Lucknow Super Giants fast bowler Prince Yadav delivered a remarkable ball that saw Virat Kohli dismissed without scoring. The RCB opener failed to make contact with the ball, as Yadav’s 140 kmph delivery moved in sharply and cleanly bowled him. Kohli was visibly stunned by the dismissal, unable to believe what had just happened before leaving the field. Prince celebrated the wicket with great enthusiasm, sharing the moment with his teammates.
Virat Kohli, known for providing strong starts to the defending champions, struggled to make an impact on the good batting conditions at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. The 37-year-old is close to reaching the 400-run milestone in the ongoing 19th season of the tournament. The team had hoped for another significant contribution from the legendary batter in a 213-run chase during an away game.
This was Kohli’s first duck in the IPL after 46 innings. His last such dismissal came in 2023 when he left the field without scoring against the Rajasthan Royals in Bengaluru. It was also his first duck in an IPL chase since 2017, when RCB were all out for 49 against the Kolkata Knight Riders.
Kohli recently achieved a major milestone by scoring 9,000 runs in IPL history. So far this season, he has accumulated 379 runs in 10 games, maintaining an average of 47.37 and a strike rate of 164.06. He has recorded three half-centuries in IPL 2026.
The black soil pitch in Lucknow has proven to be favorable for seamers, particularly with the new ball. The LSG pace attack, led by Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav, made their mark early in the match. Shami dismissed Jacob Bethell for 4, while Yadav took the key wicket in the second over of the second innings.
Yadav has been a consistent performer for LSG, taking 14 wickets in 10 matches at an average of 20.28 and an economy rate of 8.11. His performance has been crucial in limiting the opposition’s scoring opportunities.
RCB fans were left in silence after their team lost two early wickets against an opponent who has not been at their best. The loss of key players early in the innings put the team under pressure, highlighting the effectiveness of LSG’s bowling attack. With the pitch favoring the seamers, the match has taken an interesting turn, setting the stage for a competitive contest.
