Royal Challengers Bengaluru squandered a golden opportunity to seal a top-two finish on the IPL points table, crashing to a 42 run defeat against a spirited Sunrisers Hyderabad in Lucknow on Friday, May 23, 2025.
The result left RCB on 17 points, slipping to third behind Gujarat Titans (18) and Punjab Kings (17) -- and more worryingly, it dealt a major blow to their Net Run Rate.
Chasing a formidable 232 set up by a resurgent Ishan Kishan, RCB were cruising with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt blazing to 80 in seven overs. But what looked like a textbook run chase quickly spiraled into a cautionary tale -- from 173 for 3 to 189 all out.
For the first hour of the innings, they were ahead of the required rate, with Salt and Kohli setting the stage with explosive intent.
Kohli, playing in his first IPL game since retiring from Test cricket, looked in prime touch. He blazed away to 43 off 25 balls, hammering Harshal Patel and Eshan Malinga all over the park.
Salt, meanwhile, started cautiously, reaching just 14 off his first 12 deliveries. But once he settled, he cut loose -- hammering 48 off his next 20 balls, including a tennis-style forehand six off Nitish Kumar Reddy that brought the crowd to its feet.
Together, Salt and Kohli motored to 80 in just seven overs, at a rate that made the steep target seem manageable. But then came the turning point -- and the unravelling.
The First Dent: Kohli Falls Again to Left-Arm Spin
The tide began to shift when Kohli was dismissed by Harsh Dubey, the highest wicket-taker in this season's Ranji Trophy and a rising left-arm spin threat. For the 22nd time in T20s, Kohli fell to left-arm spin -- an old and persistent weakness. He looked to glide the ball past point but only succeeded in finding the fielder.
That dismissal opened the door for Sunrisers. Salt, cramping heavily after his explosive fifty, tried to maintain the tempo. But a well-executed off-pace delivery from Pat Cummins ended his stay at 62 (32), as he holed out to mid-off. Suddenly, RCB had lost both set batters -- and the match began slipping away.
The Turning Point: The Patidar-Jitesh Mix-Up
Even after Salt's dismissal, RCB were still in the chase. Rajat Patidar and Jitesh Sharma -- two aggressive middle-order batters -- kept the scoreboard ticking, adding 44 off 24 balls to take the side to 173 for 3 in the 16th over.
Then came the calamitous moment that broke RCB's back. A mix-up in the middle between Jitesh and Rajat Patidar led to a terrible run-out. Patidar, halfway down the pitch, was sent back too late and run out by a direct hit from Malinga, who had just returned for a fresh spell.
From there, RCB's innings spiraled into chaos. In the same over, Malinga dismissed Romario Shepherd for a golden duck. That twin blow not only robbed RCB of momentum, but left them without finishers.
Collapse: From 173 for 3 to 189 All Out
What followed was a textbook implosion.
Jitesh, after a promising 24 off 15 balls, fell trying to clear deep midwicket. Tim David, returning from a hamstring concern, scratched around for 1 off 5 balls before finding the fielder at long-on.
Even with 53 needed off the last 18 balls, there was an outside chance if someone caught fire. But the lower order couldn't get going.
Cummins bowled Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Krunal Pandya was dismissed hit-wicket attempting to reach for a wide yorker. The final over from Harshal Patel saw Yash Dayal hole out after a series of dot balls.
From needing 69 off 36 with seven wickets in hand, RCB lost their last seven wickets for just 16 runs in 35 deliveries -- a stunning 7-for-26 collapse that snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
SRH's Bowling Nerves Hold
For all the talk of a flat pitch and power-hitting, SRH's bowlers executed under pressure.
Pat Cummins led the attack with 3/28, showing why he remains one of the world's premier T20 captains. Malinga's 2/37 included two match-turning wickets. Reddy's accurate pace-off deliveries and Dubey's spin added variety.
And perhaps most critically, SRH fielded well -- a direct hit run-out, good catching, and energetic boundary fielding helped choke RCB just when they needed freedom.
Reality Check for RCB
After the game, Jitesh Sharma offered a measured perspective on the defeat.
'Sometimes losing a game is actually a good thing -- it gives you a chance to reassess,' the RCB 'keeper said.
'The positives are that everyone's contributing. This setback gives us an opportunity to look inward and reset. We'll move forward.'
But make no mistake -- this was a sobering reminder for RCB that blistering starts mean little without composure at the death.
The Salt-Kohli opening stand had them flying, but poor running, a critical mix-up, and a middle-order meltdown turned a winnable chase into a collapse.
Salt's resurgence and Kohli's fluent knock were bright spots. Yet unless RCB tighten up their finishing and handle pressure better, their road to the IPL final will be littered with missed chances and what-ifs.
© 2025