IPL 2025: RCB defeats PBKS by eight wickets, seals final berth of marquee event

Nobody expected Punjab Kings to capitulate in front of a pumped-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1 here on Thursday night. No doubt the pitch was a bit helpful to the bowlers initially, yet there was no justification in being bundled out in a mere 14.1 overs for 101 in such a high-profile game in front of their home crowd. After a solid display by their bowlers, the RCB batsmen were in no mood to give PBKS even an iota of hope, despite losing Virat Kohli early. 

Led by a brilliant half-century by Phil Salt, they overcame the meagre target in only 10 overs for the loss of two wickets to storm into the IPL final, to be played in Ahmedabad on June 3, after nine years. Having finished runners-up thrice, they look determined to win their maiden IPL title on the 18th attempt in honour of Kohli, who wears jersey No. 18.

The only saving grace for PBKS in this annihilation is that they get another chance to make it to the final, as they will face the winners of Friday’s clash here between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans, in Ahmedabad on Sunday. 

There is no doubt that RCB looked a determined lot, nobody more than Kohli. As the bowlers ran through the PBKS batting like a hot knife through butter, he was the most animated player on the field. Having arrived from Lucknow late on Wednesday night, RCB players went to bed well past midnight. Yet they looked fresh after opting to bowl first. Be it pacers, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, or spinner Suyansh Sharma — all were almost unplayable. The return of Hazelwood added more energy and he picked up three vital wickets — Shreyas Iyer, Josh Inglis and Azmatullah Omarzai — for just 21 runs in his 3.1 overs. Another outstanding effort came from leg-spinner Suyansh Sharma, who grabbed 3-17 in his three overs.

This article first appeared on Mid Day