Hey there, cricket fans! If you’re looking for a match that had it all—drama, big hits, tight bowling, and some nail-biting moments—then the Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals clash in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 was one for the books! Played on April 27, 2025, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, this 46th match of the season was a rollercoaster that kept everyone on the edge of their seats. Whether you’re a die-hard cricket lover or just someone who enjoys a good game, let’s break down what happened in this epic showdown, complete with a full scorecard and all the juicy details.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals: A Clash of Titans
Picture this: the Arun Jaitley Stadium is buzzing with energy. The stands are packed, and the air is thick with anticipation. Delhi Capitals, led by Axar Patel, were looking to keep their strong run going, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru, under Rajat Patidar’s captaincy, were gunning to take the top spot in the IPL points table. Both teams had their stars—Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya for RCB, KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs for DC—and the stage was set for a classic IPL battle.
This wasn’t just any match. Earlier in the season, on April 10, 2025, DC had beaten RCB by 6 wickets in Bengaluru, with KL Rahul stealing the show with an unbeaten 93. RCB were hungry for revenge, and with Virat Kohli returning to his hometown of Delhi, the stakes felt personal. Would RCB turn the tables, or would DC continue their dominance? Let’s dive into the match and see how it all unfolded.
The Toss and the Decision to Bowl
RCB won the toss, and captain Rajat Patidar chose to bowl first. It was a smart move, considering the dew factor that often makes chasing easier in night games at Arun Jaitley Stadium. The pitch looked dry, with a bit of grass, promising some help for spinners, as noted by former cricketer Aaron Finch. RCB were without their explosive opener Phil Salt, who was down with a fever, so young Jacob Bethell stepped in for his IPL debut. DC, meanwhile, welcomed back Faf du Plessis to their lineup, adding experience to their batting order.
Delhi Capitals’ Innings: A Tale of Grit and Late Fireworks
Delhi Capitals kicked off their innings with Faf du Plessis and Abishek Porel at the crease. Porel came out swinging, smashing 28 runs off Bhuvneshwar Kumar early on, giving DC a fiery start. But RCB’s bowlers, led by Josh Hazlewood, struck back quickly. Hazlewood got Porel caught behind, and in the next over, Yash Dayal sent Karun Nair packing for just 4 runs. DC were suddenly in trouble, losing two quick wickets.
KL Rahul, the in-form wicketkeeper-batsman, joined du Plessis to steady the ship. However, du Plessis struggled to find his rhythm, scoring a slow 22 off 26 balls before Krunal Pandya dismissed him. Axar Patel, DC’s captain, tried to keep things moving but fell to Hazlewood for 13. At 117/4 after 16 overs, DC needed someone to step up.
Enter Tristan Stubbs. The South African dynamo played a blistering knock of 34 off just 18 balls, smashing boundaries and sixes to give DC’s total some respectability. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals—KL Rahul fell for 41, and impact substitute Ashutosh Sharma couldn’t make a mark—Stubbs’ late fireworks, along with a few runs from Vipraj Nigam, pushed DC to 162/8 in their 20 overs.
RCB’s bowlers did a fantastic job to keep DC in check. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the star, picking up 3 wickets for 33 runs, while Josh Hazlewood chipped in with 2 wickets. Krunal Pandya and Yash Dayal also grabbed a wicket each, ensuring DC didn’t run away with the game. But 162 was a competitive total on a tricky, two-paced pitch. Could RCB chase it down?
Delhi Capitals Innings Scorecard
|
Batter |
Dismissal |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Faf du Plessis |
c Jitesh Sharma b Krunal Pandya |
22 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 84.62 |
|
Abishek Porel |
c Jitesh Sharma b Josh Hazlewood |
28 | 16 | |||
|
Karun Nair |
c Jitesh Sharma b Yash Dayal |
4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 66.67 |
|
KL Rahul (wk) |
c Jitesh Sharma b Suyash Sharma |
41 | 39 | 4 | 1 | 107.69 |
|
Axar Patel (c) |
c Romario Shepherd b Josh Hazlewood |
13 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 92.86 |
|
Tristan Stubbs |
c Yash Dayal b Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
34 | 18 | 2 | 2 | 188.89 |
|
Ashutosh Sharma |
c Rajat Patidar b Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
|
Vipraj Nigam |
c Jitesh Sharma b Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
13 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 130.00 |
|
Mitchell Starc |
not out |
0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Dushmantha Chameera |
run out (Jitesh Sharma) |
0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
|
Extras |
(lb 1, w 2, nb 1) |
4 | ||||
|
Total |
162/8 (20 overs, RR: 8.10) |
Fall of Wickets: 33/1 (Porel, 3.4), 44/2 (Nair, 5.5), 72/3 (du Plessis, 9.5), 102/4 (Patel, 13.4), 118/5 (Rahul, 16.2), 120/6 (Sharma, 16.5), 158/7 (Nigam, 19.2), 162/8 (Stubbs, 19.5)
Bowling:
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bhuvneshwar Kumar |
4 | 0 | 33 | 3 | 8.25 |
|
Josh Hazlewood |
4 | 0 | 36 | 2 | 9.00 |
|
Yash Dayal |
4 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 10.50 |
|
Suyash Sharma |
4 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 7.25 |
|
Krunal Pandya |
3 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 9.33 |
|
Romario Shepherd |
1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10.00 |
RCB’s Chase: Kohli and Pandya Steal the Show
Chasing 163, RCB got off to a shaky start. Jacob Bethell, the debutant, smashed 12 off 6 balls, including a six and a four, but Axar Patel got him out in the third over. DC’s spinners, Axar and Kuldeep Yadav, tightened the screws, and by the end of the powerplay, RCB were struggling at 35/3. Things looked dicey, but then came the partnership that turned the game around.
Virat Kohli, playing in his hometown, and Krunal Pandya stitched together a massive 119-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Kohli played the anchor role, scoring 51 off 47 balls with a mix of steady singles and occasional boundaries. Krunal, on the other hand, was the aggressor, blasting an unbeaten 73 off 47 balls, including several big hits. Their partnership was a masterclass in balancing caution with aggression, navigating the tricky pitch with patience and flair.
Kohli fell to Dushmantha Chameera in the 17th over, caught by Mitchell Starc at deep cover, but by then, RCB were in control. Tim David came in and sealed the deal with a quickfire 19 off 5 balls, including a monstrous six and a boundary off a no-ball from Mukesh Kumar. RCB chased down the target in 18.3 overs, winning by 6 wickets with 9 balls to spare. Krunal Pandya was named Player of the Match for his all-round brilliance—73* and a wicket.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Innings Scorecard
|
Batter |
Dismissal |
Runs |
Balls |
4s |
6s |
Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jacob Bethell |
c Ashutosh Sharma b Axar Patel |
12 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 200.00 |
|
Virat Kohli |
c Mitchell Starc b Dushmantha Chameera |
51 | 47 | 4 | 1 | 108.51 |
|
Devdutt Padikkal |
c Axar Patel b Mukesh Kumar |
1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
|
Rajat Patidar (c) |
c KL Rahul b Kuldeep Yadav |
25 | 22 | 2 | 1 | 113.64 |
|
Krunal Pandya |
not out |
73 | 47 | 6 | 3 | 155.32 |
|
Tim David |
not out |
19 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 380.00 |
|
Extras |
(lb 2, w 3, nb 1) |
6 | ||||
|
Total |
165/4 (18.3 overs, RR: 8.91) |
Fall of Wickets: 20/1 (Bethell, 2.2), 21/2 (Padikkal, 3.1), 35/3 (Patidar, 6.6), 154/4 (Kohli, 17.6)
Bowling:
|
Bowler |
Overs |
Maidens |
Runs |
Wickets |
Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Axar Patel |
4 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 4.75 |
|
Mitchell Starc |
3 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 11.33 |
|
Mukesh Kumar |
3.3 | 0 | 30 | 1 | 8.57 |
|
Kuldeep Yadav |
4 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 8.25 |
|
Dushmantha Chameera |
3 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 8.00 |
|
Vipraj Nigam |
1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12.00 |
Key Moments That Defined Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals Match Scorecard
-
Abishek Porel’s Explosive Start: Porel’s 28 off 16 gave DC a flying start, but his dismissal by Hazlewood shifted the momentum.
-
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Masterclass: Bhuvneshwar’s 3/33, including the wickets of Stubbs, Sharma, and Nigam, kept DC’s total in check.
-
Kohli-Pandya Partnership: The 119-run stand was the highest for RCB for any wicket in IPL 2025, turning a shaky chase into a comfortable win.
-
Tim David’s Finishing Touch: David’s quick 19, including a six and a no-ball boundary, sealed the deal in style.
-
Axar Patel’s Spin Magic: Axar’s 2/19, including the wicket of debutant Bethell, gave DC hope early in the chase.
What the Players Said
After the match, Krunal Pandya, the Player of the Match, was thrilled: “It feels great to contribute with both bat and ball. The partnership with Virat was key—we just focused on rotating the strike and picking the right moments to attack.” Virat Kohli, reflecting on the win, said, “The pitch was tricky, but we communicated well as a batting unit. Krunal was outstanding today, and our bowlers set it up perfectly.” DC captain Axar Patel admitted they were 10-15 runs short but praised his team’s effort: “KL and Stubbs played well, but we needed someone to bat longer.”
Why This Match Mattered
This victory propelled RCB to the top of the IPL 2025 points table with 14 points, marking their sixth away win of the season—a record only bettered by their 2015 campaign. For DC, the loss was a setback, but they remained in the top four, setting the stage for a fierce battle for playoff spots. The match showcased the brilliance of veterans like Kohli and Pandya, the promise of young talents like Bethell, and the tactical nous of both captains.
The Bigger Picture
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals Match Scorecard rivalry is always a fan favorite, and this match added another thrilling chapter. With Kohli’s passionate celebration in his hometown and Pandya’s all-round heroics, RCB fans had plenty to cheer about. For DC, KL Rahul’s gritty 41 and Stubbs’ late surge showed their fighting spirit, but it wasn’t enough on the day.
If you’re a cricket fan, this match was a reminder of why the IPL is so special—big stars, young guns, and moments that make you jump out of your seat. Whether you’re rooting for RCB or DC, one thing’s for sure: we can’t wait for the next clash between these two powerhouses!
