Skipper Rajat Patidar credits powerplay dominance and confident batting display from Phil Salt and Virat Kohli as Royal Challengers Bengaluru chase down 174 with ease in Jaipur.
Jaipur, April 13: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) delivered a clinical all-round performance to dismantle Rajasthan Royals (RR) by nine wickets in their IPL 2025 clash at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Sunday. Chasing 174, Phil Salt’s explosive 75 and Virat Kohli’s measured 62* guided RCB home in just 17.3 overs.
Skipper Rajat Patidar was all praise for his bowling unit, particularly for their tight execution during the powerplay that restricted the Royals’ scoring.
“The way the bowlers executed their plans was amazing. The powerplay made all the difference. On a surface like this, we were targeting 150-170, and the confidence these bowlers give is massive,” said Patidar in the post-match presentation.
He also lauded opener Phil Salt for his power-packed knock and Kohli for playing the anchor role to perfection.
“I really enjoyed Salt’s batting from the dugout, and VK’s rotation of strike made it look easy. We always aim to play positive cricket,” he added.
Match Recap:
After RR posted a respectable 173/4, riding on Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 75 and Dhruv Jurel’s gritty 35, RCB’s bowlers kept things tight, especially during the early overs. Krunal Pandya (1/29), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/32), Josh Hazlewood (1/26), and Yash Dayal (1/36) each picked up a wicket, while Suyash Sharma remained wicketless.
In reply, Phil Salt wasted no time unleashing an onslaught, smashing 46 off just 23 balls during the powerplay as RCB raced to 65/0 in six overs. Salt reached his half-century in the 8th over before finishing with a brisk 75. Kohli (62*) played second fiddle with finesse, while Devdutt Padikkal chipped in with a handy 40 (28), adding 83 runs for the second wicket.
The emphatic win not only boosts RCB’s momentum but also their Net Run Rate as the tournament heats up.