Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Kolkata Knight Riders by 8 wickets in the first qualifier of IPL 2025 to book a place in the final. In the match played at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday (May 29), Rajat Patidar won the toss and invited Punjab Kings to bat first, after which the Shreyas Iyer-led side could only manage to post a total of 101 runs on the board in 14.1 overs. Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma picked up three wickets each for the Bengaluru-based franchise, and two PBKS batters were sent back to the dugout by Yash Dayal. RCB lost Virat Kohli for 12 runs in the run chase, but thanks to Phil Salt’s unbeaten fifty, they achieved the target of 102 runs in 10 overs for the loss of two wickets. RCB chased down the target with 60 balls to spare, and 60 balls remaining is the biggest victory margin while chasing in IPL playoffs/knockout matches. RCB bettered KKR’s record of 57 balls against SRH in the 2024 IPL final. Biggest win margin in IPL playoffs match (balls remaining) 60 balls – RCB vs PBKS in Mullanpur (2025) 57 balls – KKR vs SRH in Chennai (2024) 38 balls – KKR vs SRH in Ahmedabad (2024) 33 balls – MI vs KKR in Bengaluru (2017) 31 balls – CSK vs PBKS in Mumbai (2008) Quickest 100-plus targets chased in the IPL 9.4 overs – RCB vs KKR, Bengaluru, 2015 (T: 112) (Rain-shortened match) 9.4 overs – SRH vs LSG, Hyderabad, 2024 (T: 166) 10.0 overs – RCB vs PBKS, Mullanpur, 2025 (T: 102) 10.1 overs – KKR vs CSK, Chennai, 2025 (T: 104) The win over PBKS helped RCB qualify for the IPL final for the first time since the 2016 season and overall the fourth time in 18 IPL editions played so far. In the IPL 2025 final, the Rajat Patidar-led side will now face the winner of qualifier two. The second qualifier will be played between the winner of the eliminator match and Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad on Sunday (June 1). RCB will be favourite to win the IPL title this year, as in the history of the IPL, the team winning Qualifier 1 has won the title in 11 of the 14 previous editions since the current playoffs system began in 2011, including each of the last seven (2018-2024). Suyash shines Uncapped Indian spinner Suyash Sharma was the standout performer for RCB on Thursday. The Delhi-based cricketer, who was part of KKR in IPL 2024, finished with figures of 3 for 17 in three overs. He opened his wicket account by breaching Shashank Singh’s defence on the second ball of the ninth over of PBKS’ innings, and then on the fifth ball of that same over, he trapped Musheer Khan in front of the wickets. While Shashank scored three runs from five balls, Musheer made a three-ball duck on his IPL debut. In his next over, Suyash clean bowled Marcus Stoinis, who top-scored for PBKS. For his super bowling show, Suyash won the Player of the Match award.