IPL 2025: KL Rahul's unbeaten 93-run knock helps DC seal six-wicket win over RCB

DC’s KL Rahul against RCB in Bangalore yesterday. Pics/AFP

Royal Challengers Bengaluru started both Powerplay strongly on Thursday night, but KL Rahul showed that it's not how one starts which is decisive with a fabulous innings that knocked the stuffing out of his former franchise.

Batting at No. 4 following the return from injury of Faf du Plessis, Rahul turned a stuttering run-chase on an atypically sluggish M Chinnaswamy Stadium surface around with a stunning onslaught that evoked mixed feelings in a packed house. While they didn't enjoy watching their heroes being taken apart, they could, however, take some consolation from the fact that it was a local boy who was dishing it out.

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DC players are ecstatic after dismissing RCB captain Rajat Patidar at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium yesterday

Crucial partnership

Rahul's breathtaking unbeaten 93 and his magnificent undefeated fifth-wicket stand of 111 with the enterprising Tristan Stubbs muscled Delhi Capitals to a comfortable six-wicket win, cementing their status at the top of the IPL standings after a fourth consecutive victory. RCB, beaten with 13 deliveries to spare, thus slumped to their second loss in two matches at home, reinforcing the fact that they haven't found any home comfort at this venue all these years.

Put in by Axar Patel, it was RCB who got on the bike and sped away, rattling to 53 without loss in just three overs, thanks primarily to Phil Salt. A mix-up with Virat Kohli ended Salt's cameo, after which the innings came to a virtual standstill as the Capitals regrouped strongly, mainly through wrist-spinning twins Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam.

Between them, they took four for 35 in eight overs until Tim David, strategically held back, launched a fierce assault that fetched 36 runs in the last two overs and took RCB to a competitive 163 for seven.

Like with the bat, the home side began brightly with the ball, dismissing du Plessis, the horribly off-colour Jake Fraser-McGurk and Impact Player Abhishek Porel with just 30 on the board. Things began to get decidedly testy with leggie Suyash Sharma, the Impact Player, spinning a wicked web. The run rate gradually mounted and it was no surprise to see Axar falling in trying to keep up with it, which united Rahul and Stubbs in the middle.

Shift in momentum

Without imposing themselves, they batted with flair until Rahul stepped it up with three fours and a six in the 15th over, bowled by Josh Hazlewood. Suddenly, from being the hunted, the Capitals became the hunted as the crowd lost its voice and the Capitals rediscovered the mojo. The rest was a routine business for the table-toppers, who were mighty grateful that Rajat Patidar put down a difficult chance, running 25 yards to his left from mid-off, when Rahul was on just five. Fine margins, really.