Mohammed Siraj sparkles as Royal Challengers Bangalore defeat Punjab Kings

Game-winning figures of 4 for 21 from Mohammed Siraj, including two wickets in the 18th over, helped RCB to a 24-run victory

Punjab: Royal Challengers Bangalore 174-4, Punjab Kings 150 – Royal Challengers Bangalore won by 24 runs

An exhibition of white-ball bowling from Mohammed Siraj saw Royal Challengers Bangalore return to winning ways with a 24-run victory over Punjab Kings.

He returned game winning figures of 4 for 21, including two crucial wickets in the 18th over, as his side wrapped up the win with 10 balls to spare.  

This result sees RCB move into fifth position in the table, while Punjab now sit seventh.

Half-centuries from Faf du Plessis (88 from 56) and Virat Kohli (59 from 47) saw RCB start well, reaching the 10-over mark with 91 runs on the board.

^{Virat Kohli and Faf du Plessis both scored half-centuries [Sajjad Hussain/Getty Images]}

However, despite the Kings' first breakthrough with the ball coming as late as the 17th over – Kohli removed by Harpreet Brar (2 for 31) – they restricted RCB to a very chaseable total.

Glenn Maxwell fell to Brar for a golden duck while Dinesh Karthik (7 off 5) failed to deliver the late flurry of runs Bangalore were seeking.

Chasing 175, Punjab's top-order stalled early on. A well-made 46 off 30 balls, including three fours and four sixes, from impact player Prabhsimran Singh was the only resistance offered, with Atharva Taide, Matthew Short and Liam Livingstone all departing for single-figure knocks. Siraj struck twice while Wanindu Hasaranga accounted for Short.

A brace of runouts then saw the demise of Harpreet Singh (13 off 9) and captain Sam Curran (10 off 12), only for some admirable striking from Jitesh Sharma (41 off 27) to reignite Punjab's hopes of completing the chase.

Accurate bowling at the death, however, by Siraj and Harshal Patel (1 for 22) removed Brar, Nathan Ellis and Sharma, leaving Punjab well short of their target.