Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin feels Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will keep their fingers crossed and pray Mumbai Indians (MI) don't make it to the final of the ongoing IPL season.
RCB stormed into their first IPL final since 2016 with a thumping eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur on Thursday (May 29).
MI will now face Gujarat Titans (GT) in Eliminator and the winner of the clash will lock horns with PBKS in Qualifier 2 at Ahmedabad on Sunday (June 1).
Ashwin, who represented CSK in the IPL 2025, believes that five-time champions Mumbai Indians can only stop RCB from lifting their maiden IPL title.
It is worth mentioning here that RCB and MI squared off just once in the league stage of the IPL 2025 season, and the Rajat Patidar-led side emerged victorious at the Wankhede Stadium in a thrilling contest.
“If RCB have to win the IPL, then Gujarat Titans should win against Mumbai Indians. MI are one team that you cannot allow to enter the final, you have to stop them at any cost,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’.
“RCB will keep their fingers crossed to not have Mumbai Indians in the final. Mumbai Indians is the only team that has some chance against RCB. It looks like RCB are going the distance, but it is cricket; anything can happen. If I were RCB, my best finalist team would be Gujarat Titans. If I was RCB, I would want to face Gujarat Titans,” he added.
Ashwin highlighted how Virat Kohli won the T20 World Cup in 2024 and the Champions Trophy earlier this year. He reckons the stars have aligned for Kohli to win his first-ever IPL title as well.
"Virat Kohli, I want to tell you all one thing. I don't want to make it about Virat Kohli, but I cannot help but feel that this is RCB's year. Virat Kohli did not have an ICC title; people constantly used to say this. In a matter of a year, he has won the T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy," said Ashwin.
"Of course, not both of these as captains. He has one of the greatest Indian Test captains. Is he going to win the first-ever title for RCB in the 18th season? Virat Kohli will stand up on the big day. If they are in a chase, he knows how to handle those situations," he remarked.
Speaking of Qualifier 1, RCB outclassed PBKS in all facets of the game. Punjab’s innings folded for a paltry 101 in 14.1 overs after being invited to bat first. Marcus Stoinis was the top scorer with 26 off 17 balls.
Josh Hazlewood (3-21 in 3.1 overs) and Suyash Sharma (3-17 in 3 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.
Chasing the target, RCB got over the line in 10 overs, led by a blazing unbeaten half-century from opener Phil Salt (56* off 27).
