IPL 2025, RCB vs RR Highlights: Hazlewood’s 4/33 chokes Rajasthan at the death, takes RCB to third place in points table.
Brief scores: RCB 205/5 (Virat Kohli 70, Sandeep Sharma 2/45) beat RR 194/9 (Yashasvi Jaiswal 49, Josh Hazlewood 4/33) by 11 runs.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have pulled off the impossible! They wrestled victory from the clutches of defeat, finally breaking their home jinx, delivering a long-awaited, exhilarating home win. They did so by defeating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 11 runs on Friday.
Highlights from RCB vs RR game, IPL 2025
Kohli & Padikkal shine with willow
Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal teamed up to take control of the middle overs and were instrumental in setting a formidable total for RCB. Kohli scored 70 runs off 42 balls while Devdutt Padikkal hit 50 off 27 balls. The duo stitched a solid 95-run stand for the second wicket.
Unlike in the previous home games where Kohli had been looking to hit out from the get go, he was a lot more measured this time, bringing up his half-century off 32 deliveries before accelerating.
Meanwhile, Padikkal was particularly hard on Tushar Deshpande, while playing the likes of Wanindu Hasaranga and Jofra Archer with caution. It was his second half-century of IPL 2025, having scored the first one against the Rajasthan Royals in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
Read More: Vaibhav Suryavanshi shows no stage fright in first game for Rajasthan
2⃣ glorious shots on offer 🙌
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 24, 2025
2⃣ maximum results 👌
Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal pushing #RCB to a strong total 👏
Updates ▶ https://t.co/mtgySHgAjc #TATAIPL | #RCBvRR | @imVkohli | @devdpd07 pic.twitter.com/K9Nrh5o1yS
Yashasvi set the tone for RR’s chase
Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s explosive start anchored Rajasthan Royals’ chase. He alongside Vaibhav Suryavanshi stitched a fifty-run stand for the first wicket. Walking in to open the innings, Jaiswal faced Bhuvneshwar Kumar and whacked the very first delivery into the stands for a stunning six.
With that audacious stroke, Jaiswal cemented his place in IPL history as the player with most sixes off the first ball of an innings — achieving the feat three times. He looked unstoppable, hammering 49 off just 19 balls at a strike rate of 257.89. His explosive knock featured three massive sixes.
Read More: IPL 2025, PBKS vs RCB, Highlights: Paddikal-Kohli lead RCB to victory, Punjab slip to 4th Spot
Hazlewood’s expert death-bowling
Josh Hazlewood emerged as the hero in RCB’s first home win of the season, delivering a sensational 19th over just when the match was slipping away. With RR needing only 18 off 12 and a well-set Dhruv Jurel at the crease, Hazlewood turned the tide, conceding just a single run and snaring two crucial wickets. He dismissed Jurel and Jofra Archer in successive balls to break RR’s momentum. Hazlewood’s fiery four-for and clutch death-over heroics dismantled Rajasthan’s chase under pressure.
Conclusion
Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s triumph bolsters their position in the league standings, enhancing their prospects of securing a playoff berth. Meanwhile, for Rajasthan Royals, the loss is a setback in their campaign. RR’s inability to convert a promising position into a win during their chase is a recurring issue that needs to be addressed.
Despite being in a commanding position against RCB, they faltered when it mattered most, allowing the game to slip away. This failure highlights a crucial area for improvement, maintaining composure and execution under pressure during the latter stages of a chase.
Read More: IPL 2025, RR vs LSG, Highlights: Rajasthan choke in pursuit of 181; Lucknow move into top 4
Top Twitter/X Reactions from RCB vs RR, Bengaluru, IPL 2025
Josh Hazlewood showing his experience with touch of class.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 24, 2025
Virat Kohli has a zidd to prove his critics wrong. Scores at Bangaluru when the world was questioning RCB's home record. Plays ball on merit, takes calculated risks when needed – that's what makes him consistent and takes him close to orange cap. True champion.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) April 24, 2025
Rajasthan losing another match that was theirs for the asking. Superb bowling by Hazlewood at the depth. RCB break the unhappy sequence of losing all home matches and now very strongly olaced to be in the knock-out
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) April 24, 2025
RCB 💥 @IPL @RCBTweets 👌
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) April 24, 2025
