Josh Hazlewood’s Precision Leads RCB To Dominant Win Over KKR in IPL 2025 Opener

March 23, 2025: Josh Hazlewood delivered a brilliant performance with the ball to lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a dominant victory in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 opener against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The Australian pacer set the tone for RCB right from the start, picking up crucial wickets and showcasing impeccable control over his line and length. Hazlewood’s figures of 2/22, including a key dismissal of Quinton de Kock early in the innings and a late strike on Harshit Rana, were instrumental in limiting KKR to a below-par total of 174/8.

Hazlewood’s disciplined approach, which saw him bowl 16 dot balls and maintain an economy of just 5.50, made him the standout fast bowler of the match. His success was built on sticking to short and short-of-good-length deliveries, which proved effective given the moist conditions after the pitch had been under covers for nearly two days. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Hazlewood revealed that his decision to favour these lengths was informed by the pitch conditions.

“The full ball probably wasn’t gonna do as much unless you were searching for swing. I found that it was sort of sticking in the wicket a little, and the bounce was quite good,” Hazlewood explained. He also praised his performance against dangerous players like Quinton de Kock, saying, “I know I went a little wide to him and he hit me for four. The plan was not trying to go too full or too short, really sticking to those hard lengths.”

In addition to his own efforts, Hazlewood commended RCB’s collective bowling performance, which restricted KKR’s powerful batting lineup. He specifically highlighted Krunal Pandya’s match-winning 3-wicket spell and Suyash Sharma’s key dismissal of Andre Russell. These breakthroughs ensured KKR’s collapse towards the end, adding just 23 runs in the final four overs.

“KP [Krunal] bowled beautifully through the middle. Luckily, I got to bowl to sort of the tail towards the end,” Hazlewood said. “The hard lengths work best here most of the time.”

Hazlewood, who returned to RCB this season as their most expensive auction pick at INR 12.50 crore (USD 1.49 million), also praised RCB’s fresh and enthusiastic squad. Despite the team’s recent four-match losing streak to KKR, the new faces, including Phil Salt and the opening partnership between him and Virat Kohli, brought in a much-needed positive energy. Salt and Kohli’s 95-run partnership laid the foundation for a successful chase, with RCB comfortably reaching the target with seven wickets to spare.

“It’s a positive influence – fresh people, fresh mindset, I think it’s big,” Hazlewood reflected. “You mention the last four losses to KKR, but I don’t think anyone in the room would have known that because we gave about six caps before the game started. That’s like a fresh start almost.”

Hazlewood, who missed the 2024 IPL season due to injury, also shared his thoughts on his fitness. Following a calf injury, the pacer had worked hard to recover and was confident that the four overs in T20 cricket didn’t put too much strain on his body. “I feel like I got through the game very well. I know the intensity is through the roof, but it’s only four overs,” he said, adding that he expected to grow stronger as the tournament progressed.

With Hazlewood’s remarkable spell and an all-round team effort, RCB registered an easy win in their IPL 2025 opener. They will look to continue their winning momentum as they aim for a strong campaign in the tournament.