Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar dismantle DC in crushing RCB win

Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced one of the most destructive new-ball spells of the season as Hazlewood Bhuvneshwar ripped through Delhi Capitals to set up a nine-wicket win.

Delhi Capitals were bowled out for just 75, with Josh Hazlewood returning 4 for 12 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar claiming 3 for 5. RCB then chased the target in 6.3 overs, finishing on 77 for 1, with Devdutt Padikkal unbeaten on 34.

Powerplay collapse leaves DC in ruins

The match was effectively decided in the opening overs. On a surface that offered swing and bounce, Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood exploited conditions ruthlessly.

Bhuvneshwar struck in the first over, removing IPL debutant Sahil Parakh for a two-ball duck. Hazlewood followed with a devastating second over, dismissing KL Rahul and Sameer Rizvi off consecutive deliveries, the latter for a golden duck.

With slips in place and pressure mounting, wickets continued to fall. Tristan Stubbs edged behind, Axar Patel followed, and Nitish Rana fell to a sharp rising delivery. Delhi collapsed to 8 for 6 inside three overs, while their powerplay score of 13 became the lowest in a full IPL innings.

The defining phase came during this early burst. Both bowlers maintained relentless control, combining accuracy with movement, and DC never recovered from that sequence.

Lower order pushes DC to 75

From the brink of a record-low total, Delhi found some resistance. Abhishek Porel, introduced as an Impact Player, anchored the innings with 30 off 33 balls.

He shared a 35-run stand with David Miller, who contributed 19 off 18. Contributions from Kyle Jamieson (12 off 13) and Mohammad Wasim Jr ensured DC moved past the lowest IPL total of 49.

Porel was the last man dismissed, with Hazlewood finishing the innings with a searing yorker that dismantled his stumps.

RCB seal chase inside powerplay

The chase reflected the dominance of the first innings. Jacob Bethell provided early momentum with 20 off 11 before falling to Kyle Jamieson.

Padikkal maintained the tempo, reaching 34 not out, while RCB raced to 65 for 1 by the end of the powerplay.

Virat Kohli finished the game in the next over with consecutive sixes off T Natarajan. In doing so, he also became the first player to reach 9000 IPL runs.

What this means for the table

The scale of the win had immediate implications. RCB not only secured two points but significantly boosted their net run rate. They also closed the gap on Punjab Kings at the top of the standings to just one point.

For Delhi Capitals, the defeat highlighted how quickly a match can be decided in T20 cricket when early wickets fall in clusters. The damage inflicted in the powerplay left no room for recovery, and the contest never moved beyond that phase.

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