At M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the Delhi Capitals (DC) extended their winning streak in the IPL 2025 by defeating Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by a resounding six wickets in Match 24. KL Rahul’s unbeaten 93 off 53 deliveries proved to be the game-winning stroke in a battle that was back and forth before DC reached the finish line with 13 balls left.
RCB was asked to bat first after DC captain Axar Patel correctly called the toss, and they got off to a fantastic start. Phil Salt looked unstoppable during the powerplay, scoring 37 runs off just 17 balls and scoring 30 runs in an over against Mitchell Starc. After reaching 53 in just 3 overs, the Bengaluru-based club sought to set a huge total.
Salt’s run-out due to a miscommunication with Virat Kohli caused a collapse. After falling behind at 61/0, RCB was struggling at 102/5 as spinners Kuldeep Yadav (2/17) and Vipraj Nigam (2/18) made sure to bowl at the right lengths. Rajat Patidar (25 off 23) and Kohli (22 off 14) failed to convert their starts, but Tim David’s late cameo (37* off 20) enabled RCB finish at 163/7.
Talking Points
1. RCB batting collapse after the powerplay
After a strong start, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had a major batting collapse in their IPL 2025 encounter against the Delhi Capitals. With Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar at the crease, RCB were in a strong position at 118/2 following the Powerplay.
But a significant change occurred when spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam were added. The RCB lost wickets at frequent intervals, including well-set batsmen, as Patidar’s departure started a downward trend. Due to this collapse, RCB was only able to reach 163/7, which the Delhi Capitals were able to chase down and win by six wickets.
2. RCB bowlers could not maintain the momentum
After a promising start with the ball, Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s bowlers failed to maintain momentum against Delhi Capitals in Match 24 of IPL 2025. Early breakthroughs had put DC on the back foot, with Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal applying pressure in the powerplay.
However, as the innings progressed, RCB’s bowlers lost their grip, lines and lengths wavered, and the spinners couldn’t stem the flow of runs. KL Rahul and Jake Fraser-McGurk capitalised on the loose deliveries, building a solid partnership that shifted the momentum completely. Despite the early inroads, RCB couldn’t sustain the pressure, allowing Delhi to chase down the target comfortably with six wickets in hand.
3. KL Rahul proved that it’s his land
KL Rahul’s scintillating 93* off 53 balls against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) today was a masterclass in T20 batting. The Delhi Capitals wicketkeeper-batter played with exceptional timing and placement, guiding his team to a six-wicket victory.
This knock not only underscored Rahul’s dominance over RCB, having previously scored a memorable 132* in IPL 2020, but also highlighted his consistent prowess against his former franchise. His performance today further solidified his reputation as one of the premier T20 batters, leaving an indelible mark on the match and the ongoing season.
Who said What?
Rajat Patidar, RCB Captain
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. That has been positive, the way Tim David accelerated was amazing, the bowling in the powerplay was special. We aren’t thinking about our away record, but we just need to play good cricket and keep it simple.
Axar Patel, DC captain
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 19th over by me was perhaps a mistake tactically. But it’s okay since we have won.
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. My job becomes easy with someone like Rahul in the order. I’ve also been used as a floater before, so I know it’s not easy. To have someone like him is great. He played a mature innings and is continuing the form from the Champions Trophy.
KL Rahul, Player of the Match
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.
If I was trying to hit a big six, I knew what pockets to target. Wicketkeeping gave me a feeler for how the other batters played and where were they dismissed. Got lucky with the dropped catch. This is my ground, this is my home. I know this better than anybody else. Enjoyed playing here.
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