The Delhi Capitals continued their flawless start to the 2025 Indian Premier League season, securing their fourth consecutive victory with a skillfully managed run chase against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday. Despite periods where RCB seemed in control, a truly exceptional unbeaten innings from KL Rahul ultimately guided Delhi to a comfortable six-wicket win at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, handing RCB their second successive home defeat.
Bengaluru's Innings
Asked to bat first, Royal Challengers Bengaluru began explosively, racing to 53 without loss after just three overs, largely thanks to aggressive hitting from opener Phil Salt. However, their innings experienced a dramatic downturn following Salt's run-out. Over the next 15 overs, RCB struggled significantly, managing only 74 runs while losing seven wickets. Delhi Capitals' spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav (2/17) and Vipraj Nigam (2/18) bowled with exceptional control during this phase, stifling the RCB batters on a somewhat sticky surface. A late surge from Tim David, who scored 37 not out off 20 balls, provided some respectability, lifting RCB to 163 for 7.
Capitals Faced Early
Delhi Capitals' pursuit of 164 encountered early difficulties. Experienced RCB bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck twice within the powerplay, removing Jake Fraser-McGurk and Abhishek Porel, while Yash Dayal accounted for Faf du Plessis. By the 11th over, DC found themselves in a precarious position at 67 for 4, with the required run rate steadily climbing.
Rahul and Stubbs fight back
Facing a challenging situation, KL Rahul dramatically shifted gears. After a cautious start (29 off 29 balls), the Bengaluru native unleashed a stunning assault. He formed an unbroken partnership with Tristan Stubbs (38*), rapidly turning the game in Delhi's favour. Rahul was particularly severe on RCB's pacers, accelerating remarkably to finish with 93 not out from just 53 deliveries. He scored his last 64 runs off only 24 balls. The pair added 111 runs together, guiding DC to victory.
Delhi Secure Fourth Consecutive Victory
Rahul fittingly hit the winning runs with a six, securing the win with 13 balls to spare and celebrating emphatically in front of the silenced home crowd. This victory gives Delhi Capitals' position at the top of the table as the only remaining unbeaten team, while RCB were left to reflect on another home loss despite controlling parts of the match.
It was KL Rahul's outstanding ability to accelerate under pressure, combined with Stubbs' valuable support.
