In a thrilling encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Delhi Capitals (DC) continued their unbeaten run in the IPL 2025 season, securing a six-wicket victory over the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
RCB’s Explosive Start and Subsequent Collapse
RCB, opting to bat first, began their innings with a bang. Openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli launched a ferocious attack, amassing 61 runs in just 24 balls. Salt, in particular, was in scintillating form, smashing 37 runs off 17 deliveries, including a 24-run over against Mitchell Starc.
However, the momentum shifted dramatically after Salt’s unfortunate run-out. The introduction of DC’s spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam, proved pivotal. Kuldeep’s crafty left-arm wrist spin yielded figures of 2/17, while Nigam’s leg-spin accounted for 2/18. Their combined efforts stifled RCB’s middle order, leading to a collapse from 61/0 to 102/5.
Tim David provided some resistance with an unbeaten 37 off 20 balls, guiding RCB to a total of 163/7 in their allotted 20 overs.
DC’s Rocky Start and Rahul’s Resilience
Chasing 164, DC’s innings began on a shaky note. The team found themselves reeling at 30/3, with early dismissals of Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Abishek Porel. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s incisive bowling played a significant role in this early damage.
Enter KL Rahul. The seasoned campaigner showcased his class and composure, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 93 off 53 balls, adorned with seven fours and six towering sixes. His partnership with Tristan Stubbs, who contributed an unbeaten 38 off 23 balls, was instrumental in stabilizing the innings. The duo’s 111-run stand for the fifth wicket ensured DC reached the target with ease, finishing at 169/4 in 17.5 overs.
Post-Match Reactions
Reflecting on the match, DC captain Axar Patel praised his team’s performance, especially the spinners. “The way the team is playing, everyone is confident and feels good to win four out of four. They like facing pacers, so I felt using spin early was a good option. The ball was stopping and there was some bounce as well, so I felt it was hard to hit spinners in the powerplay. The way they are bowling – Kuldeep has been doing it for years, but a special word for Vipraj. The way he bowled, even in the 18th over, he was confident.”
KL Rahul, named Player of the Match, shared insights into his approach: “Was a slightly tricky wicket. What helped me was being behind the stumps for 20 overs, just watching how it played. From wicketkeeping I figured that the ball sat in the wicket a little bit but it was consistent throughout – it wasn’t two-paced, it was one paced throughout. I knew what my shots are. Just wanted to get off to a good start, be aggressive initially and assess it from there.”
RCB’s stand-in captain, Rajat Patidar, acknowledged the team’s shortcomings: “I think the way we saw the wicket, it was quite different, we thought it was a nice batting wicket, but we didn’t bat well. I don’t think so (if the batters were overconfident), every batter was in a good frame of mind, showing proper intent. But it wasn’t acceptable to go from 80 for 1 to 90 for 4, we have a good batting line-up, but we need to assess the situation.”
Match Summary
- RCB Innings: 163/7 in 20 overs
- Phil Salt: 37 (17)
- Tim David: 37* (20)
- Kuldeep Yadav: 2/17
- Vipraj Nigam: 2/18
- Phil Salt: 37 (17)
- DC Innings: 169/4 in 17.5 overs
- KL Rahul: 93* (53)
- Tristan Stubbs: 38* (23)
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar: 2/26
- KL Rahul: 93* (53)
- Result: DC won by 6 wickets
- Player of the Match: KL Rahul
Looking Ahead
With this victory, the Delhi Capitals solidify their position at the top of the IPL 2025 standings, boasting an unblemished record. Their next challenge will test their consistency and resilience as they aim to maintain their winning streak.
For the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, introspection is crucial. Addressing the middle-order vulnerabilities and strategizing more effectively against spin will be key as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures.
