
Hazlewood Wreaks Havoc Early with Double Strike
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) continued their dominant run in IPL 2025 with a commanding 50-run win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood stole the show with a fiery spell, grabbing 3 wickets for just 21 runs in his four overs, including two in a crucial second over that derailed Chennai’s chase early.
Patidar Shines with Fast Fifty, Stakes Claim for India Call-Up
RCB skipper Rajat Patidar played a leading role with the bat, smashing 51 off just 32 balls. “We were targeting 200 because that wouldn’t be easy to chase in Chennai,” he said after the game. Patidar’s composed yet aggressive knock laid the foundation for a strong total and boosted his chances for a spot in India’s T20 squad.
Solid Contributions from Kohli, Salt, and Middle Order
Though Virat Kohli’s 31 off 30 balls wasn’t his most fluent knock, he and opener Phil Salt (32) gave RCB a steady start. Devdutt Padikkal (27) and Tim David (a blazing 22 off just 8 balls) added important runs in the middle and death overs to help post a formidable 196-7.
Chennai’s Chase Falters in Powerplay Collapse
Chasing nearly 200, CSK crumbled under pressure. Hazlewood and veteran Indian seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-20) ripped through the top order. By the fifth over, Chennai were 26-3, leaving them with a mountain to climb. Ravindra Jadeja (25) and Shivam Dube (19) tried to rebuild, but the damage was already done.
MS Dhoni’s Late Fireworks Too Little, Too Late
Coming in at number nine, MS Dhoni gave the home crowd something to cheer for, blasting 30 off just 16 balls. His brief blitz showed glimpses of vintage Dhoni, but it was not enough to make a dent in the steep required run rate as CSK ended on 146-8.
Gaikwad Blames Fielding Errors for the Loss
CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was dismissed for a duck by Hazlewood, admitted that fielding lapses cost them dearly. “It wasn’t that easy to bat, but bad fielding cost us,” he said in the post-match interview, reflecting on key dropped chances and misfields.
Noor Ahmad Impresses in Defeat with Triple Strike
Despite the loss, Afghanistan’s leg-spinner Noor Ahmad was a bright spot for Chennai. He picked up 3 wickets for 36 runs in his four overs, including the crucial scalps of Kohli and Salt, and consistently troubled RCB’s middle order with his variations.
RCB Looks Unstoppable, Eyes on the Title
With this victory, RCB not only stay at the top of the IPL table but also send a strong message to other teams. With Hazlewood firing, Patidar leading from the front, and key contributions across the board, Bengaluru is shaping up as a serious title contender this season.(Dubai7-Realmoneygame)