RCB reaches first IPL Final since 2016

Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings with a dominant eight-wicket victory to qualify for their first Indian Premier League final since 2016.

Phil Salt’s unbeaten 56 off 27 balls, including 6 fours and 3e sixes, powered Bengaluru to 106-2 in just 10 overs, handing Kings their biggest-ever defeat in IPL playoff history.

Virat Kohli scored a run-a-ball 12 before he was dismissed in the fourth over.

Rajat Patidar (15 not out) sealed the win with a six off the final ball from left-arm spinner Musheer, securing RCB’s place in the final.

Kings were dismantled for an unsatisfactory 101 all out in just 14.1 overs. Thanks to spinner Suyash Sharma and seamer Josh Hazlewood with three wickets each with support from fast bowlers Yash Dayal (2-26) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-17).

Kings lost four wickets with just 38 runs on the board and eventually stumbled over the 100-run mark.

Marcus Stoinis top-scored with 26 off 17 balls but was dismissed by Sharma, and Musheer Khan was trapped leg-before wicket by Sharma for a duck.

Wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma dismissed Punjab’s batting when he took a one-handed catch over his head to dismiss Azmatullah Omarzai (18), one of the three Punjab batters to get into double figures.