RR vs RCB Live Score

7:22 PM IST PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Vaibhav Sooryavanshi wins the award for his scintillating knock. His 26-ball 78-run blitzkrieg included 8 fours and 7 sixes. Murali Kartik presents the Orange Cap to Sooryavanshi. He says he won't cut any cake, as he has to sleep early because they have an early flight in the morning. Adds that he doesn't try to see who is bowling, just tries to back his skills. Mentions that obviously, back of the mind, you do see who is bowling, but he tries to react to the ball as much as possible. Vaibhav shares that his father, coaches, and his guardian, Romi Sir, keep telling him that the journey is very long and to keep focus on his process without getting distracted. He says he gets upset after getting out because he believes that if he stays there longer, maybe they can chase a couple of overs early, or, if batting first, add 10-20 runs extra.

7:19 PM IST The skipper of the Rajasthan Royals - Riyan Parag acknowledges that while RR have not always been at their best at this venue in previous years, this performance felt far more clinical. Reflecting on the bowling, Parag believes there were areas where they could have executed better. He admits that a few decisions could have been improved, which might have helped restrict the total closer to the 170-mark. On the mistakes made, Riyan points out that on a surface where hitting straight is not easy, especially against spin, they allowed batters a bit too much room at times. He concludes by saying that these are learnings the team will take forward as they aim to keep improving with each game. On turning their home ground into a fortress, Parag says it is not overly difficult, crediting the extensive preparation the team has put in across Guwahati and Jaipur. He notes that their camp in Jaipur gave them a strong understanding of the conditions, particularly the nature of the black-soil surface, which tends to stay low and a bit sticky. As a result, he believes the side is well prepared for any home game. Speaking about Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Parag shares that he is a popular presence in the squad, with everyone enjoying having him around. He describes him as a youngster who enjoys simple things like food and spending time with the group, and the team ensures he is comfortable. Parag adds that Sooryavanshi loves batting, and the environment is built to support that.

7:15 PM IST 201 built on risk and reward - After RCB were inserted into bat, it was an inauspicious start, with Phil Salt falling on the very first ball of the game. Due to the rain before the game, there was some movement on offer for the RR quicks, and while the top order rode their luck in the Powerplay, neither Virat Kohli nor Devdutt Padikkal could convert their starts. Given the depth they possess, RCB chose not to rein in their attacking instincts. While that ensured a healthy scoring rate, it came at the cost of wickets falling regularly. Rajat Patidar held one end together with a composed half-century, and thanks to valuable cameos along the way from Venkatesh Iyer and Romario Shepherd, RCB posted 201, after being 94/6 at one stage.

7:14 PM IST Ice in Jurel's veins - A brief wobble saw RR slip from 129/1 to 134/4, but Jurel brought calmness to the middle with Ravindra Jadeja for company. Given the earlier onslaught, it was all about batting sensibly, with no real scoreboard pressure. The duo saw it through with an unbeaten 68-run stand, with Jurel remaining unbeaten on 81. Having already used Venkatesh Iyer as their Impact Sub in a bid to strengthen the batting, RCB did not have the option of turning to Suyash Sharma, which left them short of an incisive fifth bowling option.

7:13 PM IST Carnage up top - In pursuit of 202, there was little doubt about how the RR openers would approach the chase. Yashasvi Jaiswal got a few early boundaries away, but his stay was cut short by Josh Hazlewood, playing his first game of the season. That was as good as it got for RCB in the Powerplay. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi then put on an absolute clinic, notching up a 15-ball fifty for the second time this season. It rubbed off on Dhruv Jurel as the duo left RCB listless with the ball. Their 37-ball 108-run stand brought the equation down to almost a run a ball.

7:11 PM IST Coming up next on Saturday - A double dose of action awaits on 11th April, with the first game of the day featuring the Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad in New Chandigarh. That match will begin at 3.30 pm IST (10 am GMT). Later in the day in Chennai, the Chennai Super Kings will square off against the Delhi Capitals at 7.30 pm IST (2 pm GMT). As always, you can join us early for the build-up. See you then. Cheers!