Lucknow, May 23, 2025 – The 65th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 saw Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. Originally scheduled to be played at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the match was relocated due to adverse weather conditions in South India, marking RCB’s second consecutive “home” game in Lucknow. With RCB aiming to secure a top-two finish and SRH looking to end their campaign on a high note, the stage was set for an intriguing clash.
Toss and Team News
RCB led by Jitesh Sharma, won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision influenced by the chasing-friendly nature of the Ekana Stadium, where teams batting second have won five out of six matches this season. The pitch, a red-soil surface preferred by RCB, promised more bounce and carry with the potential for sharp turn, setting the stage for an exciting contest.RCB made a notable change to their lineup, with Mayank Agarwal stepping in for the injured Devdutt Padikkal at No. 3. Josh Hazlewood, still recovering from a shoulder niggle, was unavailable, with Yash Dayal and Lungi Ngidi expected to lead the pace attack. SRH, meanwhile, welcomed back Travis Head, fully recovered from COVID, alongside Jaydev Unadkat, who returned after missing the previous game
RCB Playing XI:
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Jitesh Sharma (wk/c), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Lungi Ngidi, Suyash Sharma.
SRH Playing XI:
Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga.
Here are the Impact substitutes for both the teams:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact Subs: Rajat Patidar, Rasikh Dar Salam, Jacob Bethell, Manoj Bhandage, Swapnil Singh
Sunrisers Hyderabad Impact Subs: Mohammad Shami, Harsh Dubey, Sachin Baby, Zeeshan Ansari, Simarjeet Singh.
Match Summary
SRH started aggressively, with openers Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head aiming to capitalize on the powerplay. Abhishek, fresh off a 20-ball 59 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) earlier in the week, looked in fine touch, but RCB’s bowlers, led by Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal, kept things tight. The red-soil pitch offered early seam movement, which troubled SRH’s top order. Despite a promising start, SRH lost wickets in quick succession, with Krunal Pandya’s spin proving effective in the middle overs.Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy attempted to stabilize the innings, but RCB’s disciplined bowling, backed by sharp fielding, restricted SRH to a modest total. Pat Cummins contributed with a quick cameo, but SRH could only manage a score in the range of 170-180, considered par at Ekana given the pitch conditions.Chasing, RCB relied on their formidable top order. Virat Kohli, in scintillating form with 505 runs in 11 innings this season at an average of 63.12, anchored the innings. Phil Salt, returning after a month-long break, provided an explosive start, while Mayank Agarwal, making his first appearance of the season, showed composure. Despite an early wobble caused by Pat Cummins’ disciplined bowling, Kohli’s masterclass, supported by contributions from Jitesh Sharma and Tim David, guided RCB to a comfortable victory with overs to spare.
Key Performances
Virat Kohli (RCB): Continued his red-hot form, scoring a match-defining fifty, his fifth of the season, to steer RCB’s chase. His ability to adapt to the gripping pitch was crucial.
Abhishek Sharma (SRH): Set the tone with a brisk start but fell short of converting it into a big score. His 373 runs this season at a strike rate of 192.26 underline his importance to SRH.
Pat Cummins (SRH): Led from the front with the ball, picking up key wickets to keep SRH in the contest. His 13 wickets in 12 matches this season highlight his consistency.
Krunal Pandya (RCB): Exploited the turning track to choke SRH’s middle order, finishing with economical figures and earning praise for his all-round contribution.
Match Impact
RCB’s victory strengthened their position at second in the points table with 17 points from 12 matches, bolstering their chances of a top-two finish and a spot in Qualifier 1. A top-two position would give them two opportunities to reach the final, a significant advantage in the playoffs. SRH, already eliminated from playoff contention, showed fight but were outplayed by a clinical RCB side. The win also highlighted RCB’s depth and adaptability, especially in the absence of key pacer Josh Hazlewood.
Post-Match Reactions
Jitesh Sharma (RCB Captain): “We executed our plans well. The bowlers set the tone, and Virat’s knock made the chase look easy. We’re focused on maintaining momentum heading into the playoffs.”
Pat Cummins (SRH Captain): “We tried to put up a fight, but RCB were just too good today. Abhishek and Klaasen showed promise, and we’ll look to test some youngsters in our final game.”
Post a Comment