Earlier
in the season, Delhi had the upper hand in Bengaluru. Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj
Nigam limited RCB to 163 before KL Rahul’s unbeaten 93 steered DC to a
comfortable win However, RCB flipped the script on
Sunday, April 27. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma led a disciplined
bowling performance that held DC to just 162, with the pacers striking at
regular intervals.
RCB’s chase started on a shaky note at 26/3, echoing DC’s earlier collapse in the reverse fixture. But Krunal Pandya stepped up in Rahul-esque fashion. His 73 off 47 balls, supported by Virat Kohli’s composed 51, formed a commanding 119-run stand that powered RCB to an eight-wicket win with 9 balls to spare—extending their perfect away record in 2025.
The pitch offered assistance to spin, making scoring tough through the middle overs. Both teams posted similar returns against slower bowling—RCB managed 57 runs off 55 balls (SR 103.64), while DC scored 50 off 48 (SR 104.16). The real difference came against pace: while DC scored at 147.94 (108 off 73), RCB’s assault yielded 104 off 58 balls at a blazing strike rate of 179.31—Pandya leading the charge.
Pandya was pivotal across phases, scoring 44 off 24 against pace (SR 183.33) and 29 off 23 against spin (SR 126.08), with two fours and a six. He truly shifted gears in the 11th to 13th overs, launching Chameera and Mukesh Kumar for three sixes. He didn’t spare the spinners either, dispatching Kuldeep over extra cover and sweeping Axar Patel to bring up a 38-ball fifty. Kohli held his end, allowing Pandya the freedom to attack and bringing the equation down to 17 off the final 12 balls.
Tim David then applied the finishing touches with a flurry—one six and three fours off Mukesh Kumar sealed the win. Yet, the turning point of the match came with Pandya’s impeccably timed counterattack.
Mo Bobat, RCB’s director of cricket, applauded Pandya and emphasized the strength of the squad:
“Krunal came in at a crucial stage and built that important
stand with Virat. Watching him accelerate as the innings progressed was
fantastic. Our goal during the auction was to deepen the batting line-up, and
it’s paying off. Krunal made the most of his opportunity.”
Kohli, speaking post-match, acknowledged the challenges and Pandya’s impact:
“This pitch played differently than previous games here. At
3 for 26, we were under pressure, but Krunal was outstanding today. We’ve been
waiting for him to click with the bat, and this was his moment.”
With Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, and Romario Shepherd still in the dugout, RCB had plenty of firepower in reserve—but thanks to Pandya’s timely rise, they never needed it. His match-winning knock was a bold reminder of his ability to deliver under pressure.
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