पंजाब vs बेंगलुरु, मैच 61, हिमाचल प्रदेश क्रिकेट एसोसिएशन स्टेडियम, धर्मशाला, 17 May 2026 - कमेंट्री

WIDE! Reload! Slower bumper, but over the head height of the batter. Shashank Singh looks to pull but misses out. Wide called.

Bethell in action again! A spectacular effort. Full and tailing back into the middle stump. Shashank sits deep in the crease, shuffles across, and whips it off the bottom half of the bat. It fizzes to the left of deep mid-wicket and Bethell is off in a flash, covering the ground and hurling himself into a full-length dive. The ball yorks his fingertips and rolls around him. The batters take a couple of runs.

Wide! This is down the leg side and let through by Shashank Singh.

OUT! CAUGHT BY KOHLI! Not quite a yorker, but full and angling into the stumps. Shashank is rooted in the crease and goes for the pick-up shot again, but this time it comes off the toe of the bat and miscues straight to long on. Kohli is not dropping these. Gets down on his knees and pouches it comfortably. Kohli lets out a huge roar.

Banged in short, over middle. Harpreet Brar almost swings himself off his feet as he swings a bit too hard on the pull. The ball flies over his blade and goes behind to the keeper.

FOUR! Suyash Sharma should have done better there. Angled in at the sticks, on a length, it is the back-of-the-hand slower one. Brar has a heave across the line and it goes off a top edge to short third. Suyash Sharma moves to his right as the ball gets to him on the bounce. He fails to make the stop and the ball bounces past him for a boundary.

Nails the yorker, on middle. Harpreet Brar squeezes it out off an inside edge behind on the leg side for a run.

OUT! CAUGHT! RCB BEAT PBKS BY 23 RUNS! And with this, the defending champions become the first team to qualify for the playoffs. For Punjab Kings, it is a sixth defeat on the trot, and their grip on that playoff qualification is looking increasingly precarious. Pace off at 105.7 kph, back of a length outside the off stump. Omarzai makes room and looks to flat-bat it down the ground, but gets it off the toe end and picks out long off perfectly. Tim David takes an absolute dolly there. Smiles all around in the RCB camp but absolutely contrasting scenes in the other dugout. PBKS have lost all three of their games in Dharamsala.

Length ball, on middle and off, nipping in. Shashank Singh moves across in the crease to help it away to the leg side, but inside edges and the ball rolls off his pads to the off side for a single.

Decision overturned successfully! Hazlewood bowls it wide and very full, outside off, flirting with the tramline. Azmatullah Omarzai watches it closely and leaves. Wide called by the umpire. But RCB have gone upstairs for a review. It is a fair delivery to begin with. The TV confirms that the batter is standing slightly outside off at the point of release. So a revised guideline comes up. And the replay shows that the ball is passing well within that line. 

 FOUR! Off the edge, but PBKS won't mind one bit. Perfect yorker from Josh, on off. Azmatullah Omarzai tries to carve it powerfully through the cover region, but gets a fat outside edge and the ball squirts away to the deep third fence.

Well bowled! At 143.2 kph, a sharp and quick bumper, over middle. Azmatullah Omarzai swings across for the pull but the ball climbs onto him and he is also beaten for pace.

Bowls a yorker again, tailing in on leg. Azmatullah Omarzai's head falls over but he manages to flick it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Oh my days, what an effort from Bethell! A hit-me delivery from Hazlewood, full toss on middle. Shashank moves across in the crease and whips it off the pads toward deep backward square leg. Bethell tracks it like a hawk, moves to his right, times his leap to perfection, and plucks it clean. But the moment he realises he is tumbling over the ropes, he throws it back into the playing area in a flash. Just the single taken. PBKS go upstairs for a waist-height no ball, but Ball Tracking shows it is comfortably below the waist.

A yorker, on off. All Omarzai could do was squeeze this out to deep cover for a single.

 FOUR! Smartly done! Short of a good length, outside the off stump. Shashank Singh plays off the back foot, leans back and by using the pace of the ball, he ramps it squarer, to the right of deep third for a boundary.

Short again, wide outside off. Shashank Singh throws everything left in the tank to uppercut it over point, but misses. Shashank looks for a wide, but the umpire is unmoved.

 FOUR! Whipped into the gap! FIFTY FOR SHASHANK! Off just 22 balls, and this is his 6th IPL half century. Singh moves outside off in the crease and whips this low full toss between long on and deep mid-wicket. Bisects the fielders nicely and picks up a boundary to get to his milestone. This has been a fine fighting knock from him. But he knows the job is far from being done.

Attempted yorker on the stumps, Shashank whips it between long on and deep mid-wicket for a single only.

 SIX! CRACKING HIT! Right off the meat of the bat. Bowls a half volley, on the middle stump, does Bhuvneshwar. Azmatullah Omarzai reads the length early, dances down the track by staying leg side of the ball. He launches it inside out over extra cover for a flat six. The ball goes on to hit the display car. 40 runs needed from 12 balls.

OUT! LBW! An Aussie dismisses his fellow Aussie. A timely wicket by Hazlewood and he breaks the 67-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Hazlewood slips in a thigh-high full toss, angling onto the pads. Stoinis walks inside the line and looks to whip it over square leg, but misses to connect and the ball hits the flap of his front pad. RCB go up in appeal as one and up goes the finger. Marcus Stoinis has taken the review to challenge the on-field decision of out. UltraEdge comes up with a flat line, and the Ball Tracking shows that it is projected to clip the leg stump on umpire's call. So the on-field decision is upheld and Stoinis has to walk back. PBKS are 160/6, needing 63 more runs.

Hard length, on middle and leg. Omarzai bunts it down the pitch.

Back of a length, tailing back in on leg. Azmatullah Omarzai backs away and pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Pinpoint yorker, on middle. Shashank Singh looks to flick, but the ball reverses a bit and squirts through the inside edge, nutmegging Shashank before rolling to deep fine leg. One run taken.

Tries the yorker, but it slips out as a low full toss. Azmatullah Omarzai tries to pick the bones out of it in an attempting of heaving across the line, but inside edges on the front pad and it rolls to point for a single.

FOUR LEG BYES! Hoff loses the radar and bowls a low full toss, on the pads. Shashank Singh misses a flick and the ball deflects off the front pad before rushing to the deep fine leg fence. 56 needed from 18 balls.

Excellent effort in the deep from Kohli! Full toss, outside off. Shashank Singh stays put and drills it to the left of long off. Virat Kohli runs and puts in an athletic dive to his left and saves two for his team.

 SIX! Out comes the helicopter! That is some shot. Slot ball from Bhuvneshwar, on middle. Shashank Singh gets a bit across in the crease and, using his wrists, he pumps it over the cow corner fence for a big six. Quick hands and a strong bottom hand from Shashank and the belief will surely grow in that PBKS camp. 150 UP FOR PUNJAB KINGS!

Nails the yorker, on off. Singh digs it out to short third and crosses over.

FOUR! Good shot! Bhuvi nearly nails the yorker, on middle. Stoinis hangs deep in the crease and clears the front leg before whipping it in the gap between deep mid-wicket and long on. Tim David sprints to his right in the deep and dives but in vain.

Inside the tramline? The umpire thinks so, but Marcus Stoinis has challenged the call. A well-executed yorker by Bhuvi, right at the tramline. Stoinis lets it go, thinking it is a wide. Marcus is standing outside the line of the off stump, which has resulted in a revised guideline. The ball is clearly within the revised tramline. It stays as a fair delivery.

Almost a wide yorker, outside off. Marcus Stoinis plants his back knee into the pitch and powers it to deep point for a single. 14 runs from this over. 

Wide! Rasikh Salam goes short, over middle. Too high for the umpire's liking and Singh lets it go.

Does not carry! Cross-seam ball, on a length, outside off. Shashank Singh swings with all his might. Sices it off the outer half to deep point, where Krunal Pandya runs in off the ropes but the ball drops short. The batters cross for a single.

Nails the wide yorker, outside off. Marcus Stoinis fail to squeeze it out and the ball sneaks just inside the tramline.

Another yorker, this time at the base of the off pole. Stoinis jams it out to deep mid-wicket and gets to the other end.

Bowls the back-of-the-hand slower ball, on a good length, near the guideline. Shashank Singh slaps it straight to deep cover for a single.

FOUR! Hit hard and wide enough! Rasikh goes searching for the yorker but it comes out as a low full toss, outside off. Stoinis brings his bottom hand into play and powers the drive to the left of Virat Kohli at long off for a four.

FOUR MORE! It was turning out to be a quiet over, but it ended well from Punjab's perspective. Low full toss, on middle. Stoinis takes it on the full and whips it all along the ground. He picks the gap between deep mid-wicket and long on for a boundary. 12 runs off the over. 89 needed from 36 balls.

Speared in on a length, following the batter. Marcus Stoinis punches it to long off for a single.

FOUR! Clever, very clever! Krunal slips in the short ball, angled in on middle. Shashank Singh arches back and plays the upper cut fine of the man at short third for a boundary.

Fuller and on middle. This is flicked through mid-wicket for a run.

PUT DOWN! That should have been taken. Flat and a bit short, on middle. Marcus Stoinis gets down on a knee for the slog sweep. Hits flat towards deep mid-wicket, where Jacob Bethell moves to his right and gets low to take the catch, but can't cling on. Single taken.

FOUR! How often have we seen this? A dropped catch is followed by a boundary on the next ball. Bowled with a round-arm action, fractionally short, outside off. Singh gets the width to free his arms and he cuts it past point for a four.

Full and quick, on the pads. Shashank turns it through square leg and retains the strike with a single.

SIX! Clean as a whistle! Suyash Sharma serves it on a length, around off. Shashank is standing on the off stump and with a clean swing of the arms, he parks it over long on for a biggie.

Suyash is brave to toss it up and dishes out the googly. Full and outside off. Shashank looks to go through the off side but miscues it off the inner half to long on. They cross.

Flat and full, outside off. Stoinis presses forward and drills it back past the bowler for a single.

Shorter and quicker, on middle. Shashank Singh hangs back to keep it out. Ekes out an inside edge onto the pads.

SIX! Straight as an arrow! Right in the hitting arc, on a length, on off. Shashank Singh holds his shape and thumps it towards the sight screen for another six.

SIX! Third six of the over and Suyash Sharma has been taken apart. Bowls the googly and it is a bit slower, on a good length, on middle. Shashank swings across with the spin. Gets more height than distance but manages to clear the square le fence. 20 runs off the over.

Wide! Out comes the bumper, down leg. Marcus Stoinis lets it pass. Jitesh Sharma leaps to his left and makes the stop.

Full and on middle. Stoinis pushes it back to Krunal.

Bowled with a round-arm action, shorter and on middle. Stoinis whips it to wide long on for a single.

Darted into the right-hander, on a good length. Shashank Singh has a swipe across the line. He gets it away behind square leg for a single.

FOUR! In the gap! A shimmy outside the leg stump from Stoinis early and Krunal tries to fire it wide on off. Marcus manages to get closer to the line of the ball and slices it with an open bat face to the right of backward point for a boundary. The 100 comes up for PBKS.

Pushes it through, at the sticks. Marcus pats it to long on for a run.

Slows it down, bowled a bit short, on middle. Shashank Singh turns it through mid-wicket for another single.

Flat and short, pushed through. Suryansh Shedge is made to reach out and he swings hard at it. Gets it off the inner half towards the vacant wide mid-wicket region. Jacob Bethell swoops in off the ropes and fires in a throw at the keeper. The ball pings Suryansh on the right forearm as he completes the second run.

On a nagging length, on off. Shedge hits it down to long on for a single.

Stays on the shorter side at 99.3 kph, on off. Stoinis hangs back, looking to force it down the ground. Marcus is rushed and slices it over the man at extra cover for a couple of runs.

Wide! Sprayed beyond the tramline this time. Stoinis lets it go.

Slower and a bit short, outside off. Marcus stands tall and powers it to long off for one.

OUT! CAUGHT! Suryansh Shedge could not have picked out the fielder any better. Dragged down by Suyash, near the tramline. Shedge stays rooted in the crease and reaches out with his hands. He wanted to go inside out over cover but ended up hitting it flat with a horizontal bat towards long off. Virat Kohli moves to his left, bends and grabs it in reverse cup style in front of his neck. Kohli seems to have injured his pinky finger in the process.

Rapped on the pads! The appeal dies down quickly as the impact is well outside the line. Floated up, it is the googly, on a length, outside off. Shashank Singh lunges for the block but is beaten on the inside edge and wears it on the pads.

Flatter delivery from around the stump. On middle, Stoinis hangs back and knocks it through mid off for a single.

Pushed into the batter, on a fractionally fuller length, around the leg stump. Suryansh Shedge clips it off the front foot to deep square leg for a single.

Not all that short, on leg, Marcus Stoinis goes back and across before nudging it to deep backward square leg for a single.

Tosses up wide and full, outside off. Suryansh Shedge carves it through cover for a run.

A bit more round-armish, on the stumps, drifting in. Marcus Stoinis backs away and tucks the length ball to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Overpitched on middle and leg. Suryansh Shedge flicks it along the grass to deep mid-wicket for another run. 6 singles from Krunal's first over. Pretty tidy from him. At halfway, the Punjab Kings are 86/4.

A leg break, short, on off, holds on a touch. Suryansh Shedge works it off the inner half of the bat to long on for a single.

Googly now, on the shorter side, on leg. Marcus Stoinis tucks it through square leg for a single.

 SIX! Wowza! Serves a slot ball, does Suyash. On middle and Suryansh Shedge picks the googly off the bowler's wrist. Gets down on a knee and slog sweeps it massively into the stands behind deep mid-wicket.

Slightly fuller, around off. Suryansh Shedge drives it all along the ground to the right of cover. Virat Kohli charges across to his left from long on and dives to cut it off. He covers a lot of ground in the process and saves a couple of runs for his team. That brings about a loud cheer from the crowd as well.

Drags the length back by a few yards, on off. Shedge hangs back and cuts it to deep point for a run.

At 88.8 kph, this is short and outside off. Marcus Stoinis presses back and punches it to cover. Venkatesh Iyer fumbles to pick it up and the ball rolls to the deep for a single. 143 runs needed from 66 balls.

Bowls from a wider angle, and around the stump. Short on off, angling in. Cooper heaves it along the ground to deep mid-wicket for a run.

From over the wicket to the right-hander. Touch fuller, around off. Suryansh Shedge presses forward and knocks it through cover for a single.

OUT! HIGH UP AND CAUGHT​​! Romario Shepherd comes up with a massive breakthrough. And things are looking pretty ominous for the Punjab Kings now. Shepherd spears it full and on middle and leg. Cooper Connolly goes for the pick-up shot and looks to park it into the stands, but gets more height on it and not the required distance. Jacob Bethell moves to his left from deep square leg and judges the trajectory of the ball watchfully, and takes the catch to his left, around his chest. PBKS are 62/4, needing 161 runs from 75 balls.

Back of a length, outside off, crisply punched away by Stoinis to deep extra cover for a couple of runs. Gets off the mark, does Marcus.

Full and straight on off, Stoinis carves it to the mid off fielder.

 FOUR! Pierces the gap to perfection! Outside off, on a length, at a gentle pace. Marcus Stoinis opens the bat face at the point of contact and finds the gap between short third and backward point for a boundary. A wicket and 8 runs from this over.

Dishes out a flat googly, short in length, Cooper Connolly hangs back and swats it down to long on for a single. 50 UP FOR PBKS!

Drag-downer, another googly and wide outside off. Suryansh Shedge presses back and cuts it to deep point for an easy single.

One more wrong'un, short and outside off. Cooper Connolly pulls it to long on for a run.

Touch short, on off, Suryansh Shedge stays deep in the crease and pulls the leg break to Virat Kohli at long on for a single.

 SIX! MUSCLED INTO THE STANDS! Way too short by Suyash, on middle. Cooper Connolly has all the time in the world to get himself into a stable position and he pulls it comfortably over cow corner for a huge six.

Provides a lot more flight on this one, at 86.5 kph, and it is the googly outside off. Cooper stands tall and steers it to the deep point region for a single.

Around the stump. Bashes the length hard, angling it into the batter. Cooper Connolly is pinned in the crease and looks to glance it off the back foot but misses and is hit on the thigh pad.

 FOUR! Timed to perfection! Overpitched back-of-the-hand slower delivery, on middle and leg, Cooper Connolly brings his bat out in front and drills it straight down the ground, beating mid off's dive to his left and picks up a boundary.

Nagging length, slanting in and around the leg stump, skidding through. Cooper is rushed on the pull shot. Misses and the ball deflects away off the thigh pad to short third.

In-between length, on middle, Connolly tucks it to mid-wicket.

 SIX! Off the top edge! At 134.2 kph, short of a good length, on top of off. Cooper Connolly swings the bat hard to pull it into the stands over square leg, but the ball kicks up ever so slightly and takes the top edge. Flies over the deep fine leg fence for half a dozen runs.

In front of the stumps, nipping back in, full in length. Cooper Connolly flicks it to wide mid-wicket. The fielder dives to his right and parries the ball to Romario Shepherd who charges in off the ropes from long on. They cross. 11 runs off the over. The Punjab Kings end their Powerplay at 49/3.

Hits the back of a length, on off. Connolly gets on his toes to force it away. Ekes out an inside edge and it goes down to deep fine leg for a run.

Wide! Sprayed down leg, on a nagging length. Suryansh Shedge fails to help it away.

SIX! Incredible shot! Shedge backs away just as Hazlewood is about to release. Josh follows him with a cross-seam ball, on a back of a length. Suryansh still has enough room to work with it and he presses back to mow it over mid-wicket for a biggie.

Nails the yorker, on middle. Suryansh Shedge digs it out back to the bowler.

Dug in short, over middle. Suryansh advances early and ducks under it eventually.

FOUR! Streaky! At 138.3 kph, on a shortish length, angled at the bodyline of the batter. Suryansh Shedge steps out and swings across for the pull. The ball gets big on him and it goes off the top edge over the keeper's head for a four.

Wide! Down leg, slightly on the shorter side. Suryansh walks inside the line for the glance but misses.

Lands it on a back of a length, outside off. Suryansh Shedge extends his hands and steers it behind point with an open bat face. Tim David sprints to his right in the deep and dives to prevent the boundary. Looks like he has injured himself in the process. Two runs taken.

A bit of away shape, on a good length. Shreyas tries to cash in on the width and swings a bit too hard. Ends up bunting it down in front of cover.

OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Immediate impact from the Impact Sub. Cross-seam ball by Rasikh, bowled into the wicket, just outside the off stump. Just like he did when he was bowled by Shardul Thakur in the previous game against MI, Shreyas stays leg side of the ball and presents an angled bat face. The ball nips away enough to square Iyer up. It grazes the outside edge and the keeper, Jitesh Sharma gobbles it up. Punjab Kings are 19/3, in tremendous trouble, as they lose their skipper now.

Goes short but fails to get the height right, on middle. Suryansh Shedge gets behind the line and blocks it off.

A play and a miss! In the channel on off, on a back of a length. Shedge pushes away from his body and is beaten past the outside edge.

Keeps it nice and tight, on a short of a length, on off. Shedge taps it to cover from the crease.

FOUR! Suryansh Shedge is off the mark. A bit too short by Salam, outside off. Shedge gets the width to free his arms and he gets on top of the bounce to slap it past point for a boundary.

Delivers it on a nagging length, on off and middle. Prabhsimran keeps it out off the back foot.

On top of off, coming back into the right-hander. Prabhsimran plays it late and dabs it down to deep backward point for a single.

This is on a back of a length, angling away. Cooper pushes at the ball with hard hands. Gets it off the outer half behind point for one more.

At the sticks, a bit fuller, Prabhsimran pushes it to mid on.

OUT! EDGED AND GONE! A sharp grab from Devdutt Padikkal. Wicket number 24 of the season for Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Not the best of balls by Bhuvi. Short and wide on off, asking to be hit. Prabhsimran frees his arms and throws his hands at the ball. It flies off the toe end towards first slip, where Padikkal reacts quickly and takes the catch to his right at chest height. Both Punjab openers back in the hut inside 3 overs.

Goes fuller now, on off. Shreyas leans forward and pats it in front of mid off. He takes a quick single to open his account.

In the channel, a bit short, Prabhsimran extends his hands and cuts it to deep backward point for a single to get off the mark.

Bowled on middle and leg, on a back of a length. Connolly nudges it to mid-wicket.

FOUR! Quality shot! Nothing wrong with the ball. Just outside the off stump, on a short of a good length. Connolly gets on his toes to ride the bounce and plays it close to his body. He punches it through point and picks up a boundary.

Tighter line, on middle, on a nagging length. Cooper punches it on the rise to cover-point.

SIX! This has been a really positive start from Connolly. Hazlewood switches to around the wicket and pushes the length up, on middle. Cooper hangs deep in the crease but gets his hands out in front and whips it over long on for a six.

Fine riposte from Hazlewood. It is the nip-backer and the length is pulled back, on middle. Connolly hangs back to deal with it but is cut in half due to the seam movement. A good diving take to his right by Jitesh Sharma.

Beats the bat straight away! At 132.3 kph, moving away off the seam, on a back of a length. Arya hangs back and has a slight fiddle at it. Gets beaten on the outside edge.

Wide! Fuller and going down leg, Priyansh misses out on the tickle. The Kings are underway with this extra.

At 136.9 kph, on a short of a good length, over off. Arya angles it from the crease to cover-point.

OUT! CAUGHT! A soft dismissal. A three-ball duck for Priyansh Arya and the home side suffer an early blow. Fractionally short, on middle and leg. Arya stays back in the crease and looks to jab it away in front of square on the leg side. The ball comes off the toe end of the blade and balloons to mid on, where Romario Shepherd moves a bit to his left and gets low to snaffle it. PBKS are 1/1, chasing 223.

FOUR! Untidy from Romario Shepherd. Shaping back in sharply, full and on middle and leg. Cooper Connolly brings his bat out in front and drives it wide of mid on. Shepherd moves to his right but is late to get down. The ball goes through his hands before nutmegging him and races towards the fence.

Beaten! Bhuvneshwar gets the ball to leave the left-hander, on a length. Connolly pushes away from his body and the ball whistles past the outside edge.

From around the wicket now, on a back of a length, angled in on middle. Cooper taps it from the crease to mid off.