Bengaluru, April 10 (NationPress) Returning to his hometown, KL Rahul showcased an exceptional performance with an unbeaten 93, marking his second consecutive half-century, as he propelled the Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket triumph over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Match 24 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.

In a match where batting proved to be challenging, the Delhi Capitals displayed remarkable all-round bowling to restrict the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a total of 163/7 after a fast start from Phil Salt and Virat Kohli.

Chasing a target of 164, Delhi faced difficulties early on, losing half of their top order and finding themselves at 58/4. However, K.L Rahul's brilliant innings, along with Tristian Stubbs' contribution of 38 not out, helped guide the Delhi Capitals to a total of 169/4 in just 17.5 overs, ensuring a six-wicket victory.

This win marks Delhi Capitals' fourth consecutive victory, allowing them to maintain an unbeaten streak and climb to eight points, just above Gujarat Titans in the standings, who have played one additional match.

Rahul finished with an impressive score of 93 off 53 deliveries, featuring seven fours and six sixes, while Stubbs added a quick 38 off 23 balls. Together, they formed a remarkable 111-run partnership for the fifth wicket, the highest for DC in this category, sealing victory with 13 balls to spare.

The decision to open with Faf du Plessis (2) and Jake Fraser-McGurk (7) didn’t pay off, as both fell victim to Yash Dayal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, leading to Delhi Capitals struggling at 10/2 in the third over.

Bhuvneshwar soon had Abishek Porel (7) caught behind, leaving Delhi at 30/3 in the fifth over. With skipper Axar Patel dismissed for 15 runs in just 11 balls, Delhi Capitals found themselves in dire straits at 58/4 by the ninth over.

This was a stark contrast to RCB's speedy 53 without loss in the first three overs. Nevertheless, K.L Rahul emerged as the savior for Delhi Capitals, playing a cautious yet aggressive innings, reaching his fifty off 37 balls.

Rahul’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. While the first four DC batters fell playing risky shots, he held his ground, taking advantage of a dropped catch by RCB skipper Rajat Patidar to keep Delhi Capitals in contention for victory.

Amid a slight drizzle, Rahul seized control, smashing 22 runs off a single over from Josh Hazlewood, hitting him for 4, 4, 2, 2, 4, and 6 in succession to set Delhi Capitals on the path to victory. He secured the win by hitting a six off Yash Dayal.

Earlier, a stellar all-round bowling display enabled the Delhi Capitals to reel in RCB after their explosive start, limiting them to a modest 163/7 in their allotted overs.

RCB began with Salt and Kohli racing to the fastest team fifty in IPL history. However, after Salt was run out, the innings faltered with Mukesh Kumar, Vipraj Nigam (2-18), and Kuldeep Yadav (2-17) delivering exceptional spells to restrict the run flow.

The match turned into a tactical battle; every time RCB attempted to surge ahead, DC responded fiercely. After starting with a bang at 53/0 in the first three overs, RCB could only muster 74/7 in the subsequent 15 overs. Tim David provided a late surge with some powerful hitting, bringing RCB to a respectable total.

The power-play was marked by contrasting performances — RCB raced to 53 in the initial three overs, while DC struck back with a 11/2 haul in the next three.

After a moderately quiet first over from Mitchell Starc, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli unleashed fury on the bowling, achieving the fastest team fifty ever in IPL history in just three overs. Axar Patel's second over was costly, conceding 16 runs through a combination of boundaries.

English opener Salt targeted Starc in the third over, scoring 30 runs, which included a six and multiple boundaries, as RCB surged to 53/0.

Kohli hit Axar for a six in the fourth over, but the dynamic changed when Salt was run out attempting a risky single as Kohli hesitated. Salt slipped during the run and was dismissed for 37 off 17 balls.

This wicket shifted the dynamics of the game, with Devdutt Padikkal falling for 1 in a wicket-maiden over from Mukesh Kumar.

Kohli followed suit in the next over. After hitting Vipraj Nigam for a six, he aimed for another big hit but found Starc instead, leaving RCB at 74/3.

Despite Rajat Patidar keeping the scoreboard ticking, Liam Livingstone (3) and Jitesh Sharma (3) fell quickly, leaving RCB at 102/5 by the 13th over.

Patidar and Krunal Pandya attempted to stabilize the innings, but the skipper fell for 25 off 23 balls, while Pandya contributed 18 off 18.

In the closing overs, Tim David, who was born in Singapore and represents Australia, struck 36 runs, including four sixes and two fours, in the final two overs, helping RCB surpass the 150-run mark. He remained not out on 37 off 20 balls, providing a crucial boost to their innings.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 163/7 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 37, Tim David 37 not out; Vipraj Nigam 2-18, Kuldeep Yadav 2-17) lost to Delhi Capitals: 169/4 in 17.5 overs (K.L Rahul 93 not out, Tristan Stubbs 38 not out; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2-26) by six wickets.