Bengaluru (Karnataka): Delhi Capitals (DC) continued their dominant run in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, clinching a commanding six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday. With this result, DC remain unbeaten, securing their fourth consecutive win and climbing to second place in the points table — largely thanks to a sensational unbeaten knock from KL Rahul on a testing pitch.
Unbeaten. Unstoppable. Unmatched 🫡
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 10, 2025
History for #DC as they win the first 4⃣ games on the trot for the maiden time ever in #TATAIPL history 💙
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/h5Vb7spAOE#TATAIPL | #RCBvDC | @DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/wj9VIrgzVK
POV: It's his home ground 😎🏡#TATAIPL | #RCBvDC | @klrahul | @DelhiCapitals pic.twitter.com/kV7utADWjU
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 10, 2025
Chasing a target of 164, Delhi stumbled early in their innings. Both openers, Faf du Plessis (2) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (7), were dismissed within the first two overs, leaving DC reeling at 10/2. The trouble deepened when Abhishek Porel fell to Bhuvneshwar Kumar for 7, reducing Delhi to 30/3. Captain Axar Patel tried to provide some resistance with a quick 15 off 11 balls but was removed by Suyash Sharma.
𝗞𝗟assy. 𝗞𝗟inical. 𝗞𝗟utch 💥
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 10, 2025
KL Rahul wins the Player of the Match award for guiding #DC home with a stunning 9⃣3⃣* 🙌
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/h5Vb7spAOE#TATAIPL | #RCBvDC | @DelhiCapitals | @klrahul pic.twitter.com/PFie6BHeBf
At 58/4 in the 9th over, RCB appeared to be in control. However, KL Rahul remained calm under pressure and found an ideal partner in Tristan Stubbs. The duo put together a match-winning 111-run partnership, completely turning the game in DC’s favor and ensuring victory with 13 balls to spare.
Rahul anchored the chase with a masterclass, remaining unbeaten on 93 off 53 deliveries, which included seven boundaries and six maximums. He reached his half-century in 37 balls and accelerated brilliantly toward the end.
Stubbs played the perfect supporting role, rotating the strike and allowing Rahul to take charge. DC crossed 100 in the 15th over and comfortably reached their target, ending at 169/4 in just 17.5 overs.
For RCB, Bhuvneshwar Kumar stood out with figures of 2/26. Yash Dayal and Suyash Sharma took one wicket each, but none could break the crucial Rahul-Stubbs stand.
Earlier in the match, DC captain Axar Patel won the toss and elected to bowl first.
Virat Kohli and Phil Salt opened for RCB. Salt gave the hosts a flying start, smashing 30 runs in Mitchell Starc’s third over. However, his quickfire 37 from 17 balls ended with a run-out in the 4th over, thanks to a sharp throw from Viraj Nigam.
Devdutt Padikkal joined Kohli next but was dismissed cheaply by Mukesh Kumar for 1(8) in the last over of the powerplay. Despite a strong start, RCB were reduced to 64/2 after six overs.
“Vipraj Nigam gets a dream wicket as he removes Virat Kohli for 22 (14) in the 7th over.”
Following Kohli’s departure, skipper Rajat Patidar tried to keep the scoreboard ticking with support from Liam Livingstone. However, wickets continued to fall. Livingstone was dismissed for 4(6) by Mohit Sharma, mistiming a pull shot to Ashutosh Sharma at point.
Jitesh Sharma came in next but struggled to find rhythm, eventually falling for 3 off 11 balls to Kuldeep Yadav. Krunal Pandya joined Patidar, but the skipper’s innings ended on 25 after he tried to clear deep mid-wicket off Kuldeep and handed a catch to KL Rahul.
Krunal, too, perished shortly after, caught off Viraj Nigam for 18. RCB, once in control during the powerplay, lost momentum in the middle overs.
Tim David brought some late fireworks, smashing Axar Patel for 17 runs in the 19th over and forming a crucial 38-run stand with Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the eighth wicket. David remained not out on 37 off 20 balls, striking two fours and four sixes, lifting RCB to a respectable 163/7.
DC’s bowling unit was clinical. Kuldeep Yadav (2/17) and Vipraj Nigam (2/18) were the standout performers, while Mohit Sharma (1/10) and Mukesh Kumar (1/26) bowled tight spells. Starc and Axar went wicketless.
Brief Score:
RCB 163/7 (Phil Salt 37, Tim David 37*; Kuldeep Yadav 2/17)
DC 169/4 (KL Rahul 93*, Tristan Stubbs 38*; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/26)