Lucknow Super Giants edged Royal Challengers Bengaluru by nine runs in a rain-curtailed IPL 2026 thriller, but the match also produced a viral subplot involving Virat Kohli’s own tactical advice reportedly playing a role in his dismissal for a rare duck. The incident came during RCB’s chase of a revised 213-run target at the Ekana Stadium on Thursday.

Chasing a daunting total, RCB suffered an early collapse as Mohammed Shami struck in the opening over before Prince Yadav produced a stunning delivery to dismiss Virat Kohli for zero. The 140 kph ball reportedly jagged back sharply to hit middle and off stump, marking Kohli’s first IPL duck since 2023 and leaving RCB reeling at 9 for 2.

According to post-match comments from Prince Yadav, Kohli’s dismissal was influenced by a tactical observation he had shared earlier. Prince revealed that during a conversation after a previous match, Kohli had advised him on bowling strategy, suggesting that when the ball is moving off the seam around a good length, it should be consistently attacked in that channel. Ironically, it was this same disciplined line and length that produced Kohli’s dismissal in the high-pressure chase.

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RCB captain Rajat Patidar (61) and Devdutt Padikkal (34) later staged a strong recovery with a 95-run partnership, briefly stabilising the innings and bringing RCB back into contention. However, LSG regained control through disciplined bowling changes, with Prince Yadav returning to remove Padikkal and Jitesh Sharma in quick succession.

Mitchell Marsh’s explosive century earlier in the match had set the foundation for LSG’s imposing total of 209 for 3, with the Australian batter dominating the RCB attack in a blistering 111 off 56 balls. His innings included nine fours and nine sixes, as he formed key partnerships with Arshin Kulkarni, Nicholas Pooran, and Rishabh Pant, who added a rapid unbeaten 32 off 10 balls.

Despite late resistance from Tim David, Krunal Pandya, and Romario Shepherd, RCB fell short at 203 for 6. Digvesh Rathi’s tight final over ensured LSG sealed a crucial win, snapping a six-match losing streak and keeping their playoff hopes alive.The match, however, will also be remembered for Kohli’s unexpected dismissal and the unusual twist of his own technical advice seemingly contributing to the moment that turned the contest early in LSG’s favour.

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