RCB beat Kings to reach first IPL final since 2016

New Chandigarh, the Indian Premier League

Punjab Kings 101 (14.1 overs): S Sharma 3-17, Hazlewood 3-21

Royal Challengers Bengaluru 106-2 (10 overs): Salt 56 (27)

Bengaluru defeated Bengaluru by eight wickets to win the Royal Challengers.

After defeating the Punjab Kings by eight wickets in the final, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are one match away from winning their first Indian Premier League match.

In 14.1 overs, Kings batted poorly and were bowled out for 101, with RCB chasing down their low target with the final fifty.

As RCB won the most games by remaining balls in IPL play-offs history, opener Phil Salt hit an unbeaten 56 from 27 deliveries while spinners Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood each took three wickets.

The winners of Friday’s match between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians will now advance to Tuesday’s final, their first since 2016, while the winners of the title decider will face them against them.

Kings entered the game after losing the toss in New Chandigarh, finishing first overall, ahead of RCB in terms of net run-rate.

They immediately ran into trouble, falling to 38-4 on the powerplay right away.

As Kings continued to lose wickets consistently, with opener Prabhsimran Singh and tail-ender Azmatullah (both 18) the only other batters to reach single figures, Marcus Stoinis top-scored with 26 from number six.

In April, Kings had defended 111 against this ground, but a repeat victory seemed too difficult.

Virat Kohli was left for 12 in the fourth over by Kyle Jamieson, but England international Salt anchored a straightforward chase from there.

His batting average of 50 from 23 balls was his fastest half-century in the IPL, which included six fours and three sixes.