IPL Dispatch: Kohli Shines In RCB's Playoff March; Parag Paints Gloomy Picture After RR's Loss

Momentum, one of the most used and abused words in sport, manifests itself in strange ways in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Cricket analysts often argue that the interplay of conditions, skills of the playing 22 and match situations are the be-all and end-all, and that pressure, clutch moments, morale etc are all psychological constructs with little bearing on the result.

ALSO READ: PBKS Vs RCB Highlights

But then how do you explain the fate of Punjab Kings (PBKS), who were the unbeaten table-toppers after seven outings and have proceeded to lose six games in a row post that? Shreyas Iyer's dejected look after yet another defeat said it all on Sunday (May 17). Having led Punjab to the final in a spirited 2025 campaign, the Mumbai batter would be hard-pressed to pinpoint where exactly it has all gone wrong for his side.

PBKS are not technically eliminated yet, but their future is not in their own hands anymore. A victory against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 23 could take the Kings to 15 points, but that tally would not be sufficient for advancement, and favours would be needed from other teams.

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face no such worries. The reigning champions moved to 18 points with a facile 23-run win, which meant that 61 matches in, IPL 2026 finally had its first confirmed playoff entrant. A top-two finish is on the cards for RCB, which would give their title defence an added boost in the business end of the tournament.

Kohli On A Mission

In his 19th straight campaign with the Royal Challengers, Virat Kohli continues to be the man to watch out for. The league titan brought up his 67th IPL half-century in Dharamsala, clattering a 31-ball fifty that helped take him past the 500-run mark for the ninth time in the tournament.

Kohli unsurprisingly has the most 500-plus-run season aggregates in IPL history. David Warner and KL Rahul are the second in the list with seven 500-plus editions each.

Photo Of The Day

In the evening game of the Sunday double-header, Mitchell Starc conjured a sensational comeback for Delhi Capitals (DC), claiming a superb four-wicket haul to help down Rajasthan Royals (RR) by five wickets. Rajasthan looked set for a 220-plus score after racing to 160 for two in 14 overs, but Starc’s incisive spell of 4/40 triggered a dramatic collapse as the visitors eventually finished on 193 for eight.

Starc changed the complexion of the game with three wickets in an over. RR managed just 33 runs and lost six wickets in their innings' last six overs to lose the plot.

Did KKR Field An Injured Varun?

The 'Country versus Club' debate has resurfaced after Varun Chakravarthy bowled his full quota of overs for Kolkata Knight Riders against Gujarat Titans on Saturday, despite reportedly carrying a hairline fracture that needed rest. A PTI report quoted a senior Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official as saying: "I know for a fact that KKR physio is in touch with Team India physio (Kamlesh Jain).

"There has been a communication from KKR to BCCI that in a previous match, Varun injured his left foot while saving a boundary. It is understood that he has a hairline fracture. I believe as a centrally contracted player of the BCCI, his fitness is paramount and the BCCI medical team could intervene. Jain might be asked as to what was the input from the KKR medical team."

India are scheduled to play as many as seven T20Is in Dublin and across England starting June 26, and Varun is expected to play a crucial role in those games. The question remains whether the Tamil Nadu mystery spinner will have enough time to recuperate before the UK tour if his injury gets aggravated due to this reported desperation from the franchise.

What's Next?

After a heady weekend, the action proceeds to the last seven days of the league phase. First up, Chennai Super Kings welcome SunRisers Hyderabad at Chepauk on Monday. It is last chance saloon for the seventh-placed Chennai (12 points from 12 games), who would stand on the verge of elimination if they lose this encounter.

As for SRH, they are somewhat better placed (third with 14 points from 12 matches), but need to win both their remaining games to avoid late hiccups in the journey towards the playoffs. Even if they lose one of these two matches, the SunRisers could still finish in the final four but the 2016 winners will need both PBKS and RR to falter in at least one of their remaining two games.

IPL 2026 Points Table After Match 62

Quote Of The Day

Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag did not hold back in his unflinching assessment of the team's performance so far. Parag, who hit his fastest-ever league fifty upon return from a hamstring injury, said his side did not capitalise on a very good platform after the 14th over.

“We were in a pretty good space after 14 overs. Once I got out we didn't capitalise and should have got around 210. Our bowling, we weren't up to the mark,” the losing skipper told the host broadcaster after the match.

Parag made it clear that it’s RR’s own fault to find themselves in a tight space in the road to IPL playoffs. “If you want to win a trophy, you have to compete in every game. We're a way better team than we showed in the last 4-5 games. Coming from a break, skill-wise, energywise, execution-wise we weren't there and if we play like this, we shouldn't be in the top four.

“We had the opportunity, we didn't take it. If we don't qualify, it's our fault, nobody else’s,” he added.

Elsewhere...

In Sylhet, Bangladesh tightened their grip on the second Test against Pakistan after a disciplined batting and bowling performance on the second day. Opener Mahmudul Hasan hit 52 to help Bangladesh reach 110 for 3, extending their overall lead to 156 runs at stumps. Earlier, fast bowler Nahid Rana and left-arm spinner Taijul Islam claimed three wickets apiece to wrap up Pakistan's first innings for 232, giving the side a 46-run lead in bowling-friendly conditions.

Meanwhile, there could reportedly be serious conversations about Rishabh Pant's future as red-ball vice-captain when the national selectors meet in Guwahati on May 19 to select India's Test and ODI squads for the upcoming series against Afghanistan. A PTI report suggested that there is a growing feeling that the leadership role isn't sitting well with Pant, as two below-par seasons with LSG indicate.

“Indian cricket simply cannot afford to lose a batting match-winner like Rishabh. He has won and set-up Test matches with his aggressive batting. There is a growing feeling among men who matter that whenever he has been entrusted with additional responsibility, he doesn't seem to make good decisions while batting,” the report quoted a BCCI source as saying.