 "KL Rahul helped DC beat RCB by 6 wickets with an unbeaten 93 off 53 balls. Image: AFP")
Delhi Capitals (DC) continued their dream run in IPL 2025 with a commanding six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Thursday, powered by a masterful unbeaten 93 from Bengaluru’s own KL Rahul. The DC wicketkeeper-batter was at his fluent best at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, showcasing his trademark calm and calculated aggression to steer his side home after a top-order scare.
Rahul leads from the front in his hometown
Speaking after being named Player of the Match, Rahul revealed how familiarity with the ground worked in his favour. “This is my ground, my home, I know this better than anyone else. Being behind the stumps for 20 overs helped me read the wicket early. It was slightly tricky but consistent. I knew what shots to play and which pockets to target for boundaries.”
His knock, which included seven fours and six sixes, came at a time when Delhi were reeling at 30/3 in the powerplay. His 111-run stand with Tristan Stubbs (38 not-out off 23 balls) turned the match on its head. DC skipper Axar Patel heaped praise on Rahul’s performance.
“It becomes a very easy job for me. I have been in that situation, being used as a floater in pressure situations. It is not easy (changing positions). Having a player like him is a very good thing. I played a bad shot today to get out, but he played a mature innings and finished it off. He has been carrying his Champions Trophy form,” Axar said at the post-match presentation.
On the bowling front, Axar lauded spinners Kuldeep Yadav (2/17) and Vipraj Nigam (2/18), whose tidy spells restricted RCB to 163/7 in the first innings. “Kuldeep has been there for many years and to do it consistently on this big platform is a good thing. Vipraj, in the first two games, was feeling pressure but the way he bowled in the last game and this game, he is confident. Day by day, he is improving. He is giving the captain confidence and no better thing than that.”
RCB miss the trick in reading the pitch
RCB skipper Rajat Patidar admitted his side failed to capitalise on a good start. “We were 80 for one, and then collapsed to 90 for four, that’s not acceptable on this track. We didn’t assess the conditions well. We’ll have to play smarter cricket moving forward,” Rajat said after the loss.
DC are riding high with four wins in four matches. They are placed in the second position in the IPL 2025 points table, below Gujarat Titans (GT), who also have eight points but with a better NRR. RCB are ranked third with three wins in five matches and six points to their name.