RCB booked a ticket to the final: defeated Punjab by 8 wickets, Salt’s stormy batting turned the match around
RCB’s Thunderous Victory in Qualifier 1: A Blowout Win!- The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) absolutely crushed the Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025 on May 29th, securing their spot in the final. Winning the toss and choosing to bowl first proved to be a masterstroke. Punjab’s batting lineup crumbled under the pressure, managing a paltry 101 runs in just 14.1 overs! RCB then swiftly chased down the target in a mere 10 overs, scoring 106 runs. This win marks RCB’s fourth IPL final appearance, following their previous appearances in 2009, 2011, and 2016.
Punjab’s Batting Collapse: A Total Failure- Punjab’s batting performance was nothing short of disastrous. From the top order to the middle, no batsman could withstand the RCB attack. Six batsmen failed to even reach double figures. Marcus Stoinis offered a glimmer of hope with 26 runs, while Prabhsimran Singh and Azmatullah Omarzai chipped in with 18 runs each. However, the rest of the batting lineup completely flopped. RCB’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure, denying Punjab any opportunity to break free.
RCB’s Bowling Prowess: A Stellar Performance- RCB’s bowling attack was the key to their victory. Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma each claimed three wickets, decimating Punjab’s batting order. Yash Dayal picked up two wickets, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Romario Shepherd each contributed one. This outstanding bowling performance restricted Punjab to a mere 101 runs, making it the lowest ever total in IPL playoff history in terms of overs faced – just 14.1 overs!
Punjab’s Disappointing Record: A Low Point- This match etched an unwanted record into Punjab Kings’ history books. They now hold the record for the lowest total in IPL playoff history in terms of overs faced. They surpassed the previous record of 16.1 overs set by Delhi Daredevils in 2008. Furthermore, their score of 101 runs is the third-lowest score in playoff history, only better than Deccan Chargers’ 82 runs against RCB in 2010.
Faf du Plessis’s Match-Winning Knock: A Storm of Runs- RCB’s triumph was largely due to Faf du Plessis’s explosive innings. Virat Kohli (12 runs) and Mayank Agarwal (19 runs) departed early, but Faf took charge. He smashed a quickfire half-century off just 23 balls, finishing unbeaten on 56 runs. His innings included six fours and three sixes. Rajat Patidar provided excellent support, remaining unbeaten on 15 runs. Their partnership tilted the match decisively in RCB’s favor.
Playing XIs and Impact Players-
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Harpreet Brar, Arshdeep Singh, Kyle Jamieson. Impact Players: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Praveen Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Xavier Bartlett.
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma. Impact Players: Mayank Agarwal, Rasiq Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh.
