IPL 2025 RCB vs RR Match: Hazlewood’s Heroics End Bengaluru’s Home Drought

The IPL 2025 RCB vs RR match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium delivered a thriller as Josh Hazlewood’s exceptional bowling performance of 4-33 propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a narrow 11-run victory over Rajasthan Royals on Thursday. This crucial win helped RCB break their home losing streak while extending Rajasthan’s unwanted record of five consecutive defeats in IPL 2025. Let’s dive into the details of this exciting contest that had fans on the edge of their seats.

IPL 2025 RCB vs RR Match Summary

In a high-scoring encounter at the batting-friendly M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted a competitive 205-5 in their allotted 20 overs. Chasing a target of 206, Rajasthan Royals started strongly but eventually fell short by 11 runs despite being in a commanding position for the majority of their innings.

This victory marked RCB’s first home win of the season, snapping their three-match losing streak at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. For Rajat Patidar’s team, it was also their first win over Rajasthan Royals after four consecutive losses in evening matches, marking a significant turnaround in their fortunes.

RCB’s Batting Performance

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s innings was masterfully anchored by Virat Kohli, who crafted a well-paced 70 off 42 deliveries. Kohli’s innings was characterized by his trademark shot selection and ability to accelerate at crucial junctures of the match. He formed two significant partnerships that laid the foundation for RCB’s competitive total.

The first crucial alliance was with Phil Salt, who contributed 26 runs before falling in the seventh over. Their opening partnership of 61 runs gave RCB a solid start. Following Salt’s dismissal, Kohli combined forces with Devdutt Padikkal to forge an even more substantial partnership of 95 runs.

Padikkal’s aggressive batting approach yielded a quick-fire 50 off just 27 balls, maintaining the momentum established by the openers. The middle and lower order also made valuable contributions, with Tim David scoring 23 and Jitesh Sharma remaining unbeaten on 20, providing the finishing touches that propelled RCB to 205-5.

Rajasthan Royals’ Bowling Efforts

Despite conceding over 200 runs, Rajasthan Royals had some bright spots in their bowling department. Jofra Archer was the pick of the bowlers, maintaining good economy and claiming 1-33 in his four-over spell. His controlled pace and variations made it difficult for the RCB batsmen to score freely against him.

Sandeep Sharma picked up 2-45 but proved somewhat expensive as the RCB batsmen targeted him during the death overs. Wanindu Hasaranga contributed with a wicket as well, finishing with figures of 1-30, providing a degree of control during the middle overs of the innings.

However, the Rajasthan bowling unit couldn’t contain the RCB batsmen at crucial junctures, allowing them to post a challenging total that ultimately proved decisive in the context of the match.

Rajasthan’s Run Chase

Rajasthan Royals began their pursuit of 206 in spectacular fashion, with Yashasvi Jaiswal launching an all-out assault on the RCB bowlers. Jaiswal hammered 49 runs off just 19 deliveries, threatening to take the game away from Bengaluru before Josh Hazlewood provided the critical breakthrough.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi couldn’t capitalize on the platform set by Jaiswal, departing for 16 after being caught off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s bowling. The middle order tried to maintain the required run rate with Nitish Rana scoring 28 and Riyan Parag adding 22, but Krunal Pandya’s vital spell removed both batsmen, shifting momentum decisively in RCB’s favor.

Dhruv Jurel offered stiff resistance with a fighting 47, keeping Rajasthan’s hopes alive until the penultimate over. However, his dismissal in the 19th over, followed immediately by Jofra Archer’s wicket, effectively sealed the game for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Hazlewood’s Match-Winning Impact

Josh Hazlewood emerged as the standout performer in the IPL 2025 RCB vs RR match with his exceptional bowling display. Named Player of the Match, Hazlewood’s figures of 4-33 were instrumental in restricting Rajasthan Royals despite the batting-friendly conditions at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Hazlewood’s first major contribution was dismissing the dangerous Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was threatening to single-handedly chase down the target. His strategy of mixing hard lengths with yorkers and changes of pace proved effective throughout his spell.

“I was just sticking to my strengths,” Hazlewood remarked after the match. “I knew hard lengths were hard to hit so I was mixing that up with yorkers, change of pace.” This tactical approach allowed him to outfox the Rajasthan batsmen at crucial moments, particularly during the death overs.

Team Records and Streaks

The IPL 2025 RCB vs RR match resulted in significant milestones for both teams. For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, breaking their home losing streak was a massive psychological boost. This victory marked their first win at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium this season after three consecutive defeats.

On the other hand, Rajasthan Royals registered an unwanted record by suffering their fifth consecutive defeat in IPL 2025. Since their victory against Punjab Kings on April 5, RR have lost to Gujarat Titans, RCB, Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants, and now RCB again. This matches their previous worst run in the IPL, when they suffered five straight defeats in the 2009-10 season.

For RCB, this win was particularly sweet as it came against a team they had struggled against in evening matches, having lost four consecutive games to Rajasthan prior to this encounter.

Match Implications for IPL 2025

This result has significant implications for both teams’ campaigns in IPL 2025. For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the win provides crucial momentum that could propel them toward a playoff spot if they can maintain their form in upcoming matches.

Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, face an uphill battle to qualify for the playoffs following their fifth consecutive defeat. They will need to arrest this slide immediately and string together a series of wins to keep their playoff hopes alive in the tournament.

Riyan Parag acknowledged the team’s disappointment post-match: “I think we did really well with the ball… We held them back really well. With the batting, I thought at the halfway mark we were in the driving seat. We have ourselves to blame… (The team was) in the driving seat and we let it slip.”

Frequently Asked Questions

The IPL 2025 RCB vs RR match provided all the drama and excitement that fans have come to expect from the tournament. With Josh Hazlewood’s heroics and Virat Kohli’s batting masterclass, Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally broke their home jinx while extending Rajasthan’s woes. As the tournament progresses, both teams will look to build on the lessons learned from this encounter as they pursue their playoff ambitions.