Phil Salt’s stunning performance of 56 not out off 27 balls against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 on Thursday, May 29, propelled Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) into the finals of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
The match was won by RCB with only 102 runs at Mullanpur’s Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium. While Virat Kohli was dismissed for a run-a-ball 12, his opening partner, Salt, brought the PBKS bowlers to task. RCB chased down the low target in just 10 overs, behind by two wickets. Mayank Agarwal was the other batsman removed after scoring 19 runs off 13 balls.
After the game, Phil Salt stated that it was not the most challenging wicket he had batted on during the 18th edition of the IPL.
He also stated that he was attempting to respond to the ball and stressed the importance of momentum in the final stages of the tournament.
“It’s a great feeling right now, and the ball moved a little. I do not believe that was the worst wicket I have played on this season. Do not travel to Arshdeep. We played two group games (with PBKS), and he kept finding new methods to get me out, so I was simply trying to react to the ball. Gives us momentum, which is a cliche but true, and that’s what you want at the end of the tournament, to hit your straps and play a role with the bat or ball,” Salt said after the game.
Earlier in the game, PBKS were dismissed for 101 in 14.1 overs. Prabhsimran Singh, Marcus Stoinis, and Azmatullah Omarzai were the only PBKS batters to score in double figures. Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma excelled with the ball for RCB, each taking three wickets. The latter was named Player of the Match after scoring 3/17 in three overs.
RCB has lost three finals, the last in 2016. They would like to break the curse when they arrive to the massive Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3 for the summit battle.
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