A Dominant Display from Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar
Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a sensational performance that led the Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a convincing nine-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The match, held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, saw RCB dominate from start to finish, with DC’s batting lineup crumbling under the pressure of the two pace bowlers.
The right-arm pace duo set the tone early on, ripping through DC’s batting order with a devastating new-ball spell. Their efforts were so effective that DC were bundled out for just 75 runs, marking one of the lowest totals of the season. Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli then showcased their class, scoring 34 and 23 not out respectively, to wrap up the chase with 81 balls to spare.
Unstoppable Partnership
Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar combined for six wickets within the first four overs, delivering a performance that was more akin to a Test match than an IPL game. Their deliveries exhibited significant movement and bounce, leaving the batters struggling to find any rhythm. This relentless pressure ensured that DC were bowled out for the lowest score of the season.
Abishek Porel was the only bright spot for DC, scoring 30 off 33 balls. However, no other batter managed to cross 20, as they fell like ninepins. Hazlewood took 4 wickets for 12 runs, while Bhuvneshwar claimed 3 wickets for 5 runs. Their partnership was historic, as they became the first pair of bowlers in IPL history to each take three wickets inside the powerplay in the same game.
A Historic Powerplay Performance
According to CricViz, DC became the second team in IPL history to lose six wickets inside the powerplay in a non-rain-curtailed game. The only previous instance occurred in 2011 when Kochi Tuskers Kerala lost six wickets against Deccan Chargers. Both incidents happened on April 27, adding an interesting twist to the history of the tournament.
The match began with Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s probing away-swinging delivery drawing an edge off debutant Sahil Parakh, who was dismissed for a duck. On the very next ball, Bhuvneshwar struck with a lethal yorker that castled Parakh. Hazlewood then continued the carnage, taking two wickets in as many deliveries.
A Tumultuous Batting Effort
KL Rahul was cramped by a short ball, leading to a top edge that was caught by Jitesh Sharma. Debutant Sameer Rizvi was also dismissed after chasing a ball around the off-stump. Tristan Stubbs briefly lifted DC’s spirits by hitting a boundary off Hazlewood’s hat-trick ball, but his reprieve was short-lived as Bhuvneshwar took another wicket.
Hazlewood then completed DC’s misery by dismissing Nitish Rana, while Bhuvneshwar took the wicket of Axar Patel. The final wicket came when Porel was dismissed by a pin-perfect yorker from Hazlewood, bringing an end to DC’s innings.
RCB’s Easy Chase
RCB’s pursuit of a modest 76 began with Jacob Bethell scoring a boundary. Virat Kohli, surrounded by chants of “Kohli, Kohli,” got off the mark with a boundary. Bethell then launched a string of sixes, including a monstrous 104m hit. His dismissal came when he mistimed a shot, and T Natarajan took a stunning catch.
Padikkal and Kohli continued to dominate, with Padikkal hitting a shot of the night, lofting the ball over mid-off for a six. RCB ended the powerplay at 65/1, with Kohli finishing off the chase in style with a couple of sixes.
A Record-Breaking Match
Delhi Capitals were all out for 75 in 16.3 overs, with Abishek Porel scoring 30 and David Miller contributing 19. The loss came against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who reached 77/1 in 6.3 overs, with Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli remaining not out. The victory marked a comprehensive win for the defending champions.
