Venkatesh Iyer recreates Thalapathy Vijay celebration after smashing fifty in PBKS vs RCB IPL 2026 clash | Watch video

Venkatesh Iyer turned heads not just with his bat but with a special celebration straight out of Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay’s playbook in a high-voltage IPL 2026 encounter between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The explosive all-rounder remained not out on 73 off just 40 balls, powering PBKS with an impressive strike rate of 182.50. His innings, laced with eight boundaries and four sixes, helped his side post a competitive total of 222/4 and kept fans glued to their seats.

Venkatesh Iyer’s first fifty of the season

The moment that lit up the stadium came in the 16.3 over. Facing a good-length delivery from Lockie Ferguson aimed at the stumps, Venkatesh Iyer cleverly backed away, created room, and unleashed a powerful drive. The ball sailed cleanly over the mid-off fielder and landed beyond the ropes for a maximum. That six not only brought up his first fifty of IPL 2026 but marked his 13th half-century in the league’s history. It was pure timing and power, the kind of shot that shows why Venkatesh remains one of the most dangerous middle-order batters in the tournament.

Thalapathy Vijay-inspired celebration goes viral

As soon as the ball crossed the boundary, Venkatesh Iyer broke into a celebration that fans instantly recognised as a tribute to Thalapathy Vijay. The stylish pose and signature moves had the crowd roaring and social media buzzing within minutes.

Venkatesh Iyer’s IPL 2026 stats

Venkatesh Iyer’s unbeaten 73 came in his fourth match of the season. His overall numbers for 2026 include 114 runs at a strike rate of 162.86, with one fifty and 10 fours plus six sixes already. The knock for RCB proved that he is back to his best and ready to shoulder big responsibilities.

Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Playing XIs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jitesh Sharma(w/c), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma

RCB Impact subs: Rasikh Salam Dar, Jordan Cox, Abhinandan Singh, Swapnil Singh, Kanishk Chouhan

Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh(w), Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Suryansh Shedge, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal

PBKS Impact Subs: Marcus Stoinis, Xavier Bartlett, Vishnu Vinod, Musheer Khan, Praveen Dubey