April 19, 2025: Despite Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) facing a five-wicket defeat at the hands of Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Saturday, batter Tim David stood out with a gritty half-century and was named Player of the Match for his effort.
In a rain-curtailed 14-over encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, RCB struggled to get going, collapsing to 95/9. Tim David was the lone bright spark with the bat, scoring 50 off 25 deliveries, even as the rest of the lineup faltered under tough conditions.
“It didn’t feel so easy,” David admitted in the post-match presentation. “The boys batting up did communicate that to me. The practice pitches have played similarly. At times when you’re trying too hard, it doesn’t come off. Tonight was difficult. You had to manage risks a little bit.”
The RCB middle-order batter also hinted at his willingness to take on more responsibility. “If I get an opportunity to bat [higher], I will look to contribute to my team,” he said, acknowledging that adapting quickly to variable conditions is crucial for success.
David’s knock helped RCB salvage some respectability in an innings where seven wickets fell for just 42 runs. Despite a solid bowling effort led by Josh Hazlewood (3/14), PBKS chased down the target of 96 in 12.1 overs, thanks to Nehal Wadhera’s unbeaten 33 and Marcus Stoinis finishing things off with a six.
With this loss, RCB have now faced three consecutive defeats at home and continue to search for a winning formula in Bengaluru. Looking ahead to their reverse fixture against PBKS in Mullanpur on Sunday, David emphasized the need for quick regrouping.
“We haven’t played well at home. We need to find a template. We will have to regroup quickly as we will play Punjab again,” he added.
The result sees PBKS notch up their fifth win of the IPL 2025 season, while RCB will be eager to bounce back in the rematch and turn around their campaign.