DC vs RCB Highlights, IPL 2025: Virat Kohli, Krunal Pandya shine as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Delhi Capitals to become table-toppers

Vipraj Nigam to Virat Kohli, Comes into the attack and bowls it full, on middle and leg, Virat Kohli tucks it to the leg side.

Mitchell Starc to Krunal Pandya, Short again, over off, Krunal Pandya tries to ramp it behind but misses. Royal Challengers Bengaluru end the Powerplay at 35/3. 

Mitchell Starc to Krunal Pandya, A huge appeal from KL Rahul alone for caught behind but is turned down. Axar Patel does not opt for the review. Length, around off and shaping away just that bit to beat the bat on the outside edge. There is a noise as the ball goes past the bat, but seems like it's the bat brushing the pad. The UltraEdge shows no spike and turns out as a wise decision from DC not to review it. 

Mitchell Starc to Krunal Pandya, Gets the ball to shape away, full and on off, Krunal Pandya firms it straight to cover.

Mitchell Starc to Krunal Pandya, A fierce bouncer, over middle and off, Krunal Pandya sways away from the line to let it pass. 

Mitchell Starc to Virat Kohli, On a length, on middle and leg, Virat Kohli tucks it square on the leg side for a single.

Mitchell Starc to Virat Kohli, FOUR! Greeted back with a glorious straight drive! Starc goes full and on middle, Virat Kohli keeps his head steady, shows full face of the bat and times his drive, straight down the ground for a boundary. Right from the Textbook!

Mitchell Starc comes back into the attack now.

Axar Patel to Virat Kohli, Comes from around the stumps now. On a dragged length on the stumps. Kohli tucks it to deep square leg for a single to end the over.

Axar Patel to Krunal Pandya,  On the shorter side, on the off stump. Krunal works it to deep midwicket for a single.

Axar Patel to Krunal Pandya, Sees the batter step out and fires it in, quicker, and onto the bodyline. Krunal Pandya adjusts to push it out. 

Axar Patel to Virat Kohli, A bit short again and on off, Virat Kohli rocks back and punches it to deep cover for a single.

Axar Patel to Krunal Pandya, Short and on middle, Krunal tucks it to deep mid-wicket and takes a single to get off the mark. 

Axar Patel to Krunal Pandya, Angled across, Krunal tucks it to the left of the bowler. The batters initially think to steal a single, but abort the plan right away.

Krunal Pandya walks in at number 5 for RCB. 

A direct hit at the bowling end and Delhi Capitals feel they have their man! Karun Nair with an absolute bullseye of a hit at the bowling end. Rajat Patidar dives but still cannot make it back in time.

Mukesh Kumar to Virat Kohli, OUT! RUN OUT! The RCB skipper departs now and they are in deep trouble. Speared on a fuller length, curling on the leg stump line, Virat Kohli flicks it towards the mid-wicket fielder. Karun Nair stops it sharply, but Rajat Patidar sniffs a single as he sees Kohli taking initial steps ahead, and is almost halfway through. But soon realizes as the fielder releases the throw. Patidar turns back and tries to drag the bat inside the crease, but Nair moves to his left, picks the ball, and releases a flat throw and scores a direct hit at the bowler's end. The ball ricochets off the stumps and races away to the leg side, and with no proper backup in the leg side, it rolls into the fence. However, the side-on replay shows that Rajat Patidar is short of his crease. Rajat Patidar departs on a run-a-ball 6, and RCB have slipped down to 26/3.

Mukesh Kumar to Rajat Patidar, A leg cutter, angling on the pads, on a good length, Rajat Patidar glances it off the back foot to deep backward square leg. Gets a single.

Mukesh Kumar to Rajat Patidar, On the nagging length, around off, Rajat gets on the back foot and punches it off the inside half of the bat to mid on.

Mukesh Kumar to Rajat Patidar, Shaping away from outside off, on a fuller length, pushed straight to cover.

Mukesh Kumar to Rajat Patidar, Aims the stumps now, full and on middle, Rajat Patidar respects it and blocks it out.

Mukesh Kumar to Rajat Patidar, FOUR! Helped away! Mukesh errs in both line and length. On the length, at the pads, Rajat Patidar uses the pace and just tickles it along the ground, to deep fine leg for a boundary.

Mukesh Kumar is introduced into the attack. He replaces Mitchell Starc!

Axar Patel to Virat Kohli, Full, on off, Virat Kohli nudges it to point and looks to sneak a run but is rightfully sent back by Patidar.

Axar Patel to Rajat Patidar, Slows it up and keeps it on a length, around off, Rajat Patidar is early on the stroke and checks his shot uppishly but to the vacant mid off region for a single. 

The skipper, Rajat Patidar, walks in at number 4 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Axar Patel to Devdutt Padikkal, OUT! DRAGGED ON! The DC skipper leading from the front with a double whammy! Axar, this time bowls it flat and quick through the air, it is that arm ball, on a length, just outside off, Devdutt Padikkal is hurried into the cut shot and goes through to power it away to the off side. But ends up inside edging it back on the stumps. Devdutt Padikkal departs on a two-ball duck, and RCB are rocked early - 20/2.

Axar Patel to Devdutt Padikkal, Slightly on a length, on the stumps, Devdutt Padikkal hangs back and punches it straight back.

Devdutt Padikkal, the impact substitute, walks in at number 3 for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Axar Patel to Jacob Bethell, OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! CAUGHT! Axar Patel provides an early wicket for DC! He bowls it on the leg stump line and just a yard behind the fuller length. It lands and holds up a bit on the deck. Jacob Bethell rocks back and shapes up to pull it over deep square leg, but he plays the shot a bit too early, and the ball stays a bit low as well. Mistimes it in the air, and the ball dips ahead of the deep square leg fielder. Karun Nair runs forward, dives and scoops the ball before the grass. Jacob Bethell departs for 12 (6).

Axar Patel to Virat Kohli, Flighted up, full and on off, Virat Kohli plants the front foot out and drives it to long off. Runs an easy single.

Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, FOUR! Excellent placement from Bethell! Starc bashes the hard length, angling on the middle and leg, Jacob Bethell again brings his wrists in play and heaves across, a bit uppishly, but to the left of mid-wicket for a boundary.

Mitchell Starc to Jacob Bethell, SIX! Timed to perfection! On a nagging length, holds its shape on middle, Jacob Bethell uses his wrists and just whips it over square leg. It lands right on the boundary cushions for a six.

Mitchell Starc to Virat Kohli, Some reverse on it, on a length, around off, Virat Kohli leans ahead and hits it off the inside half of the bat to deep backward square leg. A single taken and an exchange of smiles between Kohli and Starc.

Mitchell Starc to Virat Kohli, FOUR! HAMMERED AWAY! Back of a length, just angling across off, Virat Kohli stands tall and slashes it just over the leaping point fielder for a boundary.

Mitchell Starc to Virat Kohli, Hits the deck hard, does Starc, on the leg stump, Virat Kohli gets right behind it and solidly blocks it out.

Mitchell Starc to Virat Kohli, Begins from over the stumps, and lands full, no swing on offer, on off, Virat Kohli strides across and drives it straight to cover.

It will be Mitchell Starc to share the attack from the other end.

Axar Patel to Virat Kohli, Nicely tossed up, drifting on the off stump, full in length, Virat Kohli gets forward and drives it through mid off for a single. A tight start from Axar. RCB are 4/0.

Axar Patel to Jacob Bethell, Quicker and flatter around off, Jacob hangs back and tucks across to deep square leg for a single.

Axar Patel to Jacob Bethell, On a shorter length, just outside off, punched back to the bowler.

Axar Patel to Virat Kohli, Floated on a length, around off, Virat Kohli drills it down to long off for a single. Kohli is off the mark.

Axar Patel to Virat Kohli, BEATEN! An arm ball, just around off, on a fractional fuller length, Kohli gets half forward to drive to the off side, but the ball beats the inside edge, passing scaringly close to the off pole.

Axar Patel to Jacob Bethell, Starts from around the stumps, on a shorter length, on the leg stump, turning further in, Jacob Bethell tucks it away to deep square leg and gets off the mark with a single.

We are back with RCB's reply! The two umpires make their way out to the middle and are followed by the new opening pair for RCB - Jacob Bethell, on his IPL debut, along with Virat Kohli. Delhi Capitals spread out in the field too. Axar Patel takes the new ball himself and will start the proceedings. Away we go!

... THE RUN CHASE ...

Right then, 163 is the score that RCB need to get the win and move up to 14 points, which will take them clear at the top of the table and it shouldn't be too difficult with their current form. However, DC also have the same incentive if they win, so they won't make it easy for RCB, who are still unbeaten away from home. A fascinating chase is up next.

Josh Hazlewood of Royal Challengers Bengaluru is up for a quick chat. He first wears the Purple Cap as he now becomes the leading wicket-taker in the season with 18 wickets in 10 matches. He says he has enjoyed it and thinks he has only gotten better every game. Says Tristan Stubbs batted really well in the end on a tough pitch. On the wicket, he highlights that it is a tough wicket to read. Says the environment in the team is really nice and things are turning up nicely. Says it is just about following the process and executing the plans right. He then appreciates Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the way he bowled.

The lowest total for Delhi Capitals this season while setting a total and they will be pleased in the end to have breached the 160-run mark. Abishek Porel started off in style but fell quite early and KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis had to do the rebuild work. Faf couldn't kick on after a slow start and Rahul also ended up giving his wicket away at a crucial juncture. Skipper, Axar Patel got away a couple of boundaries but it was Tristan Stubbs who was the difference maker between a total of around 140 and the final total of 162, which will give their bowlers some hope.

Rajat Patidar had no hesitation in bowling first on a track that seemed a bit two-paced to begin with. After a couple of overs, it was clear that there was some uneven bounce and some balls were skidding through, whereas some were holding in the deck. RCB got a couple of wickets in the Powerplay, which helped, but it was the spinners in the middle phase who really suffocated the opposition batters. Josh Hazlewood picked up an early wicket and then came back in to break a brewing stand, but both he and Yash Dayal got some stick at the death. It was Bhuvneshwar Kumar who bowled a couple of stellar overs at the death and ensured that DC weren't able to wrestle back all of the momentum heading into the break.