In a stark contrast to recent high-scoring affairs, bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar orchestrated a remarkable performance, crushing Delhi Capitals for 75 runs in an Indian Premier League (IPL) match. Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured a commanding nine-wicket victory, highlighting a rare bowler-dominated day in the league.
Hazlewood, with figures of 4-12, and Bhuvneshwar, taking 3-5, dismantled Delhi's lineup, leaving them at 13-6 within the first four overs-the lowest powerplay score in IPL history. The pitch offered significant seam movement and variable bounce, which the Bengaluru bowlers expertly exploited.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in pursuit of the modest target, lost Jacob Bethell but comfortably chased down the score in just 6.3 overs. The win solidified Bengaluru's second-place standing in the league.
"You don't expect that after 500-plus runs in the last game," commented player-of-the-match Hazlewood. "I just followed Bhuvi. There was a little bit there in the first six overs. It was a little bit up and down. Once the ball got soft it became consistent."
Despite brief resistance from Abhishek Porel (30) and David Miller (19), Delhi's early collapse proved insurmountable. Virat Kohli (23) and Devdutt Padikkal (34) guided Bengaluru to victory, with Kohli sealing the win with consecutive sixes. The defeat leaves Delhi Capitals languishing in seventh place in the 10-team league.