IPL 2025: Kohli, Hazlewood lead RCB to first home win as Royals stumble

Royal Challengers Bengaluru claimed their first home win of the IPL 2025 season with a narrow 11-run victory over Rajasthan Royals in match 42, held at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday.

Batting first, RCB posted a competitive total of 205 for 5, built on a solid 95-run partnership between Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal. Kohli top-scored with a fluent 70 off 42 balls, including 8 boundaries and 2 sixes. Padikkal added 50 off 27 deliveries, hitting 4 fours and 3 sixes.

The innings began with Kohli and Phil Salt putting together a brisk 61-run opening stand before Salt departed for 26. After Kohli and Padikkal fell in quick succession, Tim David (23) and Jitesh Sharma (20 not out) added useful runs in the final overs to take the total past 200.

For Rajasthan, Sandeep Sharma picked up 2 wickets for 45 runs, while Wanindu Hasaranga and Jofra Archer claimed one wicket each.

In reply, Rajasthan Royals started strong with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal blasting 49 off just 19 balls. The Royals were well-placed at 72 for 1 in the sixth over but suffered a middle-order collapse after Jaiswal’s dismissal. Dhruv Jurel tried to steady the chase with a 47-run knock, but it wasn’t enough to see them home, as they finished on 194 for 9.

Josh Hazlewood was the standout bowler for RCB, taking 4 wickets for 33 runs. Krunal Pandya claimed two wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal took one each.

With this win, RCB climbed to third place in the IPL 2025 standings with 12 points from nine games. Rajasthan Royals, meanwhile, slipped to eighth with just four points and five straight defeats, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy.