RCB thrashed PBKS by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 to qualify for the IPL final after nine years.
Opting to bowl first, the Bengaluru-based franchise skittled PBKS out for 101 runs in 14.1 overs at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.
Suyash Sharma (3-17 in 3 overs) and Josh Hazlewood (3-21 in 3.1 overs) were the wrecker-in-chief with the ball for RCB, returning with three wickets each. Yash Dayal (2-26 in 4 overs), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-17 in 2 overs) and Romario Shepherd (1-5 in 1 over) shared the four scalps among them.
In reply, RCB overhauled the paltry target in 10 overs, led by a blazing unbeaten half-century from opener Phil Salt (56* off 27).
Impressed with their performance, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar backed RCB to win their maiden IPL title this time around.
“Yes, I think that actually tells you the story of RCB this year is that they haven't been reliant on one or two players one player in batting or one player in bowling. Everywhere, somewhere or the other has put their hand up and taken the team home. And I think that is the key to what we have seen why RCB are in the final and possibly will be the champions on the 3rd of June,” Gavaskar told India Today in an exclusive chat.
The 75-year-old also praised the RCB players for showing maturity and having subdued celebrations after beating PBKS, saying that they’re focused on winning the final.
“Yes, they know that they still have one big game to play and so they're not getting carried away by this win. This is a massive win, as you said, the biggest win in terms of number of deliveries left. So any team could get carried away. But because this team has had the experience of being in the final and the disappointment of losing the final. They know that they have one big battle ahead, so they're not getting carried away, and that's the way to be,” Gavaskar remarked.
Despite having made it to the IPL final on three previous occasions (2009, 2011, and 2016), RCB are still chasing their maiden title.
In the IPL 2025 final, slated to be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3, RCB will face the winner of Qualifier 2.
As far as Punjab Kings are concerned, the table-toppers of the league stage will have another opportunity to reach the final. They will now come up against the winner of Eliminator clash between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2.