In a tense IPL 2025 match at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, a short pep-talk from Virat Kohli led to a key breakthrough for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Young leg-spinner Suyash Sharma, under pressure after conceding three consecutive boundaries to Heinrich Klaasen, found his rhythm after Kohli walked over with a few words of encouragement.
The advice seemed to work instantly. On the very next ball, Suyash tossed up a tempting delivery that Klaasen misjudged, sending a lofted shot straight into the hands of Romario Shepherd at long-on. The dismissal brought brief momentum back to RCB, even though the game eventually slipped out of their grasp.
Hyderabad Dominate with Ishan Kishan’s Fiery 94*
Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a strong total of 231 for 6, thanks to a brilliant unbeaten 94 off 48 balls by Ishan Kishan. His innings, which included seven fours and five sixes, came after quick starts from Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. A late cameo from Aniket Verma, who smashed 26 off just 9 balls, added crucial runs in the final overs.
Hyderabad’s bowlers backed up the batting performance effectively. Though Virat Kohli (43 off 25) and Phil Salt (62) started the chase well for RCB, the middle order couldn’t keep up. The team collapsed to 189 all out, losing the match by 42 runs.
RCB Eye Top-2 Finish Despite Loss
Despite the defeat, RCB remain in third place on the points table with 17 points from 13 matches. Their final league stage game will be against Lucknow Super Giants, who are already out of the playoff race. However, LSG recently defeated table-toppers Gujarat Titans, proving they can play spoiler.
For RCB, the road to a top-two finish is still open. Kohli’s leadership moments, even in a loss, continue to show his influence over the team—highlighted by his brief but effective chat with Suyash Sharma that led to a much-needed wicket.
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