Virat Kohli, the maestro of the chase, orchestrated a dominant nine-wicket victory for Royal Challengers Bengaluru against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Sunday, April 13, 2025.
On a tricky Sawai Mansingh pitch offering variable bounce, Kohli's masterful innings showcased his unparalleled skill and cricketing intelligence.
Facing a target of 174, Kohli began with his trademark composure, allowing his explosive opening partner, Phil Salt, to ignite the innings.
Salt's blistering 65 off just 33 deliveries, punctuated by towering sixes and audacious strokes, provided the perfect platform during the powerplay. Their 92-run opening stand put RCB firmly in control.
Once Salt departed, Kohli seamlessly shifted gears, transitioning from a steady 30 off 28 balls to a match-winning unbeaten 62. His exceptional ability to rotate the strike and find crucial boundaries ensured the chase remained firmly on track, transforming what could have been a tense encounter into a comfortable victory.
This innings was not just another masterful chase for Kohli; it was a historic milestone. His unbeaten fifty marked his 66th IPL half-century, drawing him level with David Warner for the most in the league's history.
More significantly, it was his 100th T20 fifty, a testament to his enduring consistency and longevity across all formats of the game.
Kohli's innings was a clinic in game awareness. He expertly adjusted his approach after Salt's dismissal, forging a steady partnership with Devdutt Padikkal. Together, they navigated the remaining runs with ease, rotating the strike and finding the gaps, ensuring no alarms for the RCB faithful.
While RCB's bowlers, particularly Krunal Pandya and Josh Hazlewood, played their part in restricting the Royals to 173/4, it was Kohli's masterful guidance with the bat that steered the team to victory.
Even a dropped catch early in the RR innings didn't unsettle the RCB captain, whose calm demeanour permeated the chase.
This emphatic win marks RCB's fourth consecutive victory away from home, propelling them to a commendable third place on the points table.
More than just a win, this performance further solidifies Virat Kohli's status as one of the most consistent and influential T20 players of all time.
His unwavering ability to perform under pressure and his remarkable longevity continue to set the standard for excellence in the world of T20 cricket, proving once again why he remains the heartbeat of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Phil Salt's Powerplay Carnage Flattens Royals
Phil Salt turned what could have been a tense chase into a ruthless demolition job, powering RCB to a crushing nine wicket win over RR.
His blistering 65 off just 33 deliveries made light work of the target on a sluggish, two-paced pitch, propelling RCB to their fourth straight away win and back into the playoff positions.
From the very first ball, Salt was in control. Facing his old friend and England teammate Jofra Archer, he showed no hesitation, top-edging a six to signal his intent.
Despite the pitch offering variable bounce and little timing assistance, Salt's fearless approach and tactical nous stood out.
He danced across the stumps to access the leg side, consistently disrupted the bowlers' lengths, and peppered all parts of the ground with power and precision.
Salt didn't just attack -- he attacked smartly. Knowing the shorter boundary was on the leg side for Archer, he targeted that area with brutal efficiency. Two sixes and a four came through clever movement and calculated risk.
When Sandeep Sharma came into the attack with the shorter boundary now on the off-side, Salt adjusted accordingly, stepping away to launch him over mid-off. His awareness, shot selection, and clarity of thought were as impressive as his raw hitting power.
He brought up his second fifty of the season off just 28 balls, eventually finishing with 5 fours and 6 sixes in his 65-run blitz. Even a couple of let-offs -- a tough return catch missed by Sandeep on 23 and a drop by Yashavi Jaiswal on 40 -- couldn't slow him down.
By the time he was dismissed by Kumar Kartikeya, Salt had already broken the back of the chase, putting on a 92 run opening stand with Virat Kohli and leaving RCB needing just 82 from 68 balls.
Salt's assault in the Powerplay was the game's turning point. RCB scored 65 runs in the first six overs without losing a wicket, while RR had managed just 45 -- the second-lowest Powerplay total without a loss this season.
That 20-run gap, created entirely by Salt's fearless and tactical hitting, proved decisive.
While Kohli played the steady hand with a composed, unbeaten 62 -- reaching his 100th T20 half-century -- it was Salt who lit the fuse and left Rajasthan Royals stunned. His ability to blend brute force with sharp game awareness is what makes him such a valuable asset.
With Salt in this kind of form and RCB riding high, their away dominance might just be the beginning of a deeper charge into the IPL 2025 playoffs.
Jaiswal's Solo Show Amid RR's Batting Collapse
On a pitch where stroke-making resembled a lottery and timing was hard to come by, Yashasvi Jaiswal batted like a man untouched by conditions.
His composed yet commanding 75 off 47 balls was the heartbeat of the Royals' 173/4 against RCB -- a knock defined by fluency, courage, and creativity.
While others around him struggled to find rhythm, Jaiswal looked in sublime touch from the outset. He didn't wait for the 'perfect ball' to attack -- instead, he made deliveries work for him.
His first boundary was a statement: Charging down to a back-of-a-length ball from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, he converted it into a scoring opportunity, setting the tone for his innings.
Jaiswal's control against spin was especially striking. Employing reverse sweeps, lap shots, and deft footwork, he neutralised RCB's tweakers with skill and confidence. He brought up his fifty in 35 balls and kept ticking along with a combination of placement, power, and innovation.
No moment captured his brilliance better than a stunning scoop off Josh Hazlewood -- the Australian had gone wide of off stump to deny him room on the leg side, but Jaiswal moved across and scooped him over fine leg anyway.
It was a shot of audacity and awareness, and a reminder of just how far the young opener has come.
He stitched a steady 56 run partnership with Riyan Parag, keeping the Royals afloat as wickets fell at the other end. Sanju Samson, for instance, struggled to get going, crawling to 13 off 16 balls.
But Jaiswal kept the scoreboard moving with smart running and regular boundaries. He struck 10 fours and 2 sixes in all, accounting for the bulk of RR's boundary tally during the Powerplay -- where they managed just 45 runs, six of those seven boundaries coming from Jaiswal's bat.
Just as he looked set to launch into a final flurry, Jaiswal fell to Hazlewood in the 17th over, trapped LBW while trying to press the accelerator. His wicket briefly threatened to stall RR's momentum, but Dhruv Jurel's late cameo, aided by a dropped chance from Virat Kohli, lifted them past the 170 mark.
Despite the eventual result -- a dominant RCB win led by Phil Salt's fireworks -- Jaiswal's innings stood tall. It was not just a display of shot-making but of game sense and adaptability.
His knock was the only real batting highlight in RR's innings, and a reminder of why he is considered one of the brightest young stars in the league.
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