"RCB are set to qualify" - Aakash Chopra on Royal Challengers Bengaluru after IPL 2025 win vs Rajasthan Royals

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are headed to a playoff berth in IPL 2025. He lauded Josh Hazlewood for bowling a match-defining penultimate over in the franchise's home game against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

RCB set RR a 206-run target in Match 42 of IPL 2025 in Bengaluru on Thursday, April 24. Hazlewood then delivered a spell of 4/33 in four overs as the home team restricted the visitors to 194/9 to register an 11-run win and climb to the third spot on the points table.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener credited Hazlewood for ending RCB's search for a home win and putting them on the verge of a playoff berth.

"The home jinx is also broken. They have registered their first win. RCB are set to qualify, although there is a huge crowd in the race for the top. The match was hanging in the balance till the 38th over. Then came Josh Hazlewood and did an incredible job," he said (0:01).

Chopra noted that RR seemed to be in an advantageous position heading into the penultimate over of their chase.

"There is only one headline, the 19th over. 18 runs were required in two overs. This match could have gone either way. Dhruv Jurel was batting very well. He had hit 22 runs against Bhuvneshwar Kumar. So you felt the game had been set up," he observed.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Hazlewood virtually sealed the game in RCB's favor by dismissing the well-set Dhruv Jurel (47 off 34) and Jofra Archer (0 off 1) and conceding a solitary run in the 19th over.

"It was maybe 60-40 in favor of the Rajasthan Royals. However, Josh Hazlewood came and got Dhruv Jurel and Jofra Archer out, and gave just one run in the over, and that's it, done and dusted," Chopra noted.

Josh Hazlewood's sensational over left RR needing 17 runs off the final over with three wickets in hand. The visitors managed only five runs, with Yash Dayal dismissing Shubham Dubey on the first ball and Wanindu Hasaranga getting run out on the third delivery.

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"The way Yashasvi Jaiswal was batting, it seemed like he would win the match single-handedly" - Aakash Chopra lauds Josh Hazlewood's first spell in RCB's IPL 2025 win vs RR

Josh Hazlewood had Yashasvi Jaiswal caught by Romario Shepherd at midwicket in his first spell. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Josh Hazlewood had taken the crucial wicket of Yashasvi Jaiswal (49 off 19) in his first spell before dismissing Shimron Hetmyer (11 off 8) in the 17th over and picking up two scalps in his final over.

"He picked up four wickets. When he came for his first spell, he took two wickets there too, and picked up those wickets against the run of play because the way Yashasvi Jaiswal was batting, it seemed like he would win the match single-handedly. However, he dismissed him with a short ball," he said (2:00).

The analyst added that RCB's bowling attack has been the game-changer in IPL 2025, with Hazlewood's performances being one of the biggest factors.

"There has been a serious upgrade in the bowling department, and Josh Hazlewood is the one very, very big reason why this team is looking a lot better. You needed might in the bowling as this franchise used to score runs earlier as well," Chopra observed.

Aakash Chopra praised Krunal Pandya (2/31 in four overs) for picking up two crucial wickets and Suyash Sharma (0/31 in four overs) for bowling an economical spell in Thursday's game. He also appreciated Rajat Patidar for handling his bowling resources effectively.