IPL 2025: Pandya and Kohli fifties help RCB go on top of points table after beating DC by six wickets
New Delhi, April 27 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli overcame their struggles of timing and momentum to smash fifties each and help Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) go on top of points table after beating Delhi Capitals (DC) by six wickets at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.
After RCB’s bowlers, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 3-33, Josh Hazlewood’s 2-36 and a stifling act by Krunal and Suyash Sharma, restricted DC to a below-par 162/8 on a two-paced pitch, the side were quickly in tatters at 26/3. But Krunal stepped up to smash a brilliant 73 off 47 balls, laced with five fours and four sixes.
He was well-supported by a 47-ball 51 from Kohli, as the duo shared a 119-run stand for the fourth wicket. Tim David finished off the chase with an unbeaten 21 off five balls to ensure RCB maintained its clean slate in away games and run-chases in this season.
Jacob Bethell gave a bright start to RCB’s chase by flicking Mitchell Starc for a six and a four on consecutive balls in the second over. But Bethell was removed by Axar Patel, as he miscued a pull to deep mid-wicket. Two balls later, Axar struck again by castling impact player Devdutt Padikkal, before skipper Rajat Patidar was run-out by a direct hit from Nair, leaving RCB in trouble at 26/3.
DC’s squeeze in power-play didn’t allow Kohli and Pandya to break free. But after the half-way mark, Kohli showed signs of aggression by pulling Kuldeep Yadav for four, before Pandya, who previously took a four off Vipraj Nigam on a no-ball, whipped Dushmantha Chameera for six.
With Kohli content in strike rotation, Pandya shrugged off his rusty self by dealing exclusively in sixes – swivelling and lofting Mukesh Kumar for consecutive maximums, before lofting Kuldeep over long-off. Pandya brought up his fifty off 38 balls by sweeping Axar’s last ball of the day for four, before being dropped on 54 by Abishek Porel at deep mid-wicket.
Kohli later brought up his sixth fifty of this season off 45 balls with a single, which also brought up the century of his game-defining stand with Pandya, who then flicked and sliced Mukesh Kumar for consecutive fours. Though Kohli fell after lofting to long-off against Chameera, David swung Mukesh for a six and a four, including off a no-ball, before slicing and heaving on consecutive deliveries to seal a fabulous win for RCB with nine balls to spare.
Brief Scores: Delhi Capitals 162/8 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 41, Tristan Stubbs 34; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 3-33, Josh Hazlewood 2-36) lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru 165/4 in 18.3 overs (Krunal Pandya 73 not out, Virat Kohli 51; Axar Patel 2-19, Dushmantha Chameera 1-24) by six wickets
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