IPL2026 : RCB’s Ruthless Bowling Carnage Sinks Delhi Despite Porel’s Resistance

 

It felt less like a live contest and more like a highlight reel of relentless domination. Wickets tumbled in a dramatic procession as Royal Challengers Bangalore’s lethal pace duo, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood, tore through Delhi’s batting lineup with ruthless precision. The scoreboard painted a staggering picture — 6 wickets down for just 9 runs. At that stage, it seemed almost certain that the record for the lowest total in Indian Premier League history would be shattered.

However, Abishek Porel showed admirable grit. Walking in with his team reeling at 7 for 5, he stitched a brief but meaningful resistance, offering a glimmer of respectability to an otherwise disastrous innings. Yet, the collapse had been too severe to recover from, and defeat remained inevitable as Virat Kohli and his men cruised to an emphatic win.

Delhi’s nightmare began on just the second ball of the innings, triggering a procession of batters walking in and out. The top order crumbled so spectacularly that their scores — 0, 1, 1, 0, 5, 0 — resembled a bizarre phone number rather than a batting card. It was as if the ghost of Australia’s famously resilient batter Bill Lawry (often humorously recalled in anecdotes) had possessed them — except this time, without the resistance.

Porel’s 30, supported by David Miller’s 19, helped Delhi avoid complete humiliation, though questions lingered over Bangalore’s tactical choice of not extending their opening bowlers’ spells despite the carnage. It was later understood that the intense Delhi heat had taken a toll, with Bhuvneshwar unable to continue beyond three overs.

Even so, Delhi etched an unwanted record — one of the worst powerplay performances in IPL history. Instead of a batting onslaught, it was a dust storm of dismissals that halted momentum, even forcing a brief stoppage in play. For a fleeting moment, a three-figure total seemed within reach, but the innings folded for a mere 75 in just 16.3 overs, leaving 21 balls unused. Hazlewood’s fiery spell fetched him 4 for 12, while Bhuvneshwar returned with an equally devastating 3 for just 5 runs.

Chasing such a modest target, Bangalore approached the task with expected aggression. Despite Jacob Bethell’s early dismissal, Devdutt Padikkal (34) and Kohli (23) ensured there were no hiccups. The outcome had effectively been sealed long before the chase began; the formalities were wrapped up within seven overs.

Fittingly, it was Kohli who applied the finishing touches with a pair of towering sixes. In doing so, he also carved out a historic milestone — becoming the first batter in IPL history to surpass 9000 runs, adding yet another feather to his illustrious cap.