Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) put on a dominant display on Thursday night, completely dismantling Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) batting lineup and comfortably chasing down a modest target of 102 runs. This emphatic win not only highlights RCB’s impressive turnaround in IPL 2025 but also secures their place in the finals, much to the excitement of fans and analysts alike.
During the match, Punjab Kings handed a debut to young batter Musheer Khan as an impact substitute following a collapse in their middle order. However, Khan struggled to make an impact and was dismissed without scoring after facing just three balls, falling to a delivery from RCB’s Suyash Sharma. As Khan stepped up to face his first IPL ball, viewers and netizens observed Virat Kohli speaking with his teammates about the debutant, sparking a heated debate online.
The internet remains divided over Kohli’s remarks. Some fans claim that Kohli referred to Musheer Khan as a “water boy,” saying, “Ye paani pilata hai,” which many interpreted as a dismissive or derogatory comment. Others argue that Kohli was simply noting that Musheer had served drinks earlier during the match and was not intending any insult.
Adding context to the controversy, netizens also surfaced a post from Musheer Khan earlier this year, where he expressed heartfelt gratitude to Kohli for gifting him one of his bats. In a video about Punjab Kings, Musheer shared, “Maine rona shuru kar diya jaise hi unhone bat diya (I started crying the moment he handed me the bat). I told bhaiyya (Virat Kohli), I have scored a lot of runs from your bat. Sarfaraz bhai always used to give me your gifted bats.” This highlights a respectful relationship, with Musheer being the younger brother of Sarfaraz Khan, who made his Indian Test debut last year.
On the field, RCB’s bowling was exceptional, with Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma each taking three wickets, effectively shattering the PBKS batting lineup. Phil Salt led the chase with a dazzling 56 runs off just 27 balls, maintaining an impressive strike rate of over 200. Although Kohli (12) and Mayank Agarwal (19) didn’t last long at the crease, the solid start ensured a smooth run chase and a comfortable victory by eight wickets for RCB.
