Tim David Slams Maiden IPL Fifty After RCB Collapse at 33/5

Rain might’ve shortened the game at the Chinnaswamy, but Tim David made sure it still had its fair share of fireworks. In a match where Royal Challengers Bangalore were staring down the barrel, the Aussie batter’s late onslaught helped them scramble to 95/9 after being asked to bat first by Punjab Kings.

RCB’s innings was off to a nightmare start on a pitch that had a bit of spice in it — playing slow with just enough zip to trouble the top order. Punjab’s bowlers made the most of the conditions, tearing through the hosts' batting lineup and reducing them to 33/5 in just over six overs. It only got worse from there. Manoj Bhandage, brought in as the Impact Sub to inject some stability, could manage just a single. The tail didn’t offer much either — Bhuvneshwar Kumar chipped in with eight runs, while Yash Dayal fell without scoring. Things looked bleak with RCB stuck at 63/9.

That’s when Tim David stepped up and turned on the heat. With wickets tumbling at the other end, David launched a counterattack that breathed life into RCB’s innings. He smashed 50 not out off 26 deliveries, peppering the ground with five boundaries and three towering sixes. His clean hitting in the death overs gave the home crowd something to cheer about.

The best moment came in the final over, bowled by Harpreet Brar. David went berserk, hammering the left-arm spinner for three back-to-back sixes. It looked like he’d end on 48, but fortune favored him — Harpreet overstepped on the final delivery, gifting David one more shot. The Aussie made the most of it, running two to bring up his first-ever IPL half-century. David’s unbeaten 50, along with a gritty 32-run stand with Josh Hazlewood — who didn’t face a single ball — gave RCB a sliver of hope in a game where they were all but buried early on.

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