A sensational death-over burst from Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) snatch a thrilling 11-run win against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in a high-scoring clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday. The win marked RCB’s first home victory after three losses and propelled them to third on the IPL 2025 points table with 12 points.
Kohli, Padikkal Lay the Foundation
Put into bat, RCB posted a competitive 205/5, riding on a classy 70 by Virat Kohli—his fifth fifty of the season—and a breezy 50 from Devdutt Padikkal. Kohli, in vintage touch, stitched a 95-run partnership with Padikkal after Phil Salt’s early departure. Despite a minor stutter after Kohli and Padikkal’s exits, Tim David (23 off 15) and Jitesh Sharma (20 off 10)* finished strong for the hosts.
RR Start Strong, But RCB Hold Nerves
Chasing 206, Yashasvi Jaiswal (49 off 19) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi provided a blazing start. Jaiswal’s aggressive intent saw RR finish the powerplay at 72/2, keeping the chase alive. Despite losing key wickets in the middle overs—including that of skipper Riyan Parag (22 off 10) and Nitish Rana (28)—RR stayed in the hunt thanks to Dhruv Jurel’s gritty 47 off 34.
Hazlewood Turns the Game
When RR needed 18 off the final two overs, Hazlewood delivered a clutch over, removing Jurel and Jofra Archer off successive deliveries, finishing with 4/33. The 19th over changed the game’s complexion, leaving RR needing 17 off the final six balls.
Dayal Delivers the Final Blow
In a tense final over, Yash Dayal removed Shubham Dubey on the first ball, followed by a run-out of Wanindu Hasaranga, sealing a famous win for RCB. Dayal ended with 1/33, and his calm under pressure proved decisive.
Rajasthan’s Slide Continues
This marks RR’s fifth consecutive loss, leaving them at eighth on the table with just two wins. Despite promising starts, the Royals’ middle and lower order collapsed under pressure once again.
Orange Cap Race Update
With 392 runs in nine games, Virat Kohli now sits second in the Orange Cap race, continuing to shine in IPL 2025.
Brief Scores:
RCB: 205/5 (Virat Kohli 70, Devdutt Padikkal 50; Sandeep Sharma 2/45)
RR: 194/9 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 49, Dhruv Jurel 47; Josh Hazlewood 4/33, Yash Dayal 1/33)
Result: Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 11 runs.