NEW DELHI: It started with Virat Kohli’s ‘naagin dance’ and ended with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s stunning blitz. The Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru IPL 2026 clash at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Friday had entertainment written all over it, both on and off the field.
With the toss delayed due to rain and wet outfields, Kohli adopted his entertainer mode.
Amidst loud chants from the stands, the RCB star broke into his trademark ‘naagin dance’ during the warm-up, drawing massive applause.
The crowd erupted into chants of “Kohli! Kohli!” While the former Indian captain soaked up the moment with a smile.
But once the game started, it was Rajasthan Royals who danced to victory.
Chasing 202, RR were boosted by an impressive assault from young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who scored 78 off just 26 balls. His fearless strokeplay, combined with Dhruv Jurel’s calm and unbeaten composure, 81 off 43 deliveries, guided Rajasthan to a comfortable six-wicket victory.
The duo stitched a match-clinching 108-run stand for the second wicket in just 37 balls, snatching the game away from RCB in an instant.Earlier, Royal Challengers Bengaluru had scored 201 for 8 after being put into bat. Captain Rajat Patidar led from the front with a resounding 63, while Kohli (32), Romario Shepherd (22) and Venkatesh Iyer (29) made useful contributions.
Krunal Pandya tried to spark a comeback with two quick wickets but Jurel, along with Ravindra Jadeja (24), ensured there were no late turns and ended the chase with two overs to spare.
For Rajasthan, Jofra Archer, Ravi Bishnoi and Brijesh Sharma got two wickets each.
Kohli may have won over the crowd with his pre-match dance moves, but it was Sooryavanshi and Jurel who had the last word, scripting another emphatic victory for an unbeaten Rajasthan Royals team.
RR will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 13, while RCB will take on Mumbai Indians on Sunday.