Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) put up a spirited show against Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL 2025 clash at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, thanks to a blend of brilliance with both bat and ball, highlighted by a stunning effort behind the stumps by keeper-batter Jitesh Sharma.
Defending a competitive total of 163, RCB struck early with the ball. Yash Dayal removed Faf du Plessis in the opening over, but the moment of the evening came in the very next over. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, delivering a deceptive 131kph back-of-length delivery that seamed away, forced an error from Jake Fraser-McGurk. The DC batter attempted a wild swipe across the line, only to edge it high behind the stumps.
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That’s where Jitesh Sharma produced a moment of magic. Moving swiftly to his left, he flung himself for a full-stretch dive. Though he fumbled on the first grab, he managed to hold on at the second attempt, using sharp reflexes and the very tips of his fingers to complete what could be one of the finest catches of the tournament so far.
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Earlier, RCB’s innings was a tale of two halves. The opening fireworks from Phil Salt and Virat Kohli saw them race to 61 without loss in just 3.4 overs. But a miscommunication led to Salt’s run out, triggering a collapse. From that point, RCB struggled to regain momentum.
It wasn’t until Tim David launched a late assault that RCB found some salvation. The powerful Australian struck 36 runs in the final two overs, lifting RCB to a total that looked modest initially but could prove tricky under lights.
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On the bowling front, DC’s spinners were in top form. Nigam and Kuldeep Yadav weaved a web around the RCB batters with flight, dip, and clever variations. Mohit and Mukesh chipped in with steady spells, though the latter was taken apart by David in the final over. Starc and Axar Patel, surprisingly, were less effective. Axar’s decision to bowl the 19th over especially proved costly.
At the halfway stage, 164 may not appear imposing, but with Chinnaswamy’s unpredictable surface, RCB will believe they’re in with a real chance. The chase promises to be a thriller.
