NEW DELHI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru speedster Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivered a performance that will be remembered for years, carving his name into the IPL record books during a ruthless spell against Delhi Capitals on Monday. The seasoned right-arm fast bowler struck for figures of 3 for 5, marking his 20th three-wicket haul in the tournament—an achievement that places him alongside Jasprit Bumrah as the only pacers to have reached the 20-plus mark. Bumrah tops the list with 25 such hauls, while Bhuvneshwar sits level with the 20 milestone; Lasith Malinga follows with 19, and Harshal Patel has 17.
Powerplay carnage stuns Delhi Capitals
The milestone arrived in a match where RCB’s pace attack dismantled DC’s batting plans almost immediately. Along with Bhuvneshwar, Josh Hazlewood produced a blistering new-ball burst, finishing with 4 for 12. Together, the two strike bowlers left Delhi Capitals reeling, turning the powerplay into a chase for survival rather than a period to build momentum.
- The damage began right from the second delivery of Delhi’s innings, when Bhuvneshwar sent debutant Sahil Parakh back by uprooting the stumps with a sharp inswinging yorker.
- Hazlewood then struck twice in quick succession, removing KL Rahul and Sameer Rizvi on consecutive balls to spark a collapse.
- Bhuvneshwar continued to press the advantage, dismissing Tristan Stubbs and then captain Axar Patel in rapid order.
- Hazlewood added another breakthrough by getting Nitish Rana out as the innings unraveled further.
- Within moments, DC slipped to 8 for 6, managing only a single boundary during the powerplay. After six overs, they were struggling at 13 for 6—one of the most disastrous starts in IPL history.
- Delhi’s struggle deepened until they were eventually bowled out for 75 in 16.3 overs, narrowly steering clear of the lowest-ever IPL total, a record held by RCB (49 in 2017).
- Only Abhishek Porel (30), David Miller (19) and Kyle Jamieson (12) reached double figures, with the rest of the batting order failing to make meaningful impact.
- Hazlewood brought the innings to a close by castling Porel, finishing the new-ball dominance in fitting fashion.
Most three-wicket hauls by pacers in IPL
- 25 – Jasprit Bumrah
- 20 – Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- 19 – Lasith Malinga
- 17 – Harshal Patel
On a night defined by pace, accuracy, and ruthless execution, it was Bhuvneshwar’s record-breaking spell that stole the headlines. His 20th three-wicket haul underlined the longevity and consistency that have kept him among the IPL’s most reliable strike pacers—an elite club that only Bumrah has dominated for so long.
