Mullanpur witnessed a one-sided affair in the first qualifier of the Indian Premier League 2025 as Royal Challengers Bengaluru stormed into their first final appearance since 2016 with an emphatic eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings. On a day when precision, control, and calculated aggression marked RCB’s approach, Punjab’s ultra-aggressive strategy backfired spectacularly, collapsing to a paltry 101 all out in just 14.1 overs. RCB chased the target down with ease in just 10 overs, led by a scintillating unbeaten half-century from Phil Salt, who finished with 56 off just 27 balls.
This dominant performance now sends RCB to the IPL final scheduled for June 3 in Ahmedabad, as they look to secure their maiden title after having reached the final thrice before in 2009, 2011, and 2016. On the other hand, Punjab Kings, who were making their first play-off appearance since 2014, still have a lifeline left and will contest Qualifier 2 on June 1 for another shot at the final.
The match began with Punjab Kings being sent in to bat and things unraveled almost immediately. The decision to continue with an attacking mindset backfired when Priyansh Arya was dismissed early, miscuing a drive to cover off Yash Dayal. His partner Prabhsimran Singh attempted to go hard from the start but fell while attempting a third boundary in succession, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar pulled his length back cleverly to find the edge.
The middle order offered little resistance. Skipper Shreyas Iyer, who has been a key player in the campaign, fell to a wild slog off Josh Hazlewood just three balls into his stay. Hazlewood struck again to dismiss Josh Inglis with a well-directed rising delivery that the batter failed to control. Panic set in among the Punjab ranks, and their collapse only intensified.
Marcus Stoinis, who showed brief promise with 26 off 17 balls, and Shashank Singh both attempted slog sweeps against Suyash Sharma but were deceived by his well-disguised googlies. The young leg-spinner turned the game decisively in RCB’s favor with a spell of 3 for 17, showcasing his flight and control. Musheer Khan, playing his debut match as an impact substitute amidst the chaos, also succumbed to a sweep shot against Suyash, further exposing the poor shot selection that plagued Punjab's innings.
Josh Hazlewood’s 3 for 21, combined with disciplined bowling from Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1 for 17) and Yash Dayal (2 for 26), set up a perfect platform for the chase. RCB wasted no time in making a statement, with Phil Salt batting as though he was on a different surface than the Punjab batters. His knock featured six crisp boundaries and three massive sixes, including a powerful pull off Arshdeep Singh.
Despite losing Virat Kohli early to a brilliant wicket maiden over by Kyle Jamieson, which also saw him beat Mayank Agarwal with a peach of a delivery, RCB maintained complete control. The chase was capped in style when Rajat Patidar lofted Musheer Khan for a six over midwicket to seal victory in just the 10th over, underlining the clinical nature of RCB’s performance.
Shreyas Iyer, visibly disappointed, remarked that the team would need to regroup and prepare for the next opportunity. "We need to go back to the drawing board. We have lost the battle but not the war," he said, acknowledging the heavy defeat while emphasizing their chance to bounce back in Qualifier 2.
While Punjab will hope to rectify their approach in the next game, RCB have gained valuable momentum and confidence heading into the final. Their performance in this match demonstrated balance across all departments — disciplined bowling, attacking batting, and intelligent field placements. The team now stands one win away from rewriting their history and lifting their first IPL trophy, and with the way they dispatched Punjab Kings, they may finally be peaking at the perfect moment.
