A complete performance kickstarted the defending champions’ title defence. After Sunrisers Hyderabad were restricted to 201 for 9 on a surface that had more runs on offer, Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased it down with ease, reaching the target in just 15.4 overs with six wickets to spare. Debutant Jacob Duffy set the tone with early strikes, before Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar ensured the chase was a formality.
Jacob Duffy's dream debut
Debutant Jacob Duffy was the standout performer for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, ensuring Josh Hazlewood’s absence went unnoticed. He dismantled SRH’s top order early, reducing them to 29 for 3 after they were asked to bat first. Duffy removed Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head in the same over and also sent back Nitish Kumar Reddy. The New Zealand pacer used the short ball effectively, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 22 in just seven overs, including 13 dot balls. His explosive spell prevented SRH from getting the kind of explosive start that could have added another 40-50 runs to their total.
Stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan played a blistering knock of 80 off just 38 balls, forming a crucial 97-run partnership with Heinrich Klaasen. Aniket Verma also chipped in with a fiery cameo, smashing 43 off 18 deliveries. Kishan tore into RCB’s spinners, smashing two sixes off Krunal Pandya and four boundaries off Suyash Sharma. Debutant Abhinandan Singh took heavy punishment, leaking 30 runs in his spell, though he eventually got Kishan’s wicket.
SRH were at 155 for 6 after 16 overs when Kishan departed, but Aniket Verma kept the momentum alive. His highlight came against Romario Shepherd, where he smashed 24 runs in a single over, including three sixes, before falling to the same bowler.
Easy job for Virat Kohli & Devdutt Padikkal
SRH clearly missed their captain, especially against the explosive start from RCB. Although Phil Salt failed to turn his strong fielding display into batting runs, there was no lack of firepower in the chase. Devdutt Padikkal launched a fierce assault right from the start. By the end of the powerplay, RCB had stormed to 76 for 1, with Padikkal smashing 46 off just 17 balls.
Padikkal brought up a rapid 21-ball fifty — the second-fastest by an RCB batter against SRH — as the team reached 100 in only 8.1 overs. He continued to dominate, being part of a century stand and finding the boundary regularly, before eventually falling to Harsh Dubey. RCB maintained strong momentum and were comfortably placed at 126 for 2 after 10 overs.
Kohli did exactly what he does best in successful chases: controlled the pace of the innings, picked his spots perfectly, and kept the opposition under pressure. Virat Kohli scored 30 off 19 balls during his 101-run partnership with Padikkal and was also given a lifeline when Heinrich Klaasen dropped him. In his subsequent 53-run stand with Rajat Patidar, Kohli once again played the aggressor. Finally, during a 40-run partnership with Tim David, the RCB skipper provided the finishing touches. He ended with an unbeaten knock featuring five fours and five sixes, striking at a brisk 181.58 in a classic Virat Kohli-style innings.
Phil Salt’s brilliant catching. He first took a simple catch at deep backward square leg to send back Travis Head. He then produced a diving effort near the deep midwicket boundary — which needed third-umpire review — to dismiss Heinrich Klaasen, who didn’t look entirely convinced. However, the highlight was his spectacular one-handed stunner near the point boundary to remove a dangerous Ishan Kishan. The athletic grab reminded many of AB de Villiers at his acrobatic peak.
SCORECARD: SRH 201/9 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 80 (38), Aniket Verma 43 (18); Jacob Duffy 3-22, Romario Shepherd 3-54) lost to RCB 203/4 in 15.4 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 61 (26), Virat Kohli 69* (38); David Payne 2-35) by 6 wickets.