BENGALURU: After smashing the winning six for Delhi Capitals (DC), KL Rahul walked over to the adjacent pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, drew a circle, and tapped his bat firmly on the ground — a symbolic gesture on the ground he once called home. And on Thursday night, he owned it.
Rahul, a stylish batter known for mixing classical grace with aggressive flair, delivered a masterclass on familiar turf, finishing unbeaten on 93 off 53 balls (7×4, 6×6) in DC’s six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Dropped early on five by Rajat Patidar, Rahul made RCB pay dearly, anchoring a tricky 164-run chase that DC sealed with 13 balls to spare.
After a shaky start, with DC reeling at 58/4 in the ninth over, Rahul soaked up the pressure and stitched a 111-run stand in just 55 balls with Tristan Stubbs (38 off 23; 4×4, 1×6). The pair wrested back control, especially in the 15th over, when Rahul went after Josh Hazlewood with a flurry of elegant drives, plundering 22 runs and effectively ending the contest.
RCB’s fiery start fizzles out
RCB’s bowlers had their moments early in the innings. Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/26) and Yash Dayal found movement and discipline, reducing DC to 44/3 inside the Powerplay by dismissing Faf du Plessis (2), Jake Fraser-McGurk (7), and Abhishek Porel (13). But once Rahul settled in, it was one-way traffic.
Salt sizzles, then stumbles
RCB had earlier blasted 61 off the first 23 deliveries, thanks to an explosive start by Phil Salt, who smashed 37 off 17 balls (4×4, 3×6). But his runout — the result of a miscommunication and quick reflexes from Rahul — triggered a collapse. The innings lost momentum, with Virat Kohli (22) and Rajat Patidar (25) failing to anchor.
Only Tim David’s late cameo — an unbeaten 37 off 20 — gave RCB a respectable 163/7, with 36 of those runs coming in the final two overs.
DC spinners tighten the noose
DC’s spin attack, led by Kuldeep Yadav (2/17), Axar Patel, and debutant Nigam, choked the RCB middle order. Kohli perished attempting a drive off Nigam, brilliantly caught by Starc at long-off. Axar’s clever variations and the spinners’ disciplined lines ensured RCB couldn’t rebuild.
With this win, DC extended their unbeaten streak to four games, while KL Rahul’s homecoming innings could go down as one of the standout performances of IPL 2025.
Read also: https://newsonthego.in/ipl-2025-clash-of-familiar-faces-as-rcb-face-off-against-dc/
