Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have blown away Punjab Kings to reach their first IPL final in 9 years on Thursday. Facing PBKS in the IPL 2025 Qualifier 1, RCB sealed a 8-wicket win at Mullanpur. Josh Hazlewood starred with ball in hand to bowl to skittle out the hosts for 101, before a Phil Salt half-century made light work of the chase.
RCB thrash Punjab Kings at home to reach IPL 2025 final
Batting first at Mullanpur, Punjab Kings had an evening to forget. Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar all bowled tight lines to stiffle the PBKS batting. The table toppers boasted of an in-form and long line up, but it was no match for RCB’s gun bowling on Thursday.
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙖 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙨
Captain Rajat Patidar fittingly finishes off in style as #RCB are just one step away from the
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Priyansh Arya was the first casualty, while Prabhsimran Singh and Shreyas Iyer followed soon. PBKS ended the powerplay at 48/4. Post powerplay, Suyash Sharma ran through the middle order to end any hopes of a Punjab Kings comeback. Marcus Stoinis put up little fight, but it was not enough. Ricky Ponting handed Musheer Khan a debut to lengthen the batting, but it was a disastrous outing overall for the hosts.
Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma were the pick of the RCB bowlers, picking up 3 wickets apiece. Punjab Kings lasted only 14.1 overs, the lowest overs a team has played in the IPL playoffs. Their score was the joint 3rd-lowest in playoffs history.
Phil rubs Salt on PBKS wounds
Punjab Kings defended 111 earlier this season against Kolkata Knight Riders, but any chance of a repeat was dealt with by RCB. Phil Salt was at his aggressive best, stroking boundaries at free will. Kyle Jamieson got Virat Kohli out cheaply, but Mayank Agarwal joined forces to take the visitors to safety. their 54-run partnership meant RCB went within touching distance of victory. Salt eventually reached his half-century in 22 balls, while Rajat Patidar finished the game off with a six to seal a IPL 2025 finals berth.
It will be RCB’s first appearance in an IPL final since their 8-run defeat to the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016. RCB have played in 3 IPL finals previously, losing on all three occasions. Rajat Patidar and Co however will hope to finally turn the tide and end that 18-year jinx in Ahmedabad.
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