Bengaluru witnessed a nail-biting encounter tonight as the Royal Challengers Bengaluru held their nerve to secure a hard-fought 11-run victory over the Rajasthan Royals! In a game that swung like a pendulum, RCB’s total of 205/5 proved just enough to fend off a spirited Rajasthan chase that ultimately fell short at 194/9.
Virat Kohli’s Masterclass:
Kohli anchored the RCB innings with a well-paced 70 runs off 42 balls. His innings included 8 boundaries and 2 sixes, providing a solid foundation and momentum for the team after they were put into bat. He formed a crucial 95-run partnership with Devdutt Padikkal, who also scored a half-century. This was Kohli’s fifth half-century of the IPL 2025 season, taking his total runs to 392 in 9 matches, placing him second in the Orange Cap race. During this innings, Kohli also achieved a historic feat by becoming the first player to score over 3500 T20 runs at a single venue (M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru). He also became the first batter to hit 100 or more boundaries against seven different IPL teams.
Josh Hazlewood’s Fiery Spell:
Hazlewood was the standout bowler for RCB, picking up a crucial 4 wickets for 33 runs. His wickets came at critical junctures, disrupting Rajasthan Royals’ chase and preventing them from building substantial partnerships. He bowled exceptionally well in the death overs, tightening the pressure on the RR batsmen when they needed to accelerate. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
In IPL 2025 so far, Hazlewood has taken 16 wickets in 9 matches with a best bowling figure of 4/33 and an economy rate of 8.38.
While Yashasvi Jaiswal started explosively for RR, the performances of Virat Kohli with the bat and Josh Hazlewood with the ball were instrumental in securing the 11-run victory for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Kohli’s steady innings set up a competitive total, and Hazlewood’s impactful bowling, especially in the later stages, ensured they defended it successfully.
