Six wickets in 23 balls: Delhi Capitals crash to all-time low as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood tear through lineup
Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood picked three wickets each in tghe powerplay to leave Delhi Capitals in tatters
In a format where batters have largely dictated terms, especially in the Indian Premier League, which has seen a surge in 200-plus totals since the arrival of the Impact Sub rule, Royal Challengers Bengaluru served a very different script at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday as Delhi Capitals crashed to an all-time IPL low.

Seeking revenge against Delhi, the only side to beat RCB in their previous four matches, the visitors opted to bowl first, and the fast-bowling pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood justified that decision immediately.
Bhuvneshwar was right on the money in the opening over. His first ball was an outswinger to debutant Sahil Parakh that took the outside edge and rolled towards Hazlewood at short third. The very next delivery was a rip-roaring inswinging yorker that crashed into middle stump. Parakh could do little against what was an unplayable ball as his debut ended in a duck.
After Bhuvneshwar removed the rookie, Hazlewood struck twice in two balls in the next over. He first dismissed in-form KL Rahul with a 141.4 kph short ball on the stumps that cramped the batter for room. Rahul’s top edge was safely taken by wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma, ending his stay for just one run, only days after his record 152 not out.
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On the next ball, Hazlewood went fuller and wider outside off, and Sameer Rizvi threw his hands at it, only to nick behind for a golden duck. Tristan Stubbs survived the hat-trick ball but did not last long enough to revive Delhi. Chasing a wide delivery from Bhuvneshwar in the following over, he edged straight to slip.
Three balls later, Bhuvneshwar found another outside edge with late movement to dismiss Axar Patel as Delhi slumped to 7 for 5 in just 2.4 overs. It was the earliest any team had ever lost five wickets in an IPL innings.
Delhi’s misery did not end there. Hazlewood struck again with the new ball, removing Nitish Rana in the fourth over, as the hosts crawled to just 13 runs at the end of the powerplay — the lowest six-over total in IPL history.
The seven runs scored by Delhi’s top six was also the second-lowest combined contribution by a top order in IPL history, behind the four managed by Kochi Tuskers Kerala against Deccan Chargers in Kochi in 2011.
ABOUT THE AUTHORAratrick MondalAratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More



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