Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) icon AB de Villiers unleashed a scathing critique of IPL commentators for their “negative” remarks during RCB’s thrilling IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Ekana Stadium. LSG posted a daunting 227, powered by Rishabh Pant’s explosive 118 off 60 balls. RCB’s bowlers, missing Josh Hazlewood, faced heavy criticism, which de Villiers called out as unfair on his YouTube channel.

“I was fuming,” de Villiers said, frustrated by commentators’ claims that RCB’s bowling was crumbling. He argued they ignored the batting-friendly pitch, stating, “Rishabh Pant isn’t scoring 118 on a tricky surface.” He accused commentators of lazily clinging to narratives about RCB’s historical struggles, rather than analyzing the match context.

Despite the criticism, RCB chased the 227-run target, their highest-ever chase, led by Jitesh Sharma’s unbeaten 84 and Virat Kohli’s fifty, securing a Qualifier 1 spot against Punjab Kings. De Villiers urged commentators to focus on the game’s dynamics, emphasizing RCB’s resilience and the pitch’s role in LSG’s high score.