Five factors that shaped RCB's fourth consecutive win

PBKS drop five catches

Punjab Kings were terrible in the field, dropping a total of five catches. Virat Kohli was dropped twice when he was on 0 and 10. 

Rilee Rossouw also put down a tough chance in the first over, giving Faf du Plessis a reprieve. Rajat Patidar was also put down twice when he was on 0 and 33. 

It cost them 152 runs. Imagine.

Patidar takes charge in middle overs

It was Rajat Patidar (23-ball 55) who started the onslaught, smacking Harshal Patel for three fours in an over. He then hit Rahul Chahar for three maximums in the space of five deliveries.

The 30-year-old got his fifty off just 21 deliveries, becoming the only RCB batter to have three half-centuries in 21 balls or under. 

King Kohli for a reason

Kohli crafted 92 off 47 deliveries, studded with seven fours and six maximums. He missed out on his ninth IPL ton, getting out in the 90s only for the second time.

In the process, the 35-year-old also went past 600 runs this season

Rossouw gives PBKS some hope

The only time Punjab looked alive in the 242-run chase was when Rilee Rossouw was going all guns blazing. The left-hander clobbered 61 off 27 deliveries and PBKS were going at 12 runs per over till he was at the crease. 

By the way, this was Rossouw’s only second IPL fifty. 

Three continuous failures for Ashutosh 

Ashutosh Sharma, who scored 156 runs in his first four innings at a strike rate of 205.3, has scores of just 3, 3 and 8 in his last three innings.

PBKS needed him to fire tonight, but the right-hander got out to Mohammed Siraj. PBKS eventually lost by 60 runs and were knocked out of the tournament.