By Admin 
Royal Challengers Bengaluru is proving to be a force to be reckoned with on the road in IPL 2025. After registering wins in Kolkata, Chennai and Mumbai, the Bengaluru side added Jaiput to the list after it walloped Rajasthan Royals by nine wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Sunday.
Royals’ homecoming this season wasn’t a happy affair as it ended in a huge defeat much to the disappointment of the capacity crowd. RCB’s gun pair of Phil Salt (65) and Virat Kohli (62 not out) set up the win with an opening stand of 92 in 8.4 overs.
The PowerPlay, during which RCB raced to 65 for no loss, set the template for the chase. The Royals bowlers sprayed the ball around and fielders failed to hold on to the catches, letting RCB off the hook. The catching was bizarre with 10 chances going down in the contest, but the drops by Rajasthan proved to be costly in the end.
Salt enjoyed large slices of fortune, with Jaiswal and Sandeep Sharma failing to grab the opportunities. He made it count and with an assortment of pulls, cuts and drives cantered to his half-century off 28 balls. Kohli, dropped by Riyan Parag at long-on when he was on seven, was the accumulator during Salt’s carnage.
However, after Salt’s departure, Kohli went into overdrive and carted Kumar Kartikeya and Wanindu Hasaranga for sixes to reach his fifty off 39 balls. Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal (40 not out) punished the wayward balls to add 83 runs with Kohli for the unbroken second wicket to hasten the win.
In the afternoon, Royals openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson struggled for timing on the slow surface. But Jaiswal (75) took the risks and rode his luck to keep the momentum going. Jaiswal’s second-wicket stand of 56 with Parag (30) gave the innings the impetus it needed. Parag and Jaiswal were dismissed against the run of play. However, Dhruv Jurel (35 not out) found his bearing towards the end and his late flourish helped Royals add 47 runs in the final four overs.
Published – April 13, 2025 07:06 pm IST