IPL 2026: Josh Hazlewood’s Death Over Masterclass Leads RCB to Playoffs
IPL 2026: Josh Hazlewood’s Death Over Masterclass Leads RCB to Playoffs
In modern T20 cricket, bowlers are usually the ones under pressure. Flat pitches, short boundaries, power-hitters, impact players, everything is designed to help batters dominate games. That is why whenever a fast bowler controls a high-scoring chase at the death, fans immediately notice it.
Josh Hazlewood. (Credits: X.com)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had several superstar batters over the years, but their bowling unit has often been questioned in crunch moments. This season, Hazlewood changed that feeling completely. Whenever the game becomes tense, it very much seems like there is one player RCB can trust to regain control.
The Turning Point
That is exactly what happened when Josh Hazlewood bowled the 19th over against Punjab Kings in a tense IPL clash. Punjab Kings needed 40 runs from the final two overs on a batting-friendly pitch. In most IPL games, that still gives the chasing side a realistic chance, especially with power-hitters waiting to attack.
One expensive over can completely flip momentum. But Hazlewood simply refused to panic. The Australian pacer delivered one of the calmest death overs of the season and conceded only seven runs in the 19th over. On a surface where batters were finding boundaries regularly, that over felt priceless.
Instead of gifting momentum to Punjab Kings, Hazlewood completely shut the door. In T20 cricket, where bowlers often try too many tricks, Hazlewood’s style feels old-school. And somehow, that makes him even more dangerous.
Control Under Pressure
What stood out most in that over was his control under pressure. Many bowlers start searching for yorkers and end up missing their lengths. Hazlewood kept things simple. He backed his strengths and trusted his execution.
RCB won by 23 runs and qualified for the playoffs. After the game, Bhuvneshwar Kumar reserved the highest respect for Josh Hazlewood. He said, “It makes a big difference.(bowling alongside Josh) The experience he has and the skill he has make a big difference for us. I think we’re complementing each other with the skills I have and he has, so it’s going well so far.”
Aarav Malhotra is a cricket features writer from Pune specializing in player biographies, IPL season stories, and emerging cricket talents. His content focuses on storytelling-driven sports journalism optimized for modern cricket audiences and search platforms.
More Stories
