The IPL 2025 season is heating up, and as always, Virat Kohli finds himself right in the middle of the action. As the tournament reaches a critical stage, every match is beginning to feel like a mini-final. The clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) has quietly grown into a fierce rivalry. After PBKS outplayed RCB in their previous encounter, this fixture at the Kings’ home ground was seen as a golden opportunity for RCB to strike back and settle scores.

Fans across social media were buzzing with excitement ahead of the game, throwing around terms like “revenge” to describe the intense build-up. With both sides eyeing a spot in the playoffs, the stakes were higher than ever. PBKS began their innings strongly thanks to a decent start from openers Priyansh Arya (22) and Prabhsimran Singh (33). However, after the fall of the first wicket, the batting lineup struggled to maintain momentum as the RCB bowlers tightened their grip in the middle overs.

The match reached its turning point during the ninth over when a bizarre and hilarious mix-up between Josh Inglis and Nehal Wadhera led to a crucial runout. Both batters ended up stranded at the same end, and the RCB fielders were quick to capitalize. Virat Kohli, always sharp on the field, was at the center of the moment, celebrating passionately after Wadhera was sent back to the pavilion for just 5 runs off 6 balls. Kohli’s fiery reaction went viral, capturing the high stakes and tension of the budding PBKS-RCB rivalry.

Read More: IPL 2025: Why is Romario Shepherd playing in today's PBKS vs RCB match ?

A horrible mix-up in the middle and Nehal Wadhera has to walk back — Virat Kohli is in a fiery mood today, just look at those celebrations! 🔥👀#ViratKohli #RCBvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/CmK4rB3xWR

— Anis Sajan (@mrcricketuae) April 20, 2025

PBKS batters succumbed under relentless RCB bowling  

Punjab Kings managed 157/6 in their 20 overs, starting strong with a brisk opening partnership. Priyansh Arya scored 22 off 15 balls, while Prabhsimran Singh added 33 off 17, helping PBKS reach 62/2 early on. However, the middle order faltered with skipper Shreyas Iyer falling cheaply for 6. Nehal Wadhera’s stay was cut short due to a miscommunication with Josh Inglis, resulting in a run-out in the ninth over. Inglis remained the top scorer with a quick 29 off 17 balls before falling to Suyash Sharma.

The finishing touches were left to Shashank Singh and Marco Jansen, who added stability with unbeaten knocks of 31* and 25*, respectively. Despite their efforts, PBKS couldn’t accelerate in the death overs. Krunal Pandya was impressive with 2/20, while Suyash Sharma also struck twice. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled economically, but others like Hazlewood and Shepherd proved expensive. The early promise faded, leaving PBKS with a par total at best.