Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally ended their home drought at the Chinnaswamy Stadium with a thrilling 11-run win over Rajasthan Royals in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. A dominant 105-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal powered RCB to a solid 205/5. In reply, Yashasvi Jaiswal’s explosive fifty gave RR a flying start before Josh Hazlewood’s 4/33 turned the tide. Despite late fireworks from Dhruv Jurel, RR collapsed from 110/2 to 191/9. This marked RR’s fifth straight loss, denting their playoff hopes significantly.
Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal’s masterclass lays strong foundation
Sent in to bat after losing the toss, RCB were off to a steady yet cautious start. Jofra Archer’s early spell troubled both Kohli and Phil Salt, but the RCB skipper broke the shackles in the third over, finding boundaries off the England pacer. RCB posted 59 without loss in the powerplay, their third such instance this season. Once Salt fell to Wanindu Hasaranga right after the powerplay, Kohli and Padikkal began to assert themselves. The pair accelerated masterfully, going from 94 in 11 overs to 156 in 15, punishing Tushar Deshpande for 22 runs in an over. Despite losing both set batters in successive overs, Kohli to Archer and Padikkal to Sandeep Sharma, RCB’s finishers, Tim David and Jitesh Sharma, ensured a strong close. With 16 runs coming off the 19th over and a boundary off the last, RCB ended with a competitive 205 for five.
Yashasvi Jaiswal’s blitz keeps the Rajasthan Royals in chase early on
RR’s chase got off to a fiery start thanks to Jaiswal, who took the attack to RCB bowlers early with a six off Bhuvneshwar Kumar and multiple boundaries off Yash Dayal and Hazlewood. His aggressive intent took RR to 72/0 in the powerplay, their highest powerplay score against RCB. Jaiswal smashed Hazlewood for three boundaries in one over, then later for a six and two more boundaries before falling for a brilliant 52 off 24 balls. His dismissal, though, came at a crucial time, courtesy of Hazlewood’s slower bouncer. Despite the setback, Riyan Parag and Nitish Rana took over the charge, propelling RR to 110/2 in 9 overs.
Also READ: IPL 2025: Virat Kohli creates T20 history at Chinnaswamy with yet another milestone during RCB vs RR clash
RCB’s spinners and Josh Hazlewood flip the script
Krunal Pandya made an immediate impact, dismissing Parag and later removing Rana, triggering a middle-over slowdown. Though Dhruv Jurel tried to fight back with two sixes off Suyash and Krunal, RCB’s bowlers, especially Hazlewood, kept pegging back at crucial moments. Hazlewood struck again in the 18th over, removing the dangerous Shimron Hetmyer, and then came the game-changing 19th over where he removed Jurel via review (47 off 28) and then Archer, finishing with a match-winning 4/33. RR still needed 18 off the final two overs and had momentum on their side after scoring 22 off Bhuvneshwar’s final over. But Hazlewood’s brilliance and Dayal’s composed final over where he picked up Hasaranga sealed an 11-run win for RCB, sending home fans into raptures and lifting the team to third in the points table.
Here’s how fans reacted:
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
5 fifties in 9 games. Cancel the T20I retirement king 👑 pic.twitter.com/QFGaOAsAnm
— Abhyudaya Mohan (@AbhyudayaMohan) April 24, 2025
Stop hiding your horns Kohli, we already know you are a G.O.A.T.
— Xavier Uncle (@xavierunclelite) April 24, 2025
Kohli showing that even in this T20 era you can play traditional cricket and still maintain a very good SR
One of a kind man. There are only 2 all format greats and he’s one of them
— A (@_shortarmjab_) April 24, 2025
ALDLJDYRCBAJDKWINDJDJATDKSGECHINNASWAMY.
There’s something hidden up here. YOU JUST SAW IT LIVE.
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) April 24, 2025
Build a statue of Hazelwood at chinnaswamy!
— Kevin (@imkevin149) April 24, 2025
RCB always had the par score, even above par for the deck.
RR gave it a good whack but just like before, they have just not been able to close games out and 18 from 12, Hazlewood bowls a beauty of an over to seal the win.
Good win at home, top game for people at the venue!
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) April 24, 2025
Suyash and Krunal the real gamechangers. Hazelwood’s 19th was gold but all the momentum was taken away by the two spinners. Great win RCB.
— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) April 24, 2025
Brilliant bowling performance from RCB as they won their first home game in this season 🔥
– RR fall short in another chase 🏏#Cricket #RCBvRR #ViratKohli #JoshHazlewood #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/eIMh3tRoFP
— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) April 24, 2025
