IPL 2025: Hazlewood-inspired RCB register first home win after beating RR by 11 runs

Bengaluru, April 24 Josh Hazlewood picked a mesmerizing 4-33 as he inspired Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to win their first home game in Match 42 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 after beating Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 11 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Thursday.

After half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal, along with cameos from Tim David and Jitesh Sharma propelled RCB to 205/5, their highest score at home this season, RR’s batters came out all guns blazing to put them in control of the chase. Despite the spinners applying the brakes, RR needed just 18 runs off the last two overs to break their four-match losing streak.

But Hazlewood bowled a penultimate over to remember, conceding just one run while taking two wickets to seal a victory for RCB and leaving their jubilant home crowd in celebration mode. RR, meanwhile, botched up another chase which they should have won for the third consecutive time and another implosion in Bengaluru has left their playoffs hopes hanging by a slim thread.

Yashasvi Jaiswal got going from the word go by pulling Bhuvneshwar Kumar for six, before hitting two fours, including off a leading edge and a six over deep mid-wicket in an 18-run second over off Yash Dayal. After Vaibhav Suryavanshi hoicked Bhuvneshwar for six, Jaiswal ducked, slashed, and missed on the first three balls off Hazlewood.

But on the next three balls, Jaiswal picked three fours, including off a top edge on a pull. After Suryavanshi top-edged off Bhuvneshwar for six, the veteran pacer bounced back by castling the young left-handed batter with a knuckleball. Despite that, Jaiswal sliced Hazlewood twice for fours, before ramping him for six.

But on the very next ball, Hazlewood came from around the wicket and cramped Jaiswal, who pulled to mid-wicket and fell one run short of a breathtaking fifty. Despite taking out Jaiswal, RCB continued to leak runs – after Nitish Rana slashed Romario Shepherd for four, Riyan Parag carted him for another boundary and six.

Parag then dispatched Suyash Sharma for two leg-side sixes and a four, before Rana feasted on width from Dayal by hitting consecutive boundaries. But Krunal Pandya struck on his very first ball by having Parag top-edge to keeper Jitesh Sharma. After Parag fell, RCB managed to stem the run-flow by conceding just one boundary in overs 10-13.

The combination of pressure by Pandya and Suyash Sharma, along with the ball change, worked for RCB as Rana picked out a short fine-leg, who took the catch on the second attempt, off the former, while Hazlewood had Shimron Hetmyer nicking behind to Jitesh.

Jurel, who was on 18 off 23, broke the shackles by hitting a six each off Suyash and Pandya before he and Shubham Dubey took 22 runs off Bhuvneshwar in the 18th over.

But Hazlewood got RCB back in the game - his wide-yorker caught Jurel’s bottom edge and had him dismissed on review, which was initially sought by Jitesh, before getting an extra bounce to have Jofra Archer's chip to cover for a golden duck. Hazlewood picking three wickets while conceding only seven runs in his final two overs was enough for RCB to clinch their first home of IPL 2025, bringing immense relief to the team and their loyal home crowd.

Brief scores:

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 205/5 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 70, Devdutt Padikkal 50; Sandeep Sharma 2-45, Wanindu Hasaranga 1-30) beat Rajasthan Royals 194/9 in 20 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 49, Dhruv Jurel 47; Josh Hazlewood 4-33, Krunal Pandya 2-31) by 11 runs

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