Marsh ton powers LSG past RCB, keeps playoff hopes alive

Rain cut the night short, but it did not cut the drama. Lucknow Super Giants beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 9 runs in a 19-over IPL 2026 thriller.

For LSG, this was more than 2 points. It kept their playoff maths alive, even if only through the familiar IPL lane of “if this happens, then that happens”.

For RCB, the defeat hurt twice. They lost the match, and also missed a chance to climb to No. 1.

Marsh turns Lucknow into a runway

Mitchell Marsh gave LSG the innings every struggling campaign needs. He smashed 111 off 56 balls, with 9 fours and 9 sixes.

That is not just a big score. That is a proper statement innings. Marsh did not scratch around, wait for errors, or let the rain break his rhythm.

He and Arshin Kulkarni added 95 for the first wicket. Kulkarni made only 17 off 24 balls, but his presence mattered. He allowed Marsh to take charge without early panic.

Once Marsh got going, RCB’s bowlers started missing their lengths. Anything full disappeared. Anything short sat up. Lucknow suddenly looked like a team playing without fear.

Pooran and Pant add late bite

Nicholas Pooran then gave the innings its middle-overs shove. His 38 off 23 balls had 4 fours and a six, and it kept the pressure on RCB.

The final punch came from Rishabh Pant. He stayed unbeaten on 32 from 10 balls, striking at 320.

That little cameo mattered more than the scorecard may suggest. In a rain-hit match, every late boundary can change the chase.

LSG finished at 209 for 3 in 19 overs. Because of the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method, RCB’s target became 213.

Put simply, DLS adjusts targets when rain reduces overs. It tries to account for wickets in hand and scoring resources left.

RCB’s bowlers had few bright spots. Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya and Rasikh Salam took 1 wicket each. But nobody truly stopped Marsh.

RCB stumble at the start

A chase of 213 in 19 overs needs a clean launch. RCB got the opposite.

Mohammed Shami removed Jacob Bethell for 4 in the first over. Then Prince Yadav sent Virat Kohli back for a duck in the second.

That made the chase feel heavier at once. RCB were not just behind on runs. They were behind on calm.

In T20 cricket, early wickets do something beyond numbers. They make the dressing room start calculating too soon.

Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar repaired the innings well. They added 95 from 53 balls for the third wicket.

Patidar, the RCB captain, played the innings that nearly dragged the match back. His 61 off 31 balls had enough authority to worry Lucknow.

Padikkal made 35 off 25. It was a useful hand, but the required rate never truly came down to comfort.

Prince Yadav breaks the chase

Prince Yadav became the key bowler of the night for LSG. He first removed Kohli, then returned to break the Padikkal-Patidar stand.

In the 11th over, he dismissed Padikkal. In the same over, he also got Jitesh Sharma.

That over changed the mood. RCB went from rebuilding to scrambling.

Shahbaz Ahmed then did serious damage. He removed Patidar for 61 and later dismissed Tim David for 40 off 17 balls.

David’s wicket was huge. He had the power to finish the match from almost anywhere.

Krunal Pandya and Romario Shepherd still gave RCB a late twist. Krunal made 28 off 16, while Shepherd scored 23 off 15.

They brought the equation to 20 needed off the final over. On most IPL nights, that is difficult. With Shepherd there, it is not impossible.

Pant backs Rathi under pressure

Pant then made the captaincy call that defined the finish. He handed the final over to Digvesh Rathi.

That took nerve. Shepherd was at the crease, and the ball was wet enough to test any bowler’s grip.

Rathi held himself together. He gave away only 10 runs and closed out a 9-run win.

For a young bowler, that is a valuable memory. For a captain, it is the kind of call that earns dressing-room trust.

LSG’s bowling card tells the story clearly. Prince Yadav took 3 wickets, Shahbaz Ahmed picked up 2, and Shami struck early.

RCB still had batting depth. But the chase kept losing shape at the wrong time.

The defeat also leaves RCB with something to think about. Their top order cannot keep asking the middle order to clean up early damage.

Kohli’s duck will grab attention, as it always does. But RCB’s bigger concern is rhythm under pressure.

They had the target in sight. They had hitters available. Yet Lucknow kept finding a wicket just when RCB seemed ready to charge.

For LSG, this win does not solve everything. Their playoff route still depends on other results and net run rate.

But it gives them oxygen. It tells the squad that one strong batting display and brave bowling choices can still keep a season alive.

That is the charm and cruelty of the IPL. A team can look buried for weeks, then suddenly breathe again after one wild night.

For ordinary fans, especially those tracking points tables after dinner, this result keeps the tournament messy in the best way. RCB missed the top, LSG stayed alive, and the final stretch now has one more team refusing to leave quietly.