Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar spoke candidly after the match about how their batting just didn’t hit the mark. He noted that they lost wickets way too quickly and didn’t manage to build any solid partnerships at the crease. When asked about the decision to leave out Paddikal, Patidar explained it came down to the pitch conditions that favored bowlers more. Despite the difficulties they faced, he stressed that the team really needed to step up their batting and aim for a better total to secure a win.
Patidar had some praise for the bowlers, saying they performed really well and maintained a good attitude, which was a bright spot for the team. He acknowledged that mistakes were made with the bat and that fixing these issues is crucial for their future matches. “At first, the pitch was a bit tricky, and it was slower than we expected. But we definitely could have done better as a batting group. Partnerships are really key; losing wickets in clusters is a big wake-up call for us, he said during the post-match talk. “We decided to adjust and leave out Paddikal because of the way the pitch was behaving. Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been; it had been covered for a while, which helped their bowlers. We have to give them credit where it’s due.”
Despite the tough situation, Patidar was hopeful. “No matter how the pitch plays, we need to get our act together and score enough runs to win games. On the bright side, our bowlers are doing a solid job, which is definitely a positive to take away. The batters showed some intent, which is nice to see. I believe we can fix some of our batting issues moving forward,” he added.
On the field, things were quite rough for RCB, especially early on, where they faced a harsh collapse, losing seven wickets for a mere 42 runs. Tim David’s incredible knock of 50 runs off just 25 balls helped lift the total to 95, but it wasn’t enough. RCB’s Josh Hazlewood shone briefly with a fantastic spell, taking 3 wickets for just 14 runs, which gave the team a glimpse of hope. Still, they couldn’t hold on as Punjab Kings (PBKS) clinched a five-wicket victory with 11 balls left to spare in the match played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. This loss meant RCB remained without a win at home, suffering their third straight defeat. The teams are set to face each other again soon, on Sunday (April 20), in Mullanpur, giving RCB a chance to bounce back.
