Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) comfortably defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by eight wickets in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur. PBKS batted first and made only 101 runs in 14.1 overs under the pressure of the playoffs. Saw RCB advance to the final with a clinical performance, marking their return to the IPL finals after 9 years since their last appearance in 2016.

Punjab Kings Innings

Batting first, PBKS only managed 101 runs for the loss of 10 wickets in 14.1 overs despite Marcus Stoinis putting up a good fight for 26 runs off 17 balls. Azmatullah Omarzai and Prabhsimran Singh both contributed to the PBKS score with scores of 18 runs from 10 balls and 18 runs off 12 balls, respectively. For the bowlers of RCB, Suyash Sharma had an excellent outing, taking 3 wickets for only 17 runs off 3 overs. Josh Hazlewood took 3/21 off 3.1 overs, and Yash Dayal finished with 3 overs, preceded by 26 runs and 2 wickets.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Innings

RCB chased the target of 102 with ease, reaching 106/2 in just 10 overs. Phil Salt had a strike rate and innings-saving effort of 56 runs off just 27 balls. Mayank Agarwal added 19 runs off 13 balls, while Rajat Patidar finished with 15 runs from 8 balls to help RCB attack victory on PBKS. The bowlers of PBKS struggled Kyle Jamieson took 1 wicket for 27 runs off 3 overs, and Musheer Khan followed up with 1 wicket for 27 runs off 2 overs. Azmatullah Omarzai bowled for 1 over for 10 runs, taking no wickets. RCB put on a dominant display to enter into their IPL 2025 Final.

Also Read: Top 3 reasons why Punjab Kings Lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1

PBKS vs RCB: Post Match Reactions

Suyash Sharma (Player of the Match): Suyash Sharma, the Player of the Match, credited his performance to a straightforward directive from the coaches to consistently attack the stumps. His googlies, leg spins, and flippers were devastating, and had he not received help from the pitch, clearly indicated by his 3/17 in 3 overs, Patidar wouldn’t have let him back on. Sharma felt the batters found it tough to identify his variations, particularly his stock googly. He looked forward to celebrating with his team on June 3rd, implying there would be a major event.

Rajat Patidar (Royal Challengers Bengaluru Captain): Rajat Patidar praised Suyash Sharma for consistently hitting the stumps, which Patidar called a key to his performance. He was careful as captain not to complicate the batsman learning Sharma’s googly. He provided a shout-out to Phil Salt’s explosive starts, saying it was good fortune to see them from the dugout. Finally, he thanked the passionate RCB fans and encouraged them for a championship celebration.

Phil Salt (RCB): Phil Salt was excited to qualify for finals on their first attempt. They accepted the challenging nature of the pitch with some movement early but credited quick reactions for avoiding any dismissals against Punjab’s new ball, especially from Arshdeep Singh. Salt described the play-travel-play schedule as a blessing, preventing overthinking during the tournament. The win, he said, provided crucial momentum for RCB heading into the tournament’s decisive phase.

Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings Captain): Shreyas Iyer made a case for a batting reconsideration when their low total became untenable for Punjab Kings. He acknowledged that the bounce was variable but refused the temptation to use it as an excuse, emphasizing that we must all be ‘professional’ and adapt. Iyer accepted his tactical decisions, despite the loss, and refused to lay the blame on their bowlers. He is optimistic and believes they have lost a battle but not the war and wants to return more strongly.

Also Read: [WATCH] Qualifier 1: Shreyas Iyer dismissed by Josh Hazlewood in PBKS vs RCB clash in IPL 2025

Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Match Scorecard

Punjab Kings- 101/10 (14.1 Overs)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru-106/4 (10 Overs)