Synopsis
RCB breaks home losing streak with a thrilling 11-run win against RR in IPL 2025. Kohli and Padikkal's stellar performances set the stage, while Hazlewood's bowling sealed the victory, bringing joy to the fans.Key Takeaways
- RCB achieved their first home victory of IPL 2025.
- Josh Hazlewood played a crucial role with 4 wickets.
- Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal scored vital half-centuries.
- RCB's total of 205 was their highest at home this season.
- RR's chase faltered again, raising concerns about their playoff chances.
Bengaluru, April 25 (NationPress) The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have finally broken their home losing streak, securing an 11-run victory against the Rajasthan Royals during their IPL 2025 match held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.
This triumph was largely attributed to half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal, complemented by valuable contributions from Tim David and Jitesh Sharma, which propelled RCB to a total of 205/5, marking their highest home score of the season. Although RR’s batsmen started aggressively, spinners Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma managed to slow down the run rate.
With just 18 runs needed off the last two overs to end their four-match losing streak, Josh Hazlewood delivered a memorable penultimate over, allowing only a single run while taking two wickets, thus securing the win for RCB and igniting celebrations among their enthusiastic home crowd.
Hazlewood concluded with impressive figures of 4-33 in four overs, while RR finished at 194/9, failing yet again in a chase they were expected to win. This marks their third consecutive failure to chase down a target, jeopardizing their playoff aspirations.
Yashasvi Jaiswal started strongly, hitting Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six, followed by two fours, including a leading edge and a six over deep mid-wicket in an 18-run second over against Yash Dayal. After Vaibhav Suryavanshi struck Bhuvneshwar for a six, Jaiswal faced Hazlewood and initially struggled with the first three deliveries.
However, he quickly found form, hitting three fours off Hazlewood, including one via a top edge. After Suryavanshi top-edged another six off Bhuvneshwar, the veteran bowler bounced back, dismissing Jaiswal with a knuckleball. Nevertheless, Jaiswal managed to score two fours and a six off Hazlewood.
Hazlewood's crafty bowling saw him dismiss Jaiswal, who fell just one run short of a stunning fifty. Following Jaiswal's wicket, RCB tightened their grip on the game, with Krunal Pandya claiming a wicket in his first delivery, dismissing Riyan Parag.
The pressure from Pandya and Suyash Sharma, alongside a change of the ball, proved effective for RCB as Rana was caught off Krunal's bowling, while Hazlewood picked up Shimron Hetmyer to further tilt the game in RCB’s favor.
Dhruv Jurel, who was at 18 off 23, broke the silence by hitting sixes off both Suyash and Pandya, before he and Shubham Dubey scored 22 runs off Bhuvneshwar in the 18th over. Yet, Hazlewood turned the tide again with his wide yorker, leading to Jurel's dismissal on review.
In the end, Hazlewood's remarkable performance, taking three wickets for only seven runs in his last two overs, was pivotal for RCB in achieving their first home victory of IPL 2025, bringing immense relief to the team and their devoted supporters.
Earlier, Kohli scored 70 while Padikkal contributed 50, with David and Jitesh adding 23 and 20 runs respectively. Kohli and Phil Salt faced a fierce bowling attack from Jofra Archer before RCB reached fifty runs in just 4.4 overs.
Kohli was nearly dismissed when he almost chopped onto his stumps off Archer but managed to score a boundary, using his bottom-hand whip to secure another four.
After Salt was dropped on one by Parag, he struck two boundaries off Farooqi before Kohli sent Tushar Deshpande's full deliveries to the boundary, allowing RCB to end the power-play at 59/0. Shortly thereafter, Salt’s luck ran out as he was caught off a top-edge sweep.
Despite pressure from Hasaranga and Parag, Kohli edged Sandeep to achieve his fifth fifty of the season in just 32 balls. Meanwhile, Padikkal showcased elegance with his shots, finding boundaries with style.
Padikkal had a stroke of luck when Deshpande dropped his catch at 28 off Hasaranga. To add to the misfortune, he lofted Parag for two sixes. While Kohli lofted Parag and Deshpande for sixes, Padikkal reached his fifty off just 26 balls.
RR's decision to reintroduce Archer paid off when he ended the 95-run partnership, as Kohli chipped a slower ball into cover. The visitors’ use of the second new ball quickly yielded results, as Padikkal fell to a slower delivery from Sandeep, while Rajat Patidar was caught behind off a wide delivery. Jitesh and David then unleashed a flurry of boundaries, culminating in RCB surpassing 200 and making Thursday an unforgettable day for the franchise and its supporters.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 205/5 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 70, Devdutt Padikkal 50; Sandeep Sharma 2-45, Wanindu Hasaranga 1-30) defeated Rajasthan Royals 194/9 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 49, Dhruv Jurel 47; Josh Hazlewood 4-33, Krunal Pandya 2-31) by 11 runs
