Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) earned the right to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final. They pulled this off in style with a commanding eight-wicket win against Punjab Kings. This remarkable triumph marks a watershed moment in RCB’s storied history, as they continue to pursue their first-ever IPL crown. They had made it to the finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016 but lost on all three occasions.
It all started on April 2 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, with RCB’s bowlers putting on a world-class showing. Even more heartening was Josh Hazlewood returning from a shoulder injury to spearhead the pace attack with vigor. He was the architect of the Punjab batting order’s demolition. He reduced Punjab to a precarious 71-7 by the halfway mark of their innings, taking key wickets, including that of Shreyas Iyer. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the early game-changer for SRH, picking up the key wicket of Prabhsimran Singh. This was doubly significant as Prabhsimran had been Punjab’s top scorer this season.
Punjab Kings faltered with the bat, bowled out for just 101 runs. In comparison, RCB chased a target of 96 runs down with ease. Phil Salt who is in amazing form anchored the innings for Bengaluru with a phenomenal 56 not out. The team chased down the target in only 10 overs, clearly displaying their strength in the tournament.
Virat Kohli, who has been RCB’s leading scorer throughout the season, contributed 12 runs to the team’s total. His leadership and experience have been central for RCB as they aim to win their first title.
“Obviously, we had a second bite at the cherry, but it’s such a good feeling to get that out of the way first-time.” – Phil Salt
Kohli’s squad will be a more dangerous opponent in the final, significantly encouraged by this commanding win. Salt stressed the significance of momentum at this point in the tournament.
“It just gives us that momentum. It’s such a cliché, but it’s so true at the back end of the tournament.” – Phil Salt
Despite the loss, the Punjab Kings still remain in contention for the final. Their hope still is to get through in the second qualifier against Friday’s eliminator winner of Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans.
