Last Updated on 11 months ago by Charbel Coorey
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have qualified for their first IPL Final since 2016 after thrashing Punjab Kings (PBKS) by eight wickets in Qualifier 1. The victory was led by the magnificent bowling unit, who took full advantage of the bounce and spin on offer to roll PBKS for just 101.
Josh Hazlewood was simply magnificent. In his usual bowling machine-like consistency, Hazlewood troubled the PBKS batters with his hard lengths and ability to get the ball to lift off the surface. His dominance over Shreyas Iyer continued, before picking up the crucial wicket of fellow Aussie Josh Inglis to leave PBKS reeling at 38/4 in the final end of the powerplay.
The dominance didn’t end there. Unlike years gone by, the hallmark of RCB’s 2025 season has been their ability to perform as a unit. Yash Dayal (2/26) was also outstanding, before man of the match Suyash Sharma did not let up. The legspinner bamboozled the PBKS lower-middle order with his variations, picking up the crucial wickets of Shashank Singh and Marcus Stoinis, both of whom had the potential to lift PBKS to a defendable score.
In reply, RCB didn’t break a sweat. Phil Salt overcame his own poor record against Arshdeep Singh to notch up a dominant 27-ball 56 that included six fours and three sixes. In the end, the victory with 60 balls to spare is the biggest win for any team in an IPL playoff match.
PBKS’ first playoffs match since 2014 was a big deal. But, the occasion got the better of Shreyas Iyer’s team. Their batting innings was filled with low-percentage shots on a surface offering bounce, none more so than Iyer’s against Hazlewood.
Reactions: Fans go berserk as RCB reach first IPL final since 2016, PBKS overawed by the occasion
“Am I dreaming? Is this real? Can someone pinch me please…” wrote an RCB fan on X, formerly Twitter. “I truly believe we are going all the way, buckle up and enjoy the ride,” said South Africa and RCB legend AB de Villiers.
Social media was filled with emotion as RCB qualified for the IPL 2025 Final. Here are some of the reactions.
PBKS must recover quickly. They will face either Gujarat Titans or Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 on Sunday.
The IPL 2025 final will be on Tuesday, 3 June at Ahmedabad.
 as RCB qualify for their first IPL Final since 2016. Here are some of the best reactions.){kind=link}