IPL 2025 Qualifier 1, PBKS vs RCB: Hazlewood and Suyash lead Bengaluru to fourth final; Punjab to get another shot at title clash.
Brief scores: PBKS 101 (Marcus Stoinis 26, Suyash Sharma 3/17) lost to RCB 106/2 (Phil Salt 56, Kyle Jamieson 1/27) by 8 wickets.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) stormed into the IPL 2025 final with a commanding eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur. RCB’s bowlers were sensational, bowling out the table-toppers for just 101. Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood led the charge with the ball. Phil Salt then sealed the chase with an unbeaten 54. This marks RCB’s fourth appearance in an IPL final.
Highlights from PBKS vs RCB, Qualifier 1, IPL 2025
Hazlewood, Suyash 3-fers cut short RCB’s work
Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma delivered match-defining spells, each grabbing three wickets. RCB needed someone to step up, and Suyash delivered just when it mattered. Though he hadn’t been among the wickets lately, he used the conditions brilliantly, striking at key moments and outfoxing the batters.
Meanwhile, Hazlewood, returning after a break and some uncertainty around his availability, looked like he’d never left—picking up three crucial wickets, including Shreyas Iyer and the in-form Josh Inglis. His experience and accuracy were key. With Suyash also finding form, RCB look sharp and well-balanced heading into the finals.
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Shreyas Iyer fails to inspire confidence as skipper
Despite entering the playoffs with momentum, Shreyas Iyer‘s captaincy came under fire after Punjab Kings were bowled out for just 101 in Qualifier 1, suffering a heavy defeat to RCB. His leadership lacked tactical sharpness, and his own failure with the bat set a poor example. The team looked uninspired and struggled to handle pressure, raising questions about his ability to lead in big matches. Iyer’s playoff record continues to be underwhelming, with a recurring pattern of collapses in crunch games.
Salt made the mockery of the chase
Phil Salt made a mockery of the chase with a ferocious, match-winning knock, hammering an unbeaten 56 off just 23 balls—his fastest IPL fifty to date. Opening the innings for RCB, Salt wasted no time in asserting dominance, finding his rhythm instantly and dismantling the opposition attack with a flurry of boundaries. His clean striking and precise placement set the tempo from the outset, silencing the bowlers and racing toward the target with ruthless efficiency.
Read More: IPL 2025: SWOT Analysis of Top 4 teams
Conclusion
Riding high on a dominant win, RCB will head into the IPL 2025 final with strong momentum. Their bowlers are in peak form, and the top order looks settled. The focus will be on maintaining consistency and handling pressure in the title clash. Meanwhile, PBKS must quickly regroup ahead of Qualifier 2. They need to address top-order batting failures and build resilience under pressure. Shreyas Iyer and Ricky Ponting will need to inspire a tactical shift and improve intent. A stronger showing in their next knockout match is essential to stay in the tournament.
Read More: IPL 2025: Iyer-Ponting reunion as captain-coach duo worked well for PBKS
Top Twitter/X Reactions from PBKS vs RCB, Qualifier 1, IPL 2025
RCB in the final in grand style. Inexplicable meltdown by PBKS batting which left no scope for a fightback. Great season so far for RCB but title still to be won!
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) May 29, 2025
Well done @RCBTweets kamal ka chase tha yeh @jiteshsharma_ superb batting . Well done @imVkohli
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) May 27, 2025
Great win by RCB & an amazing performance by the captain #JiteshSharma last night 🔥 @LucknowIPL tried their best, but couldn’t pull through!
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) May 28, 2025
A special shoutout to @RishabhPant17 for his 118 off 61 💪🏻#RCBvsLSG
RCB in the finals. Deserve every bit of it. Congratulations to their fans. The bowling had sting in it.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) May 29, 2025
This is why the system for the play-offs is so good. #PunjabKings have played outstanding cricket and they deserve another opportunity.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 29, 2025
It took a while for RCB to understand that good old cricketing truth. Bowlers win you games.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) May 29, 2025
Read More: Shreyas Iyer, the captain with the Midas touch: Does wonders for PBKS this time
