Delhi Capitals found themselves on the back foot early after being put in to bat, with Abishek Porel and Karun Nair departing cheaply. Despite the early setbacks, Tristan Stubbs provided a much-needed boost with a brisk 34, helping his side post a competitive 162/8.
It was a gritty recovery on a tricky surface, but credit was also due to RCB’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who delivered a standout performance with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets to keep Delhi’s scoring in check.
RCB’s response with the bat was far from ideal. They endured a disastrous start, losing Jacob Bethell, Devdutt Padikkal, and Rajat Patidar within the powerplay. The biggest blow, however, came from a self-inflicted wound—Patidar’s run-out, which stemmed from a miscommunication with Virat Kohli. What should have been a routine single turned into a costly error that left fans and pundits frustrated.
The chaos unfolded on the last ball of the fourth over, when Mukesh Kumar bowled a good-length delivery just outside off. Kohli tapped it gently to the left of midwicket and took a few steps down the pitch. Initially calling for a single, he then changed his mind and sent Patidar back. Karun Nair, alert at midwicket, swooped in quickly and unleashed a direct hit at the non-striker’s end.
Although the ball ricocheted off the stumps and rolled to the boundary, the Delhi Capitals players were already celebrating, confident that Patidar hadn’t made it back in time. The third umpire was called in, and the replays left no doubt—Patidar was well short of his crease. The big screen confirmed the dismissal, flashing “OUT” as the Wankhede crowd erupted, and RCB slumped deeper into trouble.
𝐁𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬𝐞𝐲𝐞 🎯
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 27, 2025
Karun Nair with a superb direct-hit ☝️#RCB lose their skipper in the chase!
Updates ▶ https://t.co/9M3N5Ws7Hm#TATAIPL | #DCvRCB | @DelhiCapitals | @karun126 pic.twitter.com/al5wBbHAhe
Twitter was abuzz moments later, with fans criticizing Kohli for yet another instance of poor judgment while running between the wickets. It wasn’t the first time he had been involved in a mix-up that cost his side a key wicket, and the timing couldn’t have been worse with Patidar being the team’s captain. What could have been a steady chase quickly unraveled, and much of the blame, at least in the eyes of fans, fell squarely on Kohli’s shoulders.