Royal Challengers Bengaluru crushed Punjab Kings by eight wickets to storm into their first IPL final since 2016. On a New Chandigarh surface offering seam and extra bounce, RCB’s pacers dismantled PBKS for a paltry 101 before Phil Salt’s explosive 56* off 23 balls sealed the chase in just 10 overs.
RCB’s pace trio of Josh Hazlewood (3/21), Yash Dayal (2/26), and Mohammed Siraj kept pounding hard lengths. PBKS tried to maintain an aggressive approach but failed to adapt to the tough conditions. Suyash Sharma (3/17), the legspinner, exploited reckless sweeping as PBKS batters misread his googlies, losing three key wickets.
The trouble started early when Priyansh Arya mistimed a drive and perished cheaply. Hazlewood’s introduction confirmed the pitch’s bite as he dismissed Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis with steep bounce and movement. PBKS’s refusal to adjust their aggressive approach proved costly. Even a settled Marcus Stoinis fell to a googly while attempting a slog-sweep.
PBKS paid the price for sticking to their attacking game plan. A well-set Marcus Stoinis also perished to a googly, miscuing a slog-sweep. Virat Kohli gave them a brisk start before falling for 12, but Salt ensured there were no jitters. Despite a threatening over from Kyle Jamieson, who beat Mayank Agarwal thrice, Salt counterattacked. Jamieson’s next over leaked 21 runs as Salt launched into a flurry of aggressive strokes.
Rajat Patidar applied the finishing touch with a slog-swept six, completing a clinical win. RCB’s bowlers set the tone early, and Salt’s fearless knock sealed their spot in the final after eight long years.
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