IPL 2025 Qualifier 1: Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma took three wickets each as Royal Challengers Bengaluru bundled out Punjab Kings for a paltry 101 at Mullanpur's Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Thursday. Going on the offence in a tricky track backfired as none of the PBKS batters could get going after Rajat Patidar decided to field first. RCB stormed into the final as they chased down the target with 10 overs and eight wickets to spare.
Suyash (3/17) took over after the pace trio of Hazlewood (3/21), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (1/17) and Yash Dayal (2/26) exploited the conditions well. Musheer Khan, who made an unexpected IPL debut as an impact player with wickets falling in a heap, was among the victims of Suyash as the leggie had a day to remember.
In case you missed the Punjab Kings innings, here is how each of their ten batters perished against RCB in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1
1. Priyansh Arya 7 (5b 1x4): Yash Dayal handed PBKS the first blow of the game in the second over of the game when he dismissed their opener. A cover drive, which was well struck to Arya's credit, went straight into the hands of Krunal Pandya to the disappointment of the youngster. (9/1)
2. Prabhsimran Singh 18 (10b 2x4 1x6): The opener's stay in the middle was short but pleasing to the eyes. The right-hander tried to dance down the track to smash a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery but the climbing ball took an edge on the way to Jitesh Sharma's gloves. (27/2)
3. Shreyas Iyer 2 (3b): A good length ball from Hazlewood that travelled outside off tempted the PBSK skipper. He went for it and ended up getting only a thick edge. Result -- a regulation catch for Jitesh Sharma behind the stumps. (30/3)
4. Josh Inglis 4 (7b): The in-form wicketkeeper batter tried to go big after Hazlewood sent a short-pitched delivery his way. But it ended up being a top-edge that safely landed in the hands of Bhuvneshwar Kumar at deep backward square leg. (38/4)
5. Nehal Wadhera 8 (10b 1x4): Wadhera played a poor drive off a Yash Dayal delivery which ended up striking the stumps as it took a thick inside edge. (50/5)
6. Shashank Singh 3 (5b): The storied middle-order batter tried to break free when he tried to lift one over the leg side off Suyash. However, Shashank's wild swing was nowhere near the ball and Suyash castled his stumps. (60/6)
7. Musheer Khan 0 (3b): Suyash tried a short ball on the middle stump and the gamble worked. Musheer's attempt to sweep backfired as he got tapped LBW. PBKS also lost a review as they tried to revoke the call. (60/7)
8.Marcus Stoinis 26 (17b 2x4 2x6): A tossed-up delivery was too good for the big Australian to let go. He went down on the knee for a slog sweep but is completely beaten by the flight. The ball spins past the inside edge of the bat to castle his stumps. (78/8)
9. Harpreet Brar 4 (11b): Romario Shepherd ended the spinner's resistance with a shorter delivery. Harpreet backed away to push it off but is tricked by the extra bounce. The ball painfully struck his left elbow before hitting his off stump. (97/9)
10. Azmatullah Omarzai 18 (12b 1x4 1x6): The Afghan was the final Punjab wicket to fall. WK Jitesh Sharma took a memorable catch as the all-rounder attempted to lob a length ball around off over the on side. He manages only a thick outside edge and a full-stretch jump by Jitesh ensures that the PBKS innings come to a close for just 101 runs. (101/10)