@Virat congratulates Suyash sharma after taking the wicket vs PBKS IPL2025
Royal Challengers Bengaluru managed to beat Punjab Kings by 8 wickets in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2025 on May 29, 2025 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium in Mohali, Punjab. With 60 balls to go, RCB won by the biggest margin in IPL playoff history and so reached their fourth IPL final for the first time since 2016. RCB’s bowlers and batsmen were in fine form and Suyash Sharma and Phil Salt put on a great show, enabling RCB to chase down 102 runs with 10 overs to spare.
In the first half of the game, RCB’s bowlers had the best of PBKS : With Shreyas Iyer as captain, Punjab Kings kept losing wickets and got behind the score after Rajat Patidar put RCB into bat first. The pitch had a little movement and changed how high the ball bounced which the RCB bowlers took full advantage of. Within the first seven deliveries of his over, Josh Hazlewood knocked out two of PBKS’s leading batsmen. Both the length of his delivery and the help from the pitch prevented Punjab batsmen from scoring. Suyash Sharma bowled superbly and was named Player of the Match for his effort. Suyash kept bowling at the stumps, so PBKS batsmen had a hard time recognizing his mixture of deliveries, mainly the wrong’un. Being able to work at the pitch’s pace allowed him to halt PBKS at just 101. Rajat Patidar pointed out that Suyash did well because his accurate bowling from stump to stump made it tough for the batters on this surface. Musheer Khan’s first IPL wicket was when he removed Mayank Agarwal for 19 runs scored from 13 deliveries. When Agarwal tried a risky shot, Shreyas Iyer snapped up the catch off Musheer, giving the PBKS fans a chance to cheer. But the happiness did not last long before PBKS’s batsmen struggled under pressure. Even though Agarwal hit a six over the sight-screen during a 50-run partnership, PBKS did not make the most of their good starts when the middle-order batsmen struggled. After the game, Shreyas Iyer said the team didn’t deal well with the changing pitch and didn’t have enough strength to make a competitive score.
Phil Salt’s Powerplay Pushed the Team to Victory :
With 102 needed, RCB wanted to get off to a secure beginning to relax their players. From the beginning, Virat Kohli went after the bowling, hitting three boundaries to give PBKS trouble. Yet, PBKS fans were briefly hopeful when Mayank was sent back by Jamieson’s fourth over caught plan. Jamieson’s accurate bowling brought Mayank Agarwal close to getting out, but it was Phil Salt who stood out. With a good season for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, Salt wasn’t ready to let PBKS regain the initiative. The Englishman hit many shots at Jamieson and Arshdeep Singh, treating them with disdain. His 23-ball 56 not out, including 7 fours and 2 sixes, showed how powerful he can hit. His audacious lofted shot over Jamieson was impressive and he followed that up with a vicious cut that hit the boundary at 84.7 kph. RCB finished their chase in 10 overs, thanks to the fact that Salt struck his fastest IPL fifty in just 23 balls. Rajat Patidar played a secondary role, staying unbeaten on 22 scored from 18 balls. A cover drive and a slog-sweep for six helped seal the win for him. After teaming up for a 71-run third wicket, the pair made sure RCB would not face any more setbacks, as they won the match by 8 wickets with 60 balls still remaining. With such an intense chase, RCB pointed out their strong batting lineup and their skills to succeed in playoff situations.
Post-Match Reflections :
Shreyas Iyer, captain of PBKS, acknowledged that his team struggled with the bat. We were left confused and gave away too many wickets. We scored very little and our plans didn’t work out. We have to improve our batting by going back to training, he said. Although PBKS lost, Iyer still believed in their chances for Qualifier 2 and urged the middle order to improve
In previous years, their batsmen usually led the team, but this time the win came thanks to their bowlers. Suyash Sharma won the game for Hyderabad, Hazlewood’s presence added balance and Salt’s hitting made chasing the total easy. Rajat Patidar showed great leadership, thanks to his calm attitude and effective way of talking to others.
Significance and What’s Next :
After this win, RCB qualified for the IPL final for the fourth time, their first since May 29, 2016, sadly, the same day they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad nine years ago. The way the team won, with 60 balls left, became the greatest margin ever in an IPL playoff game. RCB will await the winner of Qualifier 2 which will see Punjab Kings take on the victor of the Eliminator between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians at the Mullanpur stadium on May 30.
The defeat pointed out that PBKS’ batters struggle in tough situations. Yet, thanks to Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera and Yuzvendra Chahal, they are still a tough team to beat in Qualifier 2. A win in Qualifier 2 would put them against RCB in the final, where they could try to avenge their earlier loss.
Conclusion :
RCB’s victory over PBKS demonstrated that they are ready to play strong in every department of the game. Hazlewood and Suyash’s well-disciplined bowling and the strong batting of Salt and Patidar made it clear that RCB are worthy championship challengers. RCB fans who cheered loudly all season are now heading to Ahmedabad, hoping their team can take home the championship in IPL 2025. PBKS now have to work on their batting in Qualifier 2 to ensure they have a chance of winning the title.
Brief Scores :
PBKS innings : 101/10 (14.1 Overs) Marcus Stoinis 26 of 17 Balls (2 Fours And 2 Sixes), Prabhsimran Singh 18 off 10 Balls (2 Fours And 1 Six).
RCB Bowling : Suyash Sharma 3/17 (3 Overs), Josh Hazlewood 3/21 (3.1 Overs).
RCB Innings : 106/2 (10 Overs) Phil Salt 56* off 27 Balls (6 Fours And 3 Sixes), Mayank Agarawal 19 off 13 Balls (2 Fours And 1 Six).
PBKS Bowling : Kyle Jamieson 1/27 (3 Overs), Musheer Khan 1/27 (2 Overs).
Player of the Match : Suyash Sharma .
Result : Royal Challengers Bengaluru won by 8 Wickets.