Venkatesh scored 73* off just 40 balls with 8 fours and 4 sixes, propelling RCB to 222/4.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (PBKS) all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer paid tribute to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and renowned actor Vijay during their IPL 2026 clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday (May 17).
Stepping into the playing XI as a replacement for concussed captain Rajat Patidar, Venkatesh smashed an explosive 73* off just 40 balls with 8 fours and 4 sixes at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
Upon reaching his blistering 29-ball half-century, the left-hander crossed his arms over his chest to mimic Vijay's iconic pose from the movie Mersal.
The video of the celebration quickly went viral on social media, sending cricket and movie fans alike into a frenzy.
Here’s the clip:
Coming to the match, RCB racked up a massive 222/4 in 20 overs against PBKS. While Virat Kohli (58 off 37) and Devdutt Padikkal (45 off 25) played vital knocks and stitched a 76-run partnership to lay the platform, Venkatesh Iyer and Tim David (28 off 12) provided a perfect finish.
In reply, PBKS were reduced to 19/3 inside the powerplay. While Bhuvneshwar Kumar removed Priyansh Arya (0) and Prabhsimran Singh (2), skipper Shreyas Iyer was dismissed by Rasikh Salam Dar for just 1 run.
At the time of writing, the hosts were reeling at 68/4 after 8 overs, needing 155 more runs in the remaining 12 overs with only six wickets in hand.