Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], April 2 : Gujarat Titans wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler's unbeaten fifty thrashed the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, on Wednesday, as the visitors registered a comfortable victory by eight wickets in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
With this loss, the Rajat Patidar-led side slipped to the third position, whereas the Titans remained at the fourth position in the points table of the 18th edition of the cash-rich league. Both teams currently have four points under their belt after the completion of their three matches in the ongoing tournament.
Chasing a target of 170 runs, the Gujarat Titans' openers, Shubman Gill and Sai Sudarshan, started off the innings positively and attacked the bowlers from the first over of the second innings.
The visitors lost their first wicket as skipper Gill was sent back to the pavillion on the bowling of right-arm seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the fourth ball of the fifth over after scoring 14 runs in the same number of balls, which was laced by one four and six each in his innings.
The right-hand batter, Jos Buttler, came out in the middle to bat along with Sudarshan in the middle after the fall of the first wicket.
The Gujarat-based franchise crossed the 50-run mark on the last ball of the seventh over as sides wicketkeeper-batter, Jos Buttler, smashed a boundary on the last ball of the seventh over, which was bowled by fast bowler Rasikh Dar Salam
The Shubman Gill-led side completed the 100-run mark on the fourth ball of the 12th over as Sudarshan slammed a boundary on the bowling of left-arm spinner Krunal Pandya.
The GT side lost their second wicket in the 13th over as Sai Sudarshan (49 runs from 36 balls) was sent back to the dressing room on the bowling of right-arm pacer Josh Hazeelwood.
Following Sudarshan's dismissal, left-hand batter Sherfane Rutherford (30* runs from 18 balls) came up to bat in the middle along with Buttler (73* runs in 39 balls). Both batters took their side to victory in the 18th inning.
For the hosts, one wicket each was snapped by their spearheads Bhivneshwar Kumar (1/23 in 4 overs) and Josh Hazelwood (1/43 in 4.5 overs) in their respective spells.
Earlier in the first innings, after GT won the toss and opted to bowl first, they got off to a fine start as a mishit from Virat Kohli landed into the hands of Prasidh Krishna at deep backward square leg, giving Arshad Khan his wicket for seven in six. With nothing but a classic cover drive against his ex-teammate Mohammed Siraj to show, Virat walked back with RCB at 8/1 in 1.4 overs.
Phil Salt failed to adapt to Chinnaswammy conditions, playing too many dot balls and not connecting the way he would have expected. Devdutt Padikkal started with a first ball four but was sent packing by Siraj as he tried making some room for himself but got bowled. RCB was 13/2 in 2.2 overs.
Salt and skipper Rajat Patidar tried to rebuild the innings, with them getting boundaries against Arshad and the Englishman sending Siraj's delivery out of the park with a 105 m six. However, Siraj continued to impress, relying on his experience with RCB. He cleaned up Salt for 14 in 12 balls. RCB was left struggling at 35/3 in 4.4 overs.
At the end of the powerplay, RCB was 38/3, with Patidar (8 *) joined by Liam Livingstone (0 *).
Ishant Sharma also trapped skipper Patidar leg before wicket for 12. The RCB was 42/4 in 6.2 overs.
Liam was joined by Jitesh Sharma, and they started to form a partnership. RCB reached the 50-run mark in 8.1 overs.
Jitesh eased off some pressure with two fours and a six against Ishant in the ninth over, which went for 17 runs. RCB was 73/4 after 10 overs, with Jitesh (23 *) and Liam (8 *) unbeaten.
The partnership of 52 runs was ended as a shot from Jitesh hit the toe-end of his bat and was caught by Rahul Tewatia, who came running from long-on to dismiss Jitesh for a valiant 33 in 20 balls, with five fours and a six. RCB was 94/5 in 12.4 overs, and Sai Kishore got his first scalp.
RCB reached the 100-run mark in 14 overs, thanks to a four by Krunal Pandya. Kishore got his second wicket, thanks to a soft dismissal by Krunal, who was gone for five. The RCB was 104/6 in 14.2 overs.
Tim David came on the crease and collected a four and six against Rashid, as the 16th over gave way 14 runs.
Livingstone tee'd off from the other end, dealing in sixes against spin. The 18th over by Rashid went for 20 runs, including three sixes by Livingstone. He reached his fifty in 39 balls, with a four and five sixes. RCB also reached their 150-run mark in 18.1 overs.
However, Livingstone nicked one to Buttler, giving Siraj his third scalp. He was gone for 54 in 40 balls, with RCB at 150/7 in 18.2 overs.
RCB ended their innings at 169/8 in their 20 overs after Tim David was cleaned up for 32 in 18 balls, with three fours and two sixes by Prasidh Krishna.
Siraj (3/19) delivered a top-class four-over spell in what were familiar conditions for him. Sai Kishore (2/22) and Prasidh (1/26) also impressed.
Brief Score: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 169/8 in 20 overs (Liam Livingstone 54, Jitesh Sharma 33, Mohammed Siraj 3/19) vs Gujarat Titans 170/2 in 17.5 overs (Jos Buttler 73*, Sai Sudarshan 49, Bhuvneshwar Kumar 1/23).