Hazlewood destroys Punjab as Bengaluru reach IPL final.
The timing could hardly have been better. The return of Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood fired up Royal Challengers Bengaluru to such an extent that they marched into their first Indian Premier League final since 2016 with an utterly compelling bowling display.
And it could hardly have been more emphatic. Punjab Kings were skittled out for 101 as Bengaluru set course for an eight-wicket victory in Thursday's first qualifier.
Bengaluru needed just 10 overs to reach 2-106, handing Ricky Ponting's Punjab the biggest-ever defeat in IPL play-off history in terms of balls remaining in the process.
They do have another chance to reach the final but Ponting has just three days to rebuild Punjab's shattered nerves.
Bengaluru can now look forward to their first IPL final since 2016 on Tuesday. Mumbai Indians take on Gujarat Titans in Friday's eliminator, with the winners facing Punjab on Sunday for a place in the final.
Josh Hazlewood stars on his comeback with 3/21 👏🎥🔽 WATCH his superb spell | #TATAIPL | #PBKSvRCB | @RCBTweets
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 29, 2025
Back after recovering from a shoulder complaint and playing for the first time in a month, Hazlewood ripped through Punjab's top order, claiming the prized wicket of captain Shreyas Iyer (2) and then fellow Aussie Josh Inglis (4) as the Kings slipped to 4-38 inside the batting power play.
Desperate Punjab batters tried too many aggressive shots against hard-length balls as Hazlewood, who finished with figures of 3-21, induced thick outside edge of Shreyas' extravagant drive and Inglis got caught at fine leg while trying to pull , but got beaten with extra pace.
Hazlewood had meaningful support from two other Bengaluru pacers. Yash Dayal (2-26) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1-17) also struck inside the first six overs before leg-spinner Suyash Sharma claimed 3-17 to bowl out Punjab in 14.1 overs.
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆. 🏆Through grit, grind, and some glorious cricket, we're into the big one! pic.twitter.com/HkidnNOJIY
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) May 29, 2025
Another Australian, Marcus Stoinis, top-scored with 26 off 17 balls but was undone by Sharma's googly and was clean bowled.
Kyle Jamieson removed Virat Kohli, the former India captain who has yet to win an IPL title, for 12 in the fourth over but Bengaluru raced to 1-61 in their six powerplay overs with Phil Salt hitting boundaries almost at will.
Salt took 23 balls to bring up his fifty and skipper Rajat Patidar hit a six to seal Bengaluru's victory in a match that lasted only 24.1 overs.
Punjab can still make the final if they can win the second qualifier against the winner of Friday's eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans.
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