In a lopsided Qualifier 1 match in the 2025 season at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium here on Thursday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) defeated Punjab Kings by eight wickets thanks to an outstanding bowling display led by three-fers from Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood. This victory sent RCB to their fourth IPL final in history.
Everything went RCB’s way from the start on a surface with plenty of stitching and extra bounce. Leg-spinner Suyash and a returning Hazlewood took 3-17 and 3-21, respectively, to destroy the PBKS’ potent batting lineup and dismiss them for only 101 in 14.1 overs. The trio, who took four wickets between them to lay the groundwork for an overwhelming RCB victory, were also assisted by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, and Romario Shepherd.
With 10 overs remaining, RCB won the chase because to a brilliant display of stroke play by opener Phil Salt, who made his quickest half-century in the IPL at 23 balls and went undefeated at 56 off 27. On June 3, RCB will play their fourth IPL final in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. On Sunday, PBKS will play Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator match at the same stadium, giving them another chance to go to the final.
When Priyansh Arya played a drive away from the body and a straightforward catch to cover, Dayal gave RCB a strong start. After hitting Dayal for six to start the innings, Prabhsimran Singh hit back-to-back boundaries with Bhuvneshwar. The last laugh, however, went to Bhuvneshwar, who was easily caught by the keeper after finding Prabhsimran’s narrow edge on a short pass.
As Shreyas Iyer tried for a powerful hoick off Hazlewood and gave the keeper a thick edge behind, RCB’s too-hot-to-handle bowling made PBKS’ problems worse. With Josh Inglis caught at deep fine leg in the final over of the power play, the pacer struck once more, and PBKS ended the six-over period at 48/4.
As Shashank Singh was castled through the gate off a googly from Suyash, and Nehal Wadhera flattened his leg stump after chopping on off Dayal’s bowling, PBKS’ downhill procession continued unabated. Musheer Khan, an impact substitution, was trapped leg before wicket by Suyash after he swiped past him across the line. He was out of the game after just three balls.
Stoinis attempted to fight back, but Suyash put an end to his efforts by castleing him through the gate with a googly once more. PBKS reached the three-figure mark thanks to a boundary from Kyle Jamieson and fours and sixes from Azmatullah Omarzai off Suyash. Hazlewood completed his three-fer when Jitesh Sharma leaped full-stretch to his right and made an incredible grab.
Virat Kohli, who was chasing a meager 102, got off to a fast start by pulling Arshdeep Singh before looking at Jamieson for another boundary. Salt hammered Arshdeep for four and six, respectively, taking full advantage of the additional bounce. However, when Jamieson got a ball around the sixth stump to curve away from him and grab his outside edge, Kohli left in a wicket-maiden fourth over.
Jamieson beat Mayank Agarwal three times with the ball moving about before the batter reviewed for the fourth time and overturned the on-field out call. Through flaying and guiding off Omarzai for a brace of fours, Salt was able to ease RCB’s anxiety.
21 runs came from the last power-play over, which began with an on-drive from Agarwal, followed by Salt stroking a drive through cover before pulling and lofting Jamieson to select two fours and a six. Agarwal lofted and drove Musheer for six and four runs, respectively, after Salt cleared his front leg to bludgeon Harpreet Brar for six after RCB concluded their power-play at 61/1.
However, Musheer ended the 54-run partnership when Agarwal was caught at slip after getting a feather edge on the flick. However, Salt celebrated by cutting Brar for four as he strode forward to reach his fiftieth.
After skipper Rajat Patidar struck Musheer for four and then hit the winning runs with a spectacular slog-sweep to give his side a couple days break before playing in the crucial title match on June 3, RCB’s victory was all but certain.
Short scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 106/2 in 10 overs (Phil Salt 56 not out, Mayank Agarwal 19; Kyle Jamieson 1-27, Musheer Khan 1-27) defeated Punjab Kings 101 all out in 14.1 overs (Marcus Stoinis 26; Prabhsimran Singh 18; Suyash Sharma 3-17, Josh Hazlewood 3-21) by eight wickets.
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