IPL 2025: How has Josh Hazlewood transformed RCB's pace attack in IPL?

In the past 18 seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL), if there is one team that has never lacked star power in its line-up, it has to be Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). However, most of the time, this star power has been concentrated in their batting, leaving their bowling department vulnerable. The management knew this well when they decided to spend a whopping Rs 12.5 crore on Aussie pacer Josh Hazlewood during the IPL 2025 mega auctions. The RCB management hoped that Hazlewood would solve their problem of a genuine, wicket-taking, pace bowler who could bowl across all three phases of the game. And so far, their gamble has somewhat paid off. While Hazlewood is still trying to find his groove in the middle overs, he has turned out to be a completely different player when it comes to powerplay bowling—and the stats he has accumulated under his belt support this observation.  Check IPL 2025 Match 28: RR vs RCB live score, match updates and full scorecard here  ALSO READ: RR vs RCB head-to-head & weather forecast | Jaipur Pitch report & Stadium stats | Playing 11 & Player match-ups stats | Live streaming

 

Relentless powerplay pressure 

Led by the fiery Josh Hazlewood, supported by Yash Dayal and the ever-reliable Bhuvneshwar Kumar, RCB has terrorised top orders. In their latest clash against Delhi Capitals, RCB knocked over the top three within the powerplay, breaking the backbone of the innings early.

 

Best economy rates in overs 1–6 (team-wise) – IPL 2025 

Team	Economy
RCB	7.5
GT	8.7
KKR	8.7
PBKS	8.8

  Best Dot Ball percentage in Overs 1-6 (Team-wise) – IPL 2025 

Team	Dot Ball %
GT	52.20%
RCB	51.10%
KKR	45.30%
DC	44.40%

Hazlewood: A powerplay masterclass 

Hazlewood has been in a league of his own with the new ball. His ability to swing, seam, and extract bounce has made scoring nearly impossible in the powerplay. Among bowlers who have bowled at least five overs in this phase, Hazlewood leads the pack. 

 

Top economies in powerplay – IPL 2025 (minimum 5 overs) 

Bowler	Overs	Economy	Wickets	Strike Rate
Josh Hazlewood (RCB)	9	5	4	13.5
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (RCB)	11	6.4	4	16.5
Mukesh Kumar (DC)	-	6.5	-	-

 

Hazlewood’s phase-wise performance: A tale of contrasts 

While Hazlewood has been virtually unplayable in the powerplay, his numbers tell a different story in other phases. In the middle overs (7–16), his economy balloons to 15.0, making him one of the most expensive bowlers in that phase this season. At the death, he regains control with a respectable 9.9 economy rate and a knack for picking up wickets. 

 

Josh Hazlewood – Phase-wise bowling performance (IPL 2025) 

Phase	Overs%	Wickets	Economy
Powerplay (1-6)	49%	4	5
Middle (7-16)	22%	1	15
Death (17-20)	29%	3	9.9