, who had a pretty ordinary night bowling-wise, is subbed out. Here's Krunal Pandya (3-0-29-0) again and he will complete his spell. He replaces Rasikh Salam.

Jacob Duffy is substituted by Devdutt Padikkal

FOUR! Rinku Singh gets going now! Much fuller delivery and outside off. Rinku crouches a bit low, gets his hands through the shot and smacks it through extra covers for four more runs.

FIFTY FOR RAGHUVANSHI! Off 32 balls. His fourth fifty of the season and he has stepped up once again for KKR. Slower one, full and on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi jams it out to long on for one.

FOUR! Excellent shot! Short of a length and on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi picks up the length early and gets on top of the bounce. He plays the short-arm jab to perfection, wide of deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Hard length and on middle, Rinku Singh drags it off the inside half of the bat towards deep mid-wicket for a single.

Big swing and a miss! Back of a length and around off, angling away, Rinku Singh charges down the track, stays leg side of the ball and has a big heave across the line but gets nowhere near it.

Good length and on middle and off, Rinku Singh steps across and taps it in front of short cover. Angkrish Raghuvanshi wants the run but is sent back.

Jacob Duffy (3-0-38-0) will bowl out. He replaces Krunal Pandya.

Back of a legnth and around off, Rinku Singh runs it down to third man for one. 10 runs and a wicket off the over!

On a length and on middle, Rinku Singh tucks it with soft hands through mid-wicket and comes around for the second run. Good running!

A loopy slower one, full and on off, dips in, Angkrish Raghuvanshi waits for it and jams it to long on for a run.

Fuller and on middle, Rinku Singh steps across and drills it to long on for a single.

Rasikh breaks the 68-run stand for the third wicket. Green, yet again, couldn't capitalise on his start. But looked solid through his stay. In walks Rinku Singh at number 5.

OUT! BOWLED'EM! Rasikh Salam gets the crucial breakthrough on his return to the attack. He lands this on a good length and on middle, at 135.5 kph, gets it to nip back in a bit as well. Cameron Green has a big hoick across the line but the length is not that short and the ball goes through to hit the top of middle stump. Nice little cameo from Green comes to an end, and KKR are 116/3 now.

This partnership is budding steadily for KKR now. Any score between 180 and 190 would be a good one on this two-paced wicket.

WIDE! Slower one, full but way outside off, Cameron Green leaves it alone. Wided.

FOUR! Easy pickings! Rasikh Salam attempts the yorker but ends up serving a low full toss, on the pads. Cameron Green crouches low and helps it on its way to the deep fine leg fence for a boundary.

Dragged down by Pandya, on off. Green frees his arms and spanks it down the ground. Tim David collects it on the bounce. Just a single.

A bit slower, on a good length, on the pads. Raghuvanshi clips it through square leg. They think about the second run but Jacob Bethell swoops in and keeps the batters to a single.

Wide! Down leg, on a nagging length. Angkrish Raghuvanshi misses out on the paddle.

Around off, on the shorter side. That is cut away but straight to the fielder at point.

Bowled with a round-arm action and at 99.7 kph, on a nagging length. Cameron smears it to deep mid-wicket and crosses over.

FOUR! Untidy by Tim David. Flat and short, on middle. Green thumps it down the ground towards long on. David drops to his knee, but the ball seems to have picked up pace and a bit of bad bounce results in the ball catching him on the wrist before deflecting away for a boundary.

SIX! High and handsome! Fractionally short by Krunal, on middle. Green hangs deep in the crease and is quick to pick up the length. He gets the front leg out of the way and pummels it over mid-wicket for half a dozen. 100 UP FOR KKR. Also, the 50-run partnership comes up between this pair.

KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar, on being asked about Chakaravarthy's participation ahead, reveals on air that Varun Chakaravarthy has been dealing with a hairline fracture in his toe, which is affecting his foot landing. Nayar, however, remains hopeful that Chakaravarthy will be available for the next game if he recovers in time.

Slower, short ball, on off. Angkrish steers it straight to the man at short third with an open bat face.

Fuller and on middle. Green has a hoick across the line. He is early into the shot and miscues it through square leg for another single.

On a good length, on middle. Angkrish goes back in the crease and flicks it away through mid wicket for a single.

FOUR! Two in two for Raghuvanshi. At pace now, on a short of a length, on top off. Raghuvanshi stands tall on top of the bounce and stays leg side to punch it away. Beats the diving backward point fielder to his right for four more.

FOUR! Smart batting! Rasikh bowls the off-cutter, on a shortish length, over middle. Raghuvanshi arches back and gets his hands high to play the upper cut. Gets it more towards short fine leg but clears the man and picks up a boundary.

Into the strip, angled in, on middle and leg. Green steps out to heave it away. Gets it off the inner half behind square leg for a single.

Halfway into the first innings. KKR are going at 8.6 and will look to accelerate now as they have truckloads of firepower to come next. Rasikh Salam (1-0-7-0) is back on, replacing Jacob Duffy.

Another misfield from Kohli. Once is rare, but it has now happened twice. Pushed through, on a length, on middle. Cameron taps it to long off. Kohli runs in off the ropes but lets it through his legs, but the batters settle for a single only.

Not in control but safe! Bowled at 97.5 kph, into the surface, on top of off. Raghuvanshi presses on the back foot to whip it away. The ball stops and turns away a bit to catch the top edge. It drops safely in the mid on region. They cross.

SIX! Well struck! Floated up by Krunal, full and a bit too straight, on the pads. Raghuvanshi gets down on a knee and plays the slog sweep behind square leg for a six.

Darted into the right-hander, Green makes room and clips this full ball to deep mid-wicket for one more.

Slower and shorter, outside off. A bit of grip in the surface. Raghuvanshi slaps it to deep cover for a single.

Full and speared in, on middle, knocked to cover.

STRATEGIC BREAK! It's been a nice contest between bat and ball so far. Pretty evenly poised right now, as bowling has been nearly precise, barring Duffy, who has been a touch expensive. Green and Raghuvanshi have formed a nice partnership and will look to consolidate in this middle phase. There's just enough for the bowlers on this pitch and it seemingly has slowed down already. RCB will look to exploit that in this phase by breaking this stand as quickly as possible. Krunal Pandya to continue. 1-0-5-0 so far.

A big swing and a miss! Duffy delivers it on a back of a length, outside off. Cameron has a big heave across the line and ends up losing his shape. The ball cuts back a bit off the deck to go past the inside edge.

Full and straight, attacking the front pad. Angkrish flicks it through mid-wicket and turns the strike over.

Pace off, on a good length, punched with sweet timing but straight to Kohli at backward point.

FOUR! Threads it through! Bowled at 137.1 kph, on a length, angled in at the off stump. Raghuvanshi presses forward and meets the ball right under his eyes. Plays a punchy drive and beats the diving Rajat Patidar at mid off to his left for a boundary.

Drags the length back, around off. Green swings for the hills, looking to go down the ground. The ball goes off an inside edge to deep fine leg for one.

Nails the yorker, on the off stump. Angkrish Raghuvanshi digs it out to backward point. A fumble by Virat Kohli and the batters are quick to sneak in a single. Kohli bangs the ball into the turf in anger.

Jacob Duffy (2-0-31-0) returns into the attack, replacing Josh Hazlewood.

Another short delivery, on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi forces it down to long off for one more. Just 5 runs off Pandya's first over!

Shorter once more, around off, Cameron Green stabs it towards extra cover where Rajat Patidar fumbles and allows a run.

There is that infamous bouncer from Krunal Pandya, on middle and leg, Cameron Green ducks under it. He has a chat with his partner to see whether to review for a wide, but decides against it.

Dragged down, on middle, Angkrish Raghuvanshi stays back and nudges it through mid-wicket for another run.

Short again and on middle and leg, Cameron Green flicks it off the back foot to deep square leg for a run.

Floated, short and around off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi punches it to wide long off for a single.

First look at spin tonight as Krunal Pandya comes on.

Back of a length and angling into the leg side, Angkrish Raghuvanshi fails to glance it away as the ball goes off his thigh pad towards square leg. A leg bye taken.

Short of a length and on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi dabs it down towards point.

On a length and on middle, Cameron Green tucks it with soft hands towards mid-wicket and calls for two, but Jacob Bethell is quick to get to the ball from the deep and keeps it to one.

EDGED AND FOUR! Josh Hazlewood lands this on a good length and in the channel outside off, the ball holds its line. Cameron Green stays back to play at it but gets undone by the extra bounce. It flies off the outside edge and through the vacant first slip region for a boundary.

Full again and on middle, angling in, Angkrish Raghuvanshi tucks it in front of short mid-wicket, but the fielder cannot stop it with a dive to his left. It rolls towards long on and the batters get the run.

Fuller and on off, Cameron Green knocks it towards mid off and scampers across for the single.

Done with the Powerplay. Fair to say it is pretty even-stevens after the first six overs. Josh Hazlewood to continue.

Takes pace off, follows the batter into the leg side, on a length as well. Cameron Green backs away but can only steer it towards backward point for one. Kolkata Knight Riders are 56/2 at the end of the Powerplay.

Hard length and on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi lets it come to him and dabs it down towards short third for one.

FOUR! Nicely done! Short of a length and angling into the leg side. Angkrish Raghuvanshi rolls his wrists to get it behind square on the leg side, whipping it to the fence for a boundary.

On a length and around off, shaping away, Cameron Green pushes it through covers for a single. 50 UP FOR KKR!

Back of a length and on middle, Cameron Green gets behind the line of it and blocks it on the pitch.

Beauty! Rasikh Salam hits the good length and just around off, jags back in a long way. Cameron Green gets cut in half trying to play at it as the ball sneaks past the inside edge on its way to the keeper.

A double change as Rasikh Salam has been called into the attack.

Hits the deck hard and on off, Cameron Green stays back and guides it through point for a single.

Hard length and on off, nips back in sharply, Cameron Green looks to fend it away but misses as the ball lobs up off his thigh towards the slip cordon.

KKR lose their skipper. Cameron Green comes out to bat.

OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! Once again, we see a wicket fall after a boundary. Josh Hazlewood bends his back and bowls a well-directed bumper, on middle, takes off sharply off the deck. Ajinkya Rahane looks to pull it away but the ball gets big on him and he loses his bottom hand as well. It takes the top edge and goes high in the air. Hazlewood himself calls for it, moves to his right to settle under it and takes a fine catch. KKR lose both openers now.

FOUR! Cheeky and effective! Good length and just around off, Ajinkya Rahane shuffles across quickly to get inside the line of it. He scoops it off the inner half of the bat to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Josh Hazlewood bangs this into the pitch, outside off, shapes it away with extra bounce. Ajinkya Rahane lazily tries to upper cut it but fails to connect.

Short of a length and on off, Angkrish Raghuvanshi waits for it before steering it wide of first slip. Rahane calls for the run but then stops. Seeing the fielder putting in a dive to his right to make the stop, the batters get the single.

First change in the bowling as Josh Hazlewood replaces Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

SIX! Sails just over! Touch short and on middle and leg. Sits up nicely for Rahane as he presses back and launches the ball aerially with a pull shot. It just clears the ropes in the deep mid-wicket region. The umpires confirm it through the smart replay. A very productive over for KKR. 17 runs from Duffy's second. His bowling figures read 2-0-31-0 so far.

FOUR! Pierces the gap so neatly! Not that short by Jacob, but he offers a fair bit of room with pace taken off. Ajinkya Rahane waits on it and opens the bat face, steering it to the right of the diving backward point fielder. He also beats Jacob Bethell in the deep to his left and gets a boundary.

Fuller, outside off, Rahane drills it straight to the mid off fielder.

Length ball, outside off, steered away to deep backward point for a single.

Yes and no between the batters, but the danger is averted! Duffy bashes the length hard and seeing the batter charge, he slants it on the leg stump to cramp Raghuvanshi for room. Angkrish plays over the line, is hit on the thigh pad and then the ball rolls away in front of point. Rahane is halfway, but after a bit of yes and no, both retreat to their original ends.

SIX! LOVELY STRIKE! Short of a good length, on top of middle. Angkrish Raghuvanshi gets under it and hoists it massively over deep mid-wicket for an 83-meter six.

Jacob Duffy to continue...

Good effort by David. He was running forever to save a run for his team. Back of a length, around the off pole. Angkrish Raghuvanshi gently punches it into the cover-point gap. The ball is hurtling towards the ropes, but Tim David from the inner ring sprints a long way and manages to flick the ball in before the ropes. Three taken.

Oh, nearly dragged on! A skiddy delivery, angled into the batter. Angkrish Raghuvanshi is cramped for room and tries to punch it across to the leg side, but inside edges on the back thigh and the ball then rolls past the leg stump.

Fractionally fuller, outside off. Angkrish Raghuvanshi walks forward to negate the movement, but opts to leave it in the end. Good carry to the keeper on this one.

Wicket number 22 of the season for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. He goes clear of Kagiso Rabada (21 wickets) in the race for the Purple Cap. Angkrish Raghuvanshi walks in at number 3.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Superb response from Bhuvi and he has another Powerplay wicket. Scrambled seam, slightly around off and with a little bit of nip away from the batter. Finn Allen is pinned in the crease and tries to punch it away on the off side, but he is squared up and only manages a faint outside edge to the keeper. Jitesh Sharma makes no mistake. KKR are 23/1 in 2.3 overs.

FOUR! Picture-perfect! Length-delivery, outside off, Finn Allen uses the width on offer. Stays leg side, gets his hands through the shot in full flow and punches it into the mid off and cover gap for a boundary. Allen moves to 18 (7).

On a back of a length, angled at the pads. Ajinkya Rahane gets inside the line and whips it a bit uppishly, on the bounce and to the left of deep square leg for a single.

A good finish to the over from Jacob Duffy, but Finn Allen won the opening round of that all-Kiwi battle.

Much better to close out the over! Lands it on a length, on middle and it straightens off the deck. Finn alertly blocks it down the pitch off the back foot. 14 runs off the over.

FOUR! Muscled! Hard length, around middle and off, angling into the batter. Allen stands tall, uses his wrists and pulls it into the deep mid-wicket and deep square leg gap for a cracking boundary. Allen on the charge.

SIX! Goes all the way! Slightly fuller than the previous ball, shaping away marginally, outside off. Finn gets on the front foot and crunches it over the long off fence for a biggie. The first of the game.

FOUR! High quality! Back of a length, around off. Allen holds the shape as he rises up on the toes and punches it to the left of the diving Rajat Patidar at wide mid off to pick up his first boundary.

This one jags in a touch, at 137.1 kph, on middle and leg. Finn Allen tries to pull it but the ball stays a fraction low and he ends up inside edging it on the thigh pad.

Oh, finds some swing! Pitched on a good length, outside off, shaping away. Finn Allen loosely pokes at it, with his feet going absolutely nowhere and is comprehensively beaten on the outside edge.

A testing first over from Bhuvi. Not Josh Hazlewood, ​​​​​​but Jacob Duffy will operate from the other end.

FOUR! CREAMED AWAY! Goes fuller again, and just outside the off stump. Ajinkya Rahane commits on the front foot, middles it nicely and drives it all along the ground, through the cover and mid off gap. Rajat Patidar sprints after it from mid off, but the ball wins the race. So 4 runs off the opening over.

Perfect line and length so far from Bhuvi! Around off, on a slightly fuller length. Ajinkya Rahane chops it onto the pitch.

BEATEN! The knuckleball that wobbles away, full and outside off. Ajinkya Rahane is sucked into the front foot drive, but is well beaten on the outside edge.

A slight appeal for LBW, but not given. Bowls it a smidge fuller, attacking the stumps. Ajinkya Rahane walks forward and tries to knock it straight, but the ball nips back to catch the batter on the back thigh.

Full again, on middle and off, Ajinkya Rahane presses in front and drives it crisply, straight back to the bowler. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bends low and half-stops on his follow-through.

On target, straightaway! Straightish line, on middle with not much lateral movement. Ajinkya Rahane watchfully blocks it off the front foot.

The wait is finally over, and it is time to get the show on the road. Rajat Patidar and his men take the field. They are followed by the two KKR openers, Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen, with Allen coming off a stunning century in the last game against DC. Bhuvneshwar Kumar will kick things off with the new ball for RCB. Rahane will take strike. A slip in place. Let's go...

Duffy confirmed for tonight - Rajat Patidar actually forgot to mention at the toss that Jacob Duffy is featuring tonight for RCB. With Bengaluru bowling first, Devdutt Padikkal starts on the bench and is expected to slot in at number three later when it is RCB's turn to chase.

Impact sub options for KKR - Ramandeep Singh, Tejasvi Singh, Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Dubey and Tim Seifert.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI) - Finn Allen, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Cameron Green, Angkrish Raghuvanshi (WK), Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine, Anukul Roy, Vaibhav Arora and Kartik Tyagi.

Impact sub options for RCB - Devdutt Padikkal, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Swapnil Singh and Romario Shepherd.

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

The skipper of the Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane says that they would have bowled first as well. Adds that the last four games have been really good for them, as a team, they are starting to do things right. Mentions that sometimes the game makes you to keep things simple, and they are taking one game at a time. Rahane shares that they are winning the small moments, which has been key and their bowling unit is also doing really well. Informs that Varun Chakaravarthy misses out due to a niggle, and Saurabh Dubey replaces him.

The captain of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Rajat Patidar says it's a similar wicket from the last game and expects it to behave in the same way. Observes that it is a bit hard and stresses that they will try to keep the opposition under pressure while chasing. Reckons that there will be some variable bounce as well. On the last game, he calls it a tight match but a good one for RCB. Says the way they played has given everyone in the group a lot of confidence. On the race to the playoffs, he says every game is important but stresses that they are not looking at the points table, with the focus purely on playing good cricket. About the team combination, Rajat informs that Venkatesh Iyer comes in for Romario Shepherd.

TOSS - We are all set for the coin to go up in Raipur. The two captains exchange pleasantries before posing for the cameras. The flip of the coin lands in favour of Rajat Patidar. Royal Challengers Bengaluru opt to BOWL first.

Just in - The live visuals confirm that Saurabh Dubey has received his cap and is all set to make his debut for KKR tonight. It also confirms that Varun Chakaravarthy misses out on this game, with the spinner seen limping on the sidelines, though he was still there sharing a few words of encouragement with the debutant ahead of the big moment.

Possible team changes - Aakash Chopra mentions on air that he has not spotted Varun Chakaravarthy tonight, with the KKR spinner dealing with a foot issue over the last few days. Chopra further adds that Saurabh Dubey has marked his run-up during the warm-ups, and the left-arm pacer from Vidarbha is likely to feature tonight for KKR. From the RCB camp, Jacob Duffy has been seen marking his run-up. It could potentially be a straight swap for Josh Hazlewood, although there also remains a possibility of both Duffy and Hazlewood featuring together, which could mean someone like Romario Shepherd misses out.

7.56 pm IST (2.26 pm GMT) - The two on-field umpires have made their way out to inspect conditions before time. Both umpires have relayed their observations to the two camps, and the players have immediately sprung into action. Virat Kohli is already out in the middle to have a hit, and that has certainly brought the crowd to life in Raipur. The toss is set to take place at 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT), and the first ball will be bowled at 8.45 pm IST (3.15 pm GMT). More importantly, there is no reduction in overs.

7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT) - It's been a while that the rain has stopped, but live visuals show that the covers are still not fully peeled off. There seems to be a lot of water accumulated on top, and the ground staff are being careful to ensure none of it seeps through. We still have a lot of time left before the next official inspection. The pitch, however, is not covered, and a few RCB players are out in the middle having a closer look at the conditions. RCB head coach Andy Flower and Mo Bobat are out there and we can also see Krunal Pandya walking near the pitch. The KKR players, meanwhile, are relaxed in their dugout.

7.06 pm IST (1.36 pm GMT) - Good news! The rain has stopped, and there's finally some movement out in the middle with the covers now being peeled off. The umpires are out for an inspection as well, having discussions with both camps while the groundstaff continue their quick work. The word from the middle is that the next inspection will take place at 8.15 pm IST (2.45 pm GMT).

7 pm IST (1.30 pm GMT) - If you are wondering why the toss hasn’t happened yet, rain has arrived in Raipur, accompanied by lightning flashes around the stadium. The entire ground is covered, and the toss has been delayed.

Let's hear from KKR's spin magician - Sunil Narine says that the body is feeling good. Adds that the IPL is a long tournament but you still get a decent amount of time to relax and refresh and get your mind off cricket. Narine mentions that all 12 guys have been trying to contribute in whatever way they can, and when you win 1 or 2 games, you try to go on a run and hope to continue the momentum. Admits that it will be a tough challenge to beat RCB with the way they are playing, and you need to start well with the bat as well as with the ball. Sunil shares that experience certainly helps you get insights, but it is tough to come in and bowl an over for 4-5 runs when the batters are trying to attack. It is more about reflecting on your game and doing what is best for you at that point in time. Ends by saying that he loves to watch games, he tries to see if the batters are in form or not and tries to plan accordingly.

RCB's hero from the last game - On carrying confidence from the previous match against MI, Bhuvneshwar Kumar says performing well in earlier games matters because it feeds directly into confidence, which helps to execute plans in a better way. He adds that the six he hit in the last over against MI was also significant, as it gives him the self-assurance to back himself in similar situations going forward. On staying fresh through a long IPL season, he says preparation before the season is crucial. Adds that once the tournament is underway, it comes down to how the body feels and how much practice is actually needed. He admits he has not done too many practice sessions since the tournament began, and that is one of the ways he has kept himself fresh. He also credits the physios and trainers for their role in recovery and his workload management. When asked whether instinct or analytics drives him as a bowler, Bhuvneshwar calls it a mix of both. Details that experience and instinct come first, but data adds another layer of preparation. He says he does not believe in following the numbers blindly, but mentions that they help him anticipate situations that may come up. On plans against Finn Allen, he underlines that Allen is a very destructive batter but says that the threat also creates opportunities. Says they know Allen likes to attack, and shares that the idea is to target him early.

PITCH REPORT - Nick Knight opens up by noting the hot and humid conditions with an odd thunderstorm having just swept through, leaving the ground staff to clean up. Points that the pitch used in the last game was a bit up and down. Aaron Finch describes it as a different wicket, one that has never been used in IPL or international cricket before. Pitch number 4, he says, but it has a strong resemblance to what they saw in the previous game. He points to the visible cracks and cross cracks as the source of unpredictable, up-and-down bounce. Backing it up with numbers, Finch notes that 14 of the 15 wickets in the previous game fell to the quicks, who had a field day compared to the rest of the tournament. The cross cracks, he explains, produce variable bounce, and bowlers can lock into a good hard length and exploit that. Knight asks him how batters should approach such a surface, taking him back to his playing days for perspective. Finch says the key is to lower risk in the first 10 to 12 balls without going into a shell. Stresses that solid footwork is essential, but going aerial is a risk given the inconsistent bounce. He sets 150 as the par target to aim for, with the hope of getting to 170. Knight wraps up by asking where bowlers should target, and Finch keeps it simple. Says hitting those good, hard length in and around off stump, and they will be right in the game.

Riding the momentum - Kolkata Knight Riders have pulled off the unthinkable, from zero wins in their first six games to four straight victories. The turnaround has been built on bowling. In their last four matches, KKR's bowlers have picked up 33 wickets at an average of just 8 per game, with Kartik Tyagi and Varun Chakaravarthy leading the way. Although Varun's availability is doubtful, it could be a big factor. Sunil Narine has been his usual miserly self with an economy of 6.5, the best among bowlers with 10 or more wickets this season. With the bat, Finn Allen has arrived. His first IPL century, 100* off 47 balls against Delhi, announced him as a genuine force, and his numbers while chasing are staggering, average 52.6, strike rate 226. RCB have been warned, but everything has to fall in place to keep the dream alive. There's a bit of weather around as well, but hopefully it doesn't affect the game much. Stay tuned for toss and other updates.

Bhuvi's purple patch - Royal Challengers Bengaluru have never looked more balanced. At the heart of their rise is Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who is having a season for the ages - 21 wickets already, the joint-most in IPL 2026, with an economy of just 7.5. He's been lethal in the Powerplay and at the death, and against KKR, his numbers are monstrous, 32 wickets, the second-most by any bowler against the Knight Riders. Then there's Krunal Pandya, who has found a new gear with the bat. His match-winning 73 off 46 balls against Mumbai was his third IPL fifty, and he's averaging 35.2 this season, his best since 2017. With Virat Kohli anchoring the top order and Rajat Patidar providing middle-over muscle, RCB have the firepower for a successful title defence.

A Royal challenge in Raipur - This isn't Raipur's first rodeo, but it might just be its most electric night yet. It's Match 57, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru are taking on the Kolkata Knight Riders at a venue where RCB won a nail-biter against MI. RCB are sitting pretty on 14 points, a win here will all but seal a playoffs spot. KKR, meanwhile, are at No. 8, needing to win every single one of their remaining four games, a loss here won't mathematically eliminate them, but it will make the road a lot harder.

... MATCH DAY ...

Bring on Match 57 - The race to the playoffs tightens further as Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders collide in Match 57 of the Indian Premier League at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. For RCB, this is an opportunity to almost seal qualification for the playoffs and strengthen their push for a top-two finish. For KKR, it is about sustaining a remarkable late-season revival that has reignited their campaign after a disastrous start. RCB gunning for back-to-back titles - RCB arrive with momentum and belief restored after a tense last-ball victory over Mumbai Indians. That win not only halted a brief wobble in form but also pushed their playoff qualification probability close to 95 percent. Rajat Patidar’s side have looked more balanced this season than in previous years, with contributions spread across the batting and bowling departments rather than relying solely on individual brilliance. The defending champions have built their season around flexibility. Virat Kohli continues to anchor innings with control and tempo, while Phil Salt’s aggressive starts have often dictated the Powerplay narrative, but wth him being out injured, RCB's opening dynamic has taken a hit. Devdutt Padikkal has quietly pieced together an impressive season in the middle order, and the finishing department has gained depth through Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, and Krunal Pandya. Krunal, especially, comes into this contest carrying enormous confidence after his match-winning effort against MI despite battling cramps and visible exhaustion. Perhaps the biggest positive for RCB has been their bowling attack. Bhuvneshwar Kumar has rolled back the years with his new-ball control and death-over intelligence, emerging as one of the standout seamers of IPL 2026. Alongside him, Josh Hazlewood has delivered consistency, while Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya have given RCB a spin combination capable of slowing scoring rates through the middle overs. KKR in the ascendancy - KKR, meanwhile, are one of the most dangerous sides in the competition right now simply because they have rediscovered rhythm after spending most of the tournament chasing the pack. Four consecutive wins have dramatically altered their season trajectory. The turnaround has coincided with aggressive batting intent and sharper execution with the ball. The emergence of Finn Allen at the top has transformed KKR’s batting dynamics. His recent century against Delhi Capitals underlined how destructive he can be once he settles in. Around him, Ajinkya Rahane has brought calm leadership and stability, while Angkrish Raghuvanshi’s composure against spin has strengthened the top order. The middle order, though, remains KKR’s real X-factor. Rinku Singh remains their most dangerous finisher and arguably their emotional heartbeat in pressure situations. Alongside him, Cameron Green provides power and pace-hitting ability, while Sunil Narine’s floating role allows KKR tactical unpredictability. Key battles and playing conditions - The battle between RCB’s experienced pace attack and KKR’s middle-order hitters could define the contest. Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood thrive on disciplined hard lengths, but KKR’s batters have shown growing confidence against pace during their winning streak. Conversely, Varun Chakravarthy and Narine against Kohli and Salt in the middle overs shapes up as one of the most decisive tactical contests of the game. Raipur has generally produced balanced surfaces, as seen in the previous game as well. Early movement has assisted seamers, but chasing teams can enjoy greater success if the dew settles in. Recent numbers suggest that bowling first offers a notable advantage at the venue. Expect captains to prefer chasing unless the pitch appears unusually dry. Form (Last 5 completed matches, most recent first) - RCB - WLLWW | KKR - WWWWL. Predictions? Historically, KKR have enjoyed the upper hand in this rivalry, winning six of the last ten meetings. However, RCB look significantly more settled this season, especially with their bowling unit functioning cohesively. KKR’s recent surge ensures they enter with confidence rather than desperation, which should make this one of the most fascinating contests of the league stage. Who do you think will come out on top in this classic IPL rivalry?