RCB Crush PBKS to Enter First IPL Final in Nine Years
What a game it was! The Qualifier 1 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings in IPL 2025 will be remembered as a statement win—one where RCB stamped their authority all over the contest and surged into their first IPL final since 2016. As someone who’s been following the tournament closely, let me walk you through this completely one-sided affair that defied expectations.
Given how closely these two teams had matched up during the league stage, finishing with identical points and nearly identical net run rates, you'd have thought this would be a nail-biter. Both teams had one win apiece against each other earlier in the tournament, and both were coming off dominant victories. So naturally, we were all set for a cracking match. But what unfolded was anything but balanced.
RCB won the toss and opted to bowl first, and right from the start, it looked like a masterstroke. Priyansh Arya, one of PBKS’s key openers, was dismissed in just the second over. What followed was a complete collapse. PBKS crumbled under the pressure, losing wickets in quick succession. By the ninth over, they were struggling at 60 for 6. Their gamble to bring in debutant Musheer Khan backfired as he got out for a duck. Apart from Marcus Stoinis and Azmatullah Omarzai trying to push the total, there was hardly any resistance.
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The RCB bowlers were clinical. Josh Hazlewood and young Suyash Sharma were absolutely brilliant, picking up three wickets each. They never let PBKS build any momentum. Credit also goes to Rajat Patidar, who led the side astutely, rotating his bowlers effectively and not holding anyone back. Wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma also pulled off a stunning one-handed catch to wrap up PBKS’s innings at a paltry 101.
Chasing 102, RCB came out with intent. Virat Kohli and Phil Salt opened, and though Kohli fell early to a sharp delivery from Kyle Jamieson, Salt took matters into his own hands. The Englishman was unstoppable, smashing 56 off just 27 balls, including six fours and three sixes. At one point, it looked like RCB would finish the match in under 10 overs.
A minor hiccup came when Mayank got out, but that only delayed the inevitable by a few balls. With composure and flair, RCB’s regular captain—returning to full fitness—ended the match in style, lofting a six to seal the deal exactly at the end of the 10th over. It was total domination.
Now RCB gets a well-deserved four-day break before the final on Tuesday. PBKS, on the other hand, still has one more shot. They’ll face the winner of the Eliminator between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2. It’s a long road back, but if there’s one team that has bounced back all season, it’s PBKS.
But today? Today belonged to RCB—completely, utterly, and emphatically.
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