Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) triumphed over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur Stadium, earning their place in the IPL 2025 Final. From the very beginning, things went awry for Punjab Kings. After losing the toss and being asked to bat first on a tricky pitch, their innings struggled to gain momentum. Both openers were dismissed cheaply, leading to further troubles. Josh Hazlewood was formidable with the new ball, taking out crucial players Shreyas Iyer and Josh Inglis early on. Following the collapse of the top order, Suyash Sharma entered the scene and decimated the middle and lower order with an impressive three-wicket haul. Poor shot selection only added to PBKS's difficulties, resulting in their all-out score of a mere 101.

Punjab's batting lineup completely faltered, making it impossible for their bowlers to defend the low target, leaving Shreyas Iyer visibly frustrated. In the post-match presentation, he emphasized the need for the team to identify and address their weaknesses.

“This is not a day to forget, but we need to reassess our strategies. We were confused and lost too many wickets. It's essential to analyze what went wrong. I have no doubts about my planning decisions; they were solid off the field. However, we failed to execute, and I can't blame our bowlers for such a low total. We must improve our batting on this pitch. Throughout the matches here, there has been inconsistent bounce. We can't make excuses because we are professionals and must meet expectations. We may have lost this battle, but the war is not over,” he stated.

Punjab Kings will now prepare for Qualifier 2, scheduled for June 1, where they will face the winner of the Eliminator match, which will be determined today.