In Match 46 of IPL 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Capitals (DC) managed to post a competitive total of 162/8 in 20 overs after being put into bat by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Despite a few standout knocks, DC struggled to build substantial partnerships as RCB bowlers kept the pressure on throughout the innings.
After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, RCB quickly made early inroads. Abishek Porel gave Delhi a brisk start, smashing 28 off just 11 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes, striking at a blistering 254.55. However, his explosive innings was cut short by Josh Hazlewood in the fourth over.
Following Porel’s dismissal, DC suffered a mini-collapse. Karun Nair, promoted up the order, could only manage 4 runs off 4 balls before falling to Yash Dayal. Captain Faf du Plessis, who had a rare appearance for DC due to player rotation, contributed 22 off 26 balls, but his strike rate of 84.62 slowed the momentum. Du Plessis was eventually caught by Virat Kohli off Krunal Pandya’s bowling.
Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul attempted to anchor the innings with a steady 41 off 39 deliveries, hitting 3 fours but struggled to accelerate when needed. Axar Patel chipped in with a handy 15 off 13 balls, while Tristan Stubbs injected some late firepower with a crucial 34 off 18 balls, featuring 5 boundaries and 1 six at a strike rate of 188.89.
However, Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s brilliance with the ball (4-0-33-3) ensured that DC couldn’t fully capitalize in the death overs. Bhuvneshwar picked up key wickets including Rahul and Stubbs to stifle DC’s finish. Josh Hazlewood (4-0-36-2) and Krunal Pandya (4-0-28-1) supported well, maintaining tight lines.
Debutant Vicky Nigam showed some late promise with a quick-fire 12 off 6 balls but was run out after a direct hit from none other than Virat Kohli. Delhi ultimately concluded at 162/8 after 20 overs, setting a target that could prove tricky depending on how the surface plays in the second half.
Among RCB’s bowlers, Swapnil Sharma (4-0-22-0) bowled economically despite going wicketless, while Yash Dayal (4-0-42-1) was slightly expensive but provided important breakthroughs.
Now, all eyes are on RCB’s batting lineup as they look to chase down 163 runs for victory. With big names like Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis (if needed), and Glenn Maxwell waiting in the ranks, the contest promises to be a thrilling one under the Delhi lights.
