Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) got off to a flying start, but for the next 16 overs or so, things quickly unraveled. Just when it seemed like the game was slipping away, RCB clawed their way back, reigniting hope among the packed M Chinnaswamy crowd. But that joy was short-lived, as local star KL Rahul swiftly silenced the home fans.
In a match full of momentum swings, it was Delhi Capitals (DC) who emerged victorious, extending their unbeaten streak with a fourth consecutive win and handing RCB their second home loss of the season, this time by six wickets.
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KL Rahul, Stubbs Power Dramatic Turnaround After Early Wobble
Put in to bat, RCB’s innings was a strange mix of brilliance and collapse. They blazed to 53 runs in the first three overs without losing a wicket, and finished strong with 36 runs in the final two, again without losing a wicket. But in the 15 overs in between, they could only muster 74 runs while losing seven wickets, finishing at 163 for 7—a total that looked underwhelming after such a promising start.
Delhi Capitals (DC) seemed the more satisfied side at the halfway mark. However, the momentum quickly shifted as RCB struck thrice inside the powerplay, leaving DC reeling at 67 for 4 after 11 overs. With the required rate nearing 11 per over, the chase looked increasingly difficult.
Then came the turnaround. KL Rahul flipped the script, and with Tristan Stubbs for company, launched a stunning counterattack. The pair put on a game-changing 111-run partnership in just 6.5 overs, propelling DC to a comfortable win with 13 balls to spare. Rahul remained unbeaten on a masterful 93 off 53 balls, sealing the win in style in front of his home fans.
Rahul’s Homecoming Heroics Light Up Chinnaswamy
It wasn’t the most fluent of starts for KL Rahul. On a sluggish Chinnaswamy track, he crawled to 29 off 29 balls, struggling to find rhythm. A tough chance put down by Rajat Patidar when Rahul was on 7 only added to RCB’s frustration. But once he settled in, Rahul made sure to punish every loose ball.
By the 11-over mark, DC’s win probability had nosedived from 67.45% at the start of their innings to just 14.31%. That’s when the tide turned. Stubbs initiated the onslaught with a clever reverse-sweep off Krunal Pandya, and Rahul followed it up by launching him over deep backward square leg—signaling the beginning of RCB’s unravelling.
Rahul then went after Liam Livingstone with a four and a six before unleashing fury on Josh Hazlewood. With 65 needed off the final six overs, Rahul hammered Hazlewood for consecutive boundaries, then added another four and a six in a 22-run over that turned the chase on its head.
Stubbs kept the momentum rolling with a four and a six off Suyash Sharma before Rahul closed the show in emphatic style—sending Dayal for two sixes and a four in the 18th over. He sealed the win with a towering six over fine leg, then slammed his bat onto the turf in raw emotion, as if staking his claim. A Bengaluru boy through and through, Rahul made it clear—Chinnaswamy is still his playground.
DC Stumble Early as Top Order Crumbles
Before KL Rahul turned on the heat, Delhi Capitals were in deep trouble. Their chase got off to a nightmare start, with both Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk dismissed inside the first two overs. Du Plessis mistimed a lofted shot off Yash Dayal, gifting a catch to Rajat Patidar at mid-off. Fraser-McGurk’s lean run continued as he top-edged a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery, with Jitesh Sharma hanging on after a momentary fumble.
Bhuvneshwar struck again soon after, trapping Abhishek Porel to reduce DC to 39 for 3 within the powerplay. The slide continued as they slipped to 58 for 4 by the ninth over. At that point, RCB appeared firmly in control—but that would be the final flicker of joy for the home side before the Rahul-Stubbs storm hit.
RCB’s Powerplay Rollercoaster: From Carnage to Collapse
RCB’s powerplay was a tale of two extremes. In the opening three overs, they were on fire—racing to 53 without loss, hammering five boundaries and three sixes. But the momentum vanished as quickly as it arrived. In the next three overs, they managed just 11 runs, lost two wickets, and failed to find the fence more than once.
Phil Salt set the tone with a blistering start. With an aggressive mindset from ball one, he took the attack to the bowlers, smashing four fours and three sixes during his whirlwind 37 off 17 balls. His assault on Mitchell Starc was nothing short of brutal—he clubbed the left-arm pacer for three fours and two sixes in a 30-run third over, sending the ball flying to all corners of the ground. It was RCB’s second-fastest team fifty in IPL history.
But then came the collapse.
Salt fell in the fourth over, run out after a miscommunication with Virat Kohli. That moment triggered a dramatic slowdown. Debutant Vipraj Nigam bowled a tight fifth over, conceding just two runs as Devdutt Padikkal struggled to get going. The pressure told in the sixth over when Mukesh Kumar’s clever off-cutter dismissed Padikkal for 1 off 8. It was a maiden wicket over, ending the powerplay with RCB at 64 for 2—an explosive start fizzling into a familiar stumble.
Wrist Spin Wrecks RCB on a Supposed Batter’s Paradise
Chinnaswamy is often considered a graveyard for spinners, but no one told Kuldeep Yadav and debutant Vipraj Nigam. The wrist-spinning duo turned the tide with guile and control, choking RCB’s middle order and triggering a dramatic collapse.
Nigam started the squeeze early with a two-run over in the powerplay. Though Virat Kohli briefly counterattacked with a six down the ground, Nigam kept tossing it up bravely. His persistence paid off as Kohli’s attempt to loft him over cover only resulted in a sliced catch to Mitchell Starc at long-off.
Mohit Sharma then removed Liam Livingstone before Kuldeep Yadav took over. He outfoxed Jitesh Sharma with a beautifully disguised wrong’un, then struck again to dismiss Rajat Patidar. Nigam added another to his tally by removing Krunal Pandya as RCB slumped to 125 for 7 in the 18th over, completely undone by spin.
Tim David provided a late surge with a punchy unbeaten 37 off 20, clobbering four sixes and two boundaries in the final two overs. But despite his efforts, RCB’s 163 felt underwhelming at the halfway mark—and KL Rahul ensured it wasn’t enough, extending the hosts’ winless run at home in IPL 2025.
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FAQs
What was the turning point in the RCB vs DC IPL 2025 match?
KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs’ 111-run partnership turned the game on its head after DC were 67/4, helping them chase 164 with 13 balls to spare.
How did Phil Salt perform in RCB’s innings?
Phil Salt smashed 37 off 17 balls, including a 30-run over off Mitchell Starc, giving RCB a blazing start before a mid-innings collapse.
Which spinners dominated for DC at Chinnaswamy?
Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam spun a web around RCB, sharing key wickets and restricting the scoring on a batter-friendly pitch.
What was KL Rahul’s score against RCB in IPL 2025?
KL Rahul scored an unbeaten 93 off 53 balls, powering DC to their fourth consecutive win in IPL 2025.
How did RCB lose momentum after the powerplay?
After scoring 53 in the first 3 overs, RCB managed only 11 runs and lost two wickets in the next 3, derailing their innings.
