Kolkata, March 23 -- Josh Hazlewood set the tone for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 opener with a masterful spell that put Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on the back foot. Leading RCB's pace attack, he struck in the first and final overs, finishing with an impressive 2/22, as per ESPNcricinfo.

Beyond just taking wickets, removing Quinton de Kock early and Harshit Rana at the death, Hazlewood's control over line and length was the key differentiator. He delivered 16 dot balls, maintained an economy of just 5.50, and emerged as the standout fast bowler on the night. His success came from disciplined bowling, sticking mostly to short and short-of-good-length deliveries while rarely pitching it up. ...