Saturday, March 29, 2025
In a high-voltage IPL 2025 clash at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Delhi Capitals (DC) by 6 wickets to reach the top of the points table. However, the match was as much about the on-field cricket as it was about a heated exchange between two Indian stars-Virat Kohli and KL Rahul-which quickly went viral on social media137.
The incident occurred during RCB’s run chase of 163, when Kohli was at the crease and Rahul was keeping wickets for DC. Tensions flared in the middle overs, particularly around the sixth and seventh, as Kohli appeared frustrated with DC’s slow field placements and delays between deliveries. The umpires had already warned DC after fielders tried to adjust positions during a free-hit to Krunal Pandya. A further delay, involving a discussion between Rahul and bowler Vipraj Nigam, seemed to irritate Kohli, who then exchanged words with Rahul and also spoke to the umpire about the slow tactics679.
While the exact details of the conversation were unclear, the heated moment added drama to the match. Both players, who share a good relationship off the field, quickly regained composure and continued with the game without further incident139.
On the cricketing front, RCB had a shaky start, losing three early wickets, but Krunal Pandya (73* off 47) and Virat Kohli (51) put together a crucial 119-run partnership to guide RCB to victory78. Kohli also scored his sixth half-century of the season, becoming the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 434 runs.
After the win, Kohli cheekily mimicked KL Rahul’s famous “this is my ground” celebration-a nod to Rahul’s earlier celebration at the Chinnaswamy Stadium when DC had beaten RCB-bringing a light-hearted end to their earlier confrontation24.
With this victory, RCB now sits at the top of the IPL 2025 points table with 14 points from 10 matches, having won 7 and lost 3. Their next match is scheduled against Chennai Super Kings on May 3.
