Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) thrashed Delhi Capitals (DC) by 6 wickets with 9 balls to spare in the 46th match of IPL 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. With the help of an innings by KL Rahul and a blazing knock by Tristan Stubbs, Delhi Capitals posted a total of 162/8 on the board. Despite early breakthroughs, Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased down the target with the help of a blazing knock from Krunal Pandya and a classic innings by Virat Kohli, who played a sheet anchor role.
Porel's Aggressive Start
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won the toss and decided to bowl first. Faf du Plessis and Abhishek Porel opened the batting for Delhi Capitals. Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled the first over and conceded 8 runs, with Porel hitting a boundary off the first ball. Yash Dayal bowled the second over and gave away 7 runs, including a boundary on the last ball.
Bhuvneshwar returned for the third over. Porel struck two sixes, taking DC to 32/0 after 3 overs. However, Hazlewood dismissed Porel for 28 runs off 11 balls in the next over. Karun Nair then walked in and got off the mark with a boundary. DC reached 37/1 after 4 overs.
Early Wickets Slow Down DC
Yash Dayal claimed Karun Nair’s wicket in the fifth over. Nair scored 4 runs off 4 balls. KL Rahul came in at No. 4. Only 8 runs and a wicket came from the fifth over. Hazlewood bowled a tight sixth over, giving away just 7 runs. After 6 overs, DC stood at 52/2, with Faf du Plessis on 14 and KL Rahul on 4.
RCB Spinners Keep it Tight
Suyash Sharma bowled the seventh over and conceded only 5 runs. Krunal Pandya followed up with a tight eighth over, giving just 6 runs. Suyash bowled another tidy over, with 6 runs coming off the ninth. Krunal Pandya then removed Faf du Plessis for 22 runs off 26 balls. Axar Patel came to bat at No. 5. After 10 overs, DC were 72/3.
Rahul Tries to Anchor the Innings
Yash Dayal bowled the 11th over, conceding 8 runs with a boundary from Rahul. Suyash Sharma kept it tight again, giving only 7 runs in the 12th over. Axar Patel hit a six in the 13th over. After 13 overs, DC were 97/3. In the 14th over, Hazlewood dismissed Axar Patel for 15 runs. Tristan Stubbs came to the crease, and DC reached 104/4.
DC Look for a Strong Finish
Suyash Sharma bowled the 15th over, giving away just 4 runs. Krunal Pandya bowled the 16th, allowing 9 runs. In the 17th over, Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck twice, removing KL Rahul and Ashutosh Sharma. Vipraj Nigam came in to bat. DC were at 120/6 after 17 overs.
Stubbs and Nigam counter-attacked in the 18th over. Stubbs smashed two boundaries and Nigam added a six, collecting 17 runs. DC reached 137/6 after 18 overs.
Vipraj Nigam started the 19th over with a boundary. Stubbs then took charge, hitting two more boundaries and a six. DC scored 19 runs in the over and crossed 150. In the final over, Vipraj got run out for 12 runs off 5 balls. Stubbs hit a boundary but then got out. DC managed 162/8 in 20 overs.
RCB Begin the Chase
Chasing 163, Virat Kohli and Jacob Bethell opened for RCB. Axar Patel bowled a tight first over, giving just 4 runs. In the second over, Bethell smashed a boundary and a six as 15 runs came. However, Axar Patel hit back in the third over, dismissing Bethell and then Padikkal. Rajat Patidar came in at No. 4. RCB slipped to 21/2 after 3 overs.
Early Setbacks for RCB
Mukesh Kumar bowled the fourth over. Patidar hit a boundary but got run out on the last ball. RCB ended the over at 25/3. Axar bowled another tight fifth over, conceding only 4 runs. Starc bowled the sixth over and Kohli managed a boundary. After 6 overs, RCB were 35/3.
Kohli and Pandya Build a Stand
Vipraj Nigam gave away 12 runs in the seventh over. Kuldeep Yadav bowled a tight eighth over, giving just 3 runs. After 8 overs, RCB were 50/3. Chameera bowled the ninth and Kuldeep the tenth, with Kohli hitting a boundary. RCB were 64/3 at halfway.
Krunal Pandya hit a six in the 11th over. Kuldeep bowled a tight 12th over where Kohli and Pandya completed a 50-run partnership. Mukesh Kumar bowled the 13th over, conceding 15 runs as Pandya hit two sixes.
RCB Take Control
Kuldeep bowled the 14th over. Pandya hit a six to bring up 100 for RCB. Another good over followed with 12 runs. Axar Patel bowled the 15th over. Pandya completed his fifty with a boundary off the last ball. RCB were 114/3 after 15 overs.
Starc returned for the 16th over. Kohli hit a boundary and Pandya survived a dropped catch. Mukesh Kumar bowled the 17th over. Kohli completed his half-century and Pandya hit two more boundaries. After 17 overs, RCB were 137/3.
RCB Seal the Win
Chameera dismissed Kohli for 51 runs in the 18th over. Tim David joined Pandya at the crease. RCB stood at 146/4 after 18 overs.
Mukesh bowled the 19th over. Tim David smashed a six to bring up 150, then hit back-to-back boundaries. RCB chased down the target comfortably. Pandya remained unbeaten on 73 off 47 balls, while Tim David stayed unbeaten on 19 off 5 balls.