Krunal Pandya shines as RCB beat Delhi Capitals

DC will take on KKR in next match and will look to bounce back to winning ways

Mentor Kevin Pietersen reflects on DC’s loss against RCB

Rakesh Thapliyal

New Delhi :  Delhi Capitals went down by 6 wickets against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their ninth match of IPL 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday.

After being put into bat, Delhi Capitals put up 162/8 in 20 overs. Wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul scored 41 off 39 while Tristan Stubbs struck 34 off 18 for the side. Later, RCB chased down the target in the penultimate over.

RCB became the first team in IPL history to win six consecutive away matches. The former finalists jumped to the top of the IPL 2025 points table with seven wins from 10 games.

The Axar Patel-led side is placed at number four in the points table with 12 points from nine matches and will now take on Kolkata Knight Riders at Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.

Krunal Pandya was the star of the evening for RCB, smashing an unbeaten 73 off just 47 balls after delivering a miserly spell of left-arm spin. It was Krunal’s first fifty-plus score in the IPL since his debut season in 2016. Virat Kohli also continued his fine form in run-chases, scoring 51 off 47 balls – his fourth fifty-plus score in IPL 2025 while chasing.

Reflecting on the match, Delhi Capitals’ Mentor, Kevin Pietersen, during the post-match presser said, “We lost the toss. I think we were also going to chase (if we had won the toss). Winning the toss was very important. I think batting got a little bit easier towards the end. It was a little bit harder in the first innings for us especially in the middle overs as the wicket was dry. I just think the conditions and the toss probably just didn’t play in our favour.”

Talking about the team’s overall performance, the former England cricketer said, “We haven’t quite hit our perfect game yet as a team. I think it’s more, we haven’t really played that complete game. For us to be sitting where we’re sitting with 12 points, knowing that we actually haven’t really hit our straps in all departments, is a good thing.”

“Tonight the guys believed we could win, even when Bengaluru were almost across the line, because of previous games that we have won. So, we haven’t played our perfect match yet, and I do believe that it’s coming,” he added.

Pietersen had words of praise for KL Rahul and the conversations he has had with the Indian batter. “KL (Rahul) has been playing in a very positive manner since late last year. We saw how he sealed the deal for India in the Champions Trophy in Dubai. I’ve had a lot of incredibly brilliant conversations with him about batting.”