In a dramatic outing at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Royal Challengers Bengaluru found themselves staring at the possibility of registering their lowest-ever IPL total before Tim David came to their rescue with a gritty half-century. Batting at No. 7, David notched up his maiden IPL fifty, scoring an unbeaten 50 off just 26 balls, and steered RCB to a modest total against Punjab Kings after a top-order collapse.

Earlier, KKR had collapsed to 95 all-out while chasing 111 against PBKS, and they seemed to be heading towards another debacle tonight. Arshdeep Singh struck early blows, removing both openers in the powerplay. Bartlett added to the woes by dismissing Livingstone, and the wickets kept falling steadily. Marco Jansen and Yuzvendra Chahal choked the scoring with miserly spells, picking two wickets each and denying any momentum in the middle overs.

RCB were in deep trouble when Tim David walked in. The Australian power-hitter launched a counterattack in the final overs, smacking crucial boundaries to revive a sinking innings. His effort not only lifted the team’s total past the three-figure mark but also ensured they avoided registering their lowest-ever score in IPL history.

If Tim had not scored 50 today, RCB would be recording lowest ever IPL total in the history of 18 years.

Tim David’s fifty (50* off 26) now stands as the second-highest score by an RCB batter at No. 7 or lower, just behind Dinesh Karthik’s 66* against Delhi Capitals in 2022. His innings tonight may prove vital, but with Punjab’s in-form batters and a modest target on the board, the pressure now shifts to RCB’s bowling unit.