IPL 2025: RCB beat RR in Jaipur, enter top four
What's the story
Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Rajasthan Royals in Match 28 of the 2025 Indian Premier League season on April 13.
RCB comfortably chased down 174 in the double-header Saturday's first game, at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur.
Philip Salt and Virat Kohli starred in RCB's run-chase. Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal's 75 powered RR to 173/4 on a tricky surface.
Notably, RCB have re-entered the top four.
Match
A look at match summary
Sanju Samson and Jaiswal added 49 runs after RCB elected to field. While the former struggled, Jaiswal's fifty kept RR afloat.
Jaiswal and Riyan Parag powered RR past 100. They reached 174/4 on the back of Dhruv Jurel's unbeaten 35.
For RCB, Salt and Kohli gained early momentum with a 92-run stand. Devdutt Padikkal later joined Kohli, with RCB getting home in 17.3 overs.
Jaiswal
Jaiswal slams 47-ball 75
Jaiswal came out with a positive intent, on a wicket that had low bounce.
The youngster played his strokes, allowing his skipper Samson to settle down. Although the duo added 49 runs, the scoring rate was questionable.
Jaiswal, who was joined by Parag, smashed a 47-ball 75. He hammered 10 fours and 2 sixes before getting dismissed by Josh Hazlewood.
Stats
His second fifty of IPL 2025
Jaiswal brought up his second fifty of the ongoing IPL season. His only other fifty-plus score came against Punjab Kings (67) in Mullanpur.
In six matches this season, the star batter has slammed 182 runs from six games at an average of 30.33. His strike-rate reads 138.93.
Jaiswal also raced past 3,100 runs in T20 cricket (723 runs in T20Is).
Salt
Salt's match-winning knock
While Kohli took his time to read the pitch, Salt kept the scoreboard ticking. His exploits meant RCB tallied 65 in the powerplay.
The Englishman upped the scoring rate, having slammed a 28-ball half-century.
He fell to Kumar Kartikeya in the ninth over, scoring a 33-ball 65 (5 fours and 6 sixes).
With Salt's dismissal, RCB were 92/1 in 8.4 overs.
Bhuvneshwar
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's 300 T20 appearance
RCB pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered an economical spell in the first innings. He dismissed Shimron Hetmyer toward the end.
Once a mainstay pacer for India across formats, Bhuvneshwar completed 300 appearances in T20 cricket.
As per ESPNcricinfo, he became the first Indian pacer to complete 300 matches in the format.
Bhuvneshwar has now raced to 316 T20 wickets.
Kohli
Kohli slams 39-ball fifty
Kohli played second fiddle early on, with Salt attacking the RR bowlers. However, he broke the shackles once Salt departed.
Kohli evaded dot balls and ran for his runs in Jaipur's heat. A couple of quick boundaries from his blade brought the required run-rate further down.
Kohli, who slammed his fifty off 39 balls, scored 45-ball 62* (4 fours and 2 sixes).
Milestone
100 half-centuries in T20 cricket
Kohli has added another feather to his illustrious cap.
He has become only the second player with 100 half-centuries in T20 cricket. He is only behind Australia's David Warner (108) on this list.
Overall, Kohli has 109 fifty-plus scores in the format. His tally includes as many as nine tons.
Only three other batters own 100-plus fifty-plus scores in T20s.