🏏 RCB Finally Break the
Home Curse | PulseNext Sports Desk
Bengaluru, April 24:
At long last, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have ended their home jinx. Heading into Thursday night’s face-off against Rajasthan Royals (RR), RCB had a strange streak—undefeated in five away games but winless in three home matches. That streak came to a thrilling halt as RCB outplayed RR in a high-scoring contest at the Chinnaswamy, breathing life into their playoff push.
Powered by fluent fifties from Virat Kohli and Devdutt
Padikkal, along with late fireworks from Phil Salt, Tim David, and Jitesh
Sharma, RCB posted a daunting 205 on a two-paced surface. The pitch eased out
in the second innings, and RR started strong with Yashasvi Jaiswal’s explosive
cameo. Contributions from Riyan Parag, Nitish Rana, and Dhruv Jurel kept the
chase alive—until it wasn’t. Once again, RR collapsed in a chase they had in
the bag.
🔥 Hazlewood’s Ice-Cold Finish
Josh Hazlewood was simply sensational at the death. After
going for 26 in his first two overs, the Australian pacer delivered a clinical
final spell—conceding just 7 runs in his last two overs and snaring 3 vital
wickets. His penultimate over (the 19th) was a masterclass: just 1 run and 2
wickets that snuffed out RR’s final hopes. RCB head coach Andy Flower called
Hazlewood’s effort “world-class” in the post-match presser—and rightly so.
🎯 Jofra Archer: Brilliant but Unlucky
If there’s one bright spot in RR’s faltering campaign, it’s
Jofra Archer. The Englishman has bowled with venom all season, generating the
highest false shot percentage and most edges in the league. Yet, he has just
nine wickets to show for it. It’s déjà vu from his 2020 season—brilliant
individual stats, but a struggling team. Could this be another bottom-table
finish for the Royals?
🌀 Chinnaswamy’s Rare Spin Twist
Spin at Chinnaswamy? Yes, you read that right. While the
spotlight often stays on the pacers at this venue, RCB’s spin duo delivered a
game-turning middle-over choke. At 110/2 in 9 overs, RR looked well on course.
But Krunal Pandya struck with his very first ball, and from there, the Royals
unravelled. The middle overs turned into a slow spiral they couldn’t recover
from.
⚔️ Tonight: CSK vs SRH – A Do-or-Die Duel
Up next on the IPL calendar is a high-stakes clash between Chennai
Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chepauk. Both teams are
hanging by a thread in the playoff race. A loss tonight could mean curtains for
the season. CSK’s woes are many, SRH hasn’t found rhythm—who will step up when
it matters most? Catch our full match preview only on PulseNext Sports Desk.
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