2 weeks Ago By Dev Sharma
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) hosted the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 34th match of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday, April 18, at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The Kings won the toss and elected to bowl first after rain shortened the match to 14 overs per side.
Batting first, the hosts had a dismal start, losing half their side for just 33 runs. However, Tim David stepped up and rescued the innings with a stunning half-century. The right-hander remained unbeaten on 50 off 26 deliveries, smashing five fours and three sixes, as RCB posted 95/9 in 14 overs.
In response, Punjab lost wickets at regular intervals, but Nehal Wadhera remained composed, anchoring the chase with an unbeaten 33 off 19 balls. He guided the Kings to a five-wicket victory with 11 balls to spare — their fifth win of the season. Meanwhile, this marked the Royal Challengers’ third consecutive defeat at home.
On that note, let’s look at five expert reactions to RCB’s loss to PBKS in IPL 2025. Former India cricketer and batting coach Sanjay Bangar criticized Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s middle order — particularly Jitesh Sharma , Liam Livingstone, and Krunal Pandya — for their lack of contribution, calling their performances 'disappointing.' Speaking on JioStar , Bangar also emphasized the need for RCB's batters to reassess their approach, especially if the pitches continue to offer some assistance to bowlers.
He said: Rohan Gavaskar, former cricketer and son of Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar, pointed out that the main criticism should be aimed at RCB’s batting lineup. He took issue with the team’s management, particularly the batting order, and argued that Tim David should have been promoted ahead of the out-of-form Liam Livingstone . Speaking on Cricbuzz , the 49-year-old said: Former India opener Virender Sehwag also questioned how long RCB can continue to rely solely on Virat Kohli , Phil Salt, and Rajat Patidar to deliver with the bat.
While he acknowledged that Tim David has been consistently doing his job, Sehwag criticized Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone, and Krunal Pandya for their lack of contribution. Speaking on Cricbuzz , he said: The 46-year-old added that if RCB continue to rely solely on their top order, they might win a few games, but they won’t be able to win the trophy. He said: Speaking on Cricbuzz , former India spinner Murali Kartik criticized RCB's batters for playing reckless shots, adding that they failed to adapt to the conditions and lacked a clear game plan.
The 48-year-old said: Speaking on his YouTube channel ‘ Aakash Chopra ’, the former India opener noted that the Chinnaswamy pitch, which has recently offered some assistance to bowlers, doesn't suit RCB’s style of play. The 47-year-old observed that the team seems to be playing based on past reputations, assuming they must score 200 runs every time they play at home. As a result, the batters often resort to wild swings instead of adjusting their game to the actual conditions.
Chopra said: RCB will again face the Punjab Kings in the reverse fixture, scheduled for Sunday, April 20, in Mullanpur, Chandigarh. Dev Sharma Dev is a cricket writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of experience. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has previously worked at Times Now as a sports writer.
He played cricket in the Delhi Little Cricket League in 2016, and was among the Top 50 batters in the U-16 category. His degree has empowered him with a good understanding of ethics in journalism and effective interviewing techniques, which he employs in his articles. He researches and verifies facts from multiple sources and remains impartial in his viewpoints.
He has had the privilege of interviewing renowned sports journalist Vijay Lokapally. Dev loves cricket because of its ability to keep spectators on the edge of their seats and its ability to foster a sense of community and shared passion. He is a staunch supporter of the Indian cricket team and his favorite cricketer is Yuvraj Singh, especially after he hit those iconic six sixes in an over in 2007.
He also admires Rohit Sharma’s leadership as he led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles and Team India to the T20 World Cup. When he’s not working, Dev enjoys watching football or catching up on his sleep. Get real-time updates on IPL 2025 , live scores, IPL Prediction , match schedule , points table , Result & squad - CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS Quick Links.
