Krunal Pandya's first fifty in the Indian Premier League since 2016 helped Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) claim a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals on a challenging Feroz Shah Kotla track on Sunday.
Krunal's 73 not out off 47 balls, paired with an equally steady 51 off 47 from Virat Kohli, guided RCB to a successful chase of 163 in 18.3 overs, extending their unbeaten away run in the ongoing IPL season.
RCB's bowlers had put the squeeze on DC, with Josh Hazlewood and the spinners limiting the home side to a total of 162 for six.
RCB’s victory marked their seventh win from ten games, while DC suffered their third loss in nine matches. Both teams remain on track for a play-off spot.
At 26 for three, RCB felt the pressure, but Krunal and Kohli stabilised the innings. In his maiden season with RCB, Krunal has contributed significantly with both bat and ball. On Sunday, his timely hits on a tricky surface helped RCB achieve a fine win. His straight drive through the line off Mukesh Kumar and an aerial shot over cover off Kuldeep Yadav stood out among his four sixes.
Kohli’s consistency continued to impress, and his knock against DC was his sixth fifty-plus score in ten innings this season. His straight drive off Mitchell Starc was a particular highlight.
However, the night truly belonged to Krunal, who collected just his second 50-plus score in 116 IPL innings.
Earlier, K.L. Rahul (41 off 39 balls) top-scored for DC, but it was Tristian Stubbs (34 off 18 balls) who helped the hosts post a competitive total.
RCB chose to bowl first, hoping for better conditions during their chase. Despite Faf du Plessis’s (22 off 26 balls) struggles, Abhishek Porel’s (28 off 11) blistering cameo powered DC to 52 for two in the powerplay. Porel’s sixes off Bhuvneshwar Kumar—one over mid-wicket and another over fine leg—highlighted his form.
As du Plessis found it difficult at the other end, Porel anchored DC's start. Lead pacer Hazlewood struck quickly, dismissing Porel after just three balls. Karun Nair’s short-arm pull was a rare moment of flourish before he fell to Yash Dayal.
Spinners Sharma and Krunal combined to stem the flow of runs in overs seven through ten, conceding only 20 runs. Krunal took the key wicket of du Plessis during that phase.
Only in the latter stages did DC show some momentum, with Stubbs' explosive shots propelling them past the 160-mark. The 18th and 19th overs, bowled by Hazlewood and Dayal, added 17 and 19 runs, helping DC to 162.
Follow us
