Gujarat Titans (GT) put on a commanding performance to hand Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) their first loss of IPL 2025, securing an eight-wicket victory with 13 balls to spare at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. Mohammed Siraj, returning to face his former franchise, struck early with the ball, while Jos Buttler silenced his critics with a blistering 73* off 39 balls to guide GT home with ease.
Siraj’s Fiery Return Sets the Tone
Opting to bowl first, GT’s decision was justified as Siraj and Arshad Khan made early inroads. The much-anticipated face-off between Siraj and Virat Kohli lived up to the hype, albeit briefly, as Kohli flicked Arshad straight to deep square leg after striking an early boundary. Siraj, playing against RCB for the first time since being released, was relentless. He cleaned up Devdutt Padikkal with a sharp in-ducker before rattling Phil Salt’s off stump with a 145.9 kph thunderbolt.
RCB stumbled to 42 for 4 inside seven overs, with Ishant Sharma trapping Rajat Patidar lbw to add to their woes. But a crucial 52-run stand between Liam Livingstone (54 off 40) and Jitesh Sharma (23 off 16) steadied the innings. Livingstone provided the late push, taking on Rashid Khan with three sixes in an over, before Tim David’s 32 off 18 helped RCB post 169 for 8.
Buttler, Sudharsan Make Light Work of the Chase
Despite losing captain Shubman Gill (14 off 14) early to Bhuvneshwar Kumar, GT never looked in trouble. Buttler, under pressure after a lean patch for England, started cautiously but soon found his rhythm. Partnering with Sai Sudharsan, he dismantled the RCB attack, taking full advantage of wayward lengths from Rasikh Salam and Krunal Pandya.
The pair added 75 off 47 balls, with Sudharsan showcasing his finesse with a clever scoop and a straight drive for boundaries. However, just when he looked set for a fifty, he fell to Hazlewood, mistiming a lap shot to Jitesh behind the stumps.
Buttler, undeterred, accelerated further. A signature scoop over the keeper and a massive six off Hazlewood all but sealed the chase. Rutherford (30* off 18) finished things off in style, dispatching a short ball for six to complete GT’s dominant win.
RCB’s First Loss, GT’s Second Win
RCB’s bowling lacked bite despite Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood’s efforts, while their batting once again relied on the lower order for respectability. Meanwhile, GT’s all-round display, spearheaded by Siraj’s early strikes and Buttler’s calculated assault, cemented their credentials.
With two wins on the trot, GT looks like a team finding its groove, while RCB will need to regroup after their first setback of the season.
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