RCB create history, end 18-year wait for IPL trophy as PBKS fall short in pulsating final

AHMEDABAD: Finally, after 18 years, it is party time for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as a brilliant spell from Krunal Pandya and solid pace bowling from trio of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal brought them their first-ever Indian Premier League (IPL) title with a six-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.

The wait for the title continues for PBKS, who reached their first final in 11 years under the exceptional leadership of Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting. However, after 18 overs, skipper Rajat Patidar has lifted the title for RCB, with their superstar batter Virat Kohli getting his first-ever IPL trophy after 18 years with the team.

Shashank’s brilliance (61* in 30 balls, with three fours and six sixes) proved inadequate for PBKS as the flush of shots came too late for the team. Shashank hit three sixes in the final over, not giving up the fight till the last.

The tears say it all

An 1⃣8⃣-year wait comes to an end

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Chasing a challenging 191, PBKS started off well with the opening pair of Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh taking down Bhuvneshwar Kumar with a four and six, taking 13 runs in over one.

Priyansh tried to dominate Josh Hazlewood with two fours, but a stunning catch from Phil Salt near the ropes took Priyansh back to the pavillion for 24 in 19 balls, with four boundaries. PBKS was 43/1 in five overs. At the end of six overs, PBKS was 52/1, with Prabhsimran (15*) and Josh Inglis (8*) unbeaten.

Prabhsimran was playing plenty of dot balls, but liberated himself with a six against Suyash Sharma, who ended his first over, conceding a total of 15 runs, including a six each from the duo. Krunal, who had conceded just three in his opening over, continued to put pressure, and finally it was Prabhsimran (26 in 22 balls, with two sixes) who became its victim, giving an easy catch to Bhuvneshwar Kumar at covers. PBKS was 72/2 in 8.3 overs.

Romario Shepherd got the crucial wicket of Shreyas Iyer, the skipper for just one. PBKS was 79/3 in 9.4 overs. At the halfway mark, PBKS was 81/3, with Inglis (24*) and Nehal Wadhera (1*) unbeaten.

Spin continued to create pressure on PBKS, while Romario conceded 10 runs in the 12th over, with Inglis doing heavy lifting. Krunal’s pressure-building ways bite PBKS really hard as they lost Inglis for 39 in 23 balls, with a four and four sixes on the first ball of the 13th over. PBKS was 98/4 in 12.1 overs.

The 15th over by Romario relieved some pressure for PBKS as Nehal and Shashank Singh hit a four and six each, getting 14 runs in total, taking the score ot 119. PBKS needed 72 in 30 balls. The next over by Hazlewood saw Shashank hitting two sixes, bringing down the equation to 55 in 24 balls.

Bhuvneshwar’s third over brought a crucial wicket of Wadhera, who struggled in his 15 runs in 16 balls, with just a six. Krunal was the hero, this time as a fielder. PBKS was 136/5 in 16.2 overs. Though Marcus Stoinis came out swinging with a six, he perished on the next ball with a easy catch to Yash. PBKS was 142/6 in 16.4 overs, they were left needing 47 in the final three overs.

Azmatullah Omarzai (1) could not trouble the scorekeepers much as he gave away his wicket to Yash for just one. PBKS was 145/7 in 17.2 overs. They were left with 42 to chase in the final two overs, with Shashank and Kyle Jamieson on the crease.

Bhuvneshwar came down to deliver the penultimate over, eating a six from Shashank on ball one. However, the equation came down to 29 runs in the final over.

Despite a sensational effort from Shashank (61* in 30 balls, with three fours and six sixes), which had three sixes and a four, RCB won by six runs, with PBKS finishing at 184/7.

Krunal (2/17) and Bhuvneshwar (2/38) delivered top-class four-over spells. Yash was fantastic with his three over spell of 1/18. Hazlewood ended a 1/54 spell on expensive note, but was brilliant nonetheless. Romario also got a wicket.

Earlier, a valiant effort from Royal Challengers Bengaluru set a fighting 191-run target for Punjab Kings in the title clash of the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Counter-attacking knocks from Jitesh Sharma (24 from 10 deliveries) and Virat Kohli (43 from 35 balls) powered RCB to 190/9. Still, Arshdeep Singh (3/40) and Kyle Jamieson’s (3/48) searing three-wicket hauls denied Bengaluru a 200-run mark.

After being put to bat by Punjab, Arshdeep deployed short-length approach ploy, and Phil Salt embraced the opportunity with both hands in the opening over. He hammered the ball over the long leg and sent the ball sailing over the boundary rope for a maximum.

On the fifth delivery, Salt swivelled the ball across the line, and the ball marginally fell short of the rope and bounced away for a four. With Salt coming in and all guns blazing, Bengaluru ended with 13 runs in the opening over.

With runs flowing swiftly, Salt (16) took the aerial route in the next over against Kyle Jamieson but couldn’t get the desired distance. Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer safely held the ball in his hands to draw the first blood.Bengaluru retaliated with a couple of boundaries and finished the powerplay with 55/1 on the board.

Right after the powerplay, Mayank Agarwal (24) tried to take on Punjab’s premier spinner, Yuzvendra Chahal, but swung his bat a fraction too early. The ball soared high and lobbed down to Arshdeep in the deep.

Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar, the former and current captains, tried to form a partnership to see off the middle overs and set the stage for the climax. Virat anchored the innings while Patidar took the brunt of taking risks on his shoulders. He succeeded a couple of times in his venture, but Jamieson trapped Patidar in front of the stumps in the 11th over.

Patidar had shuffled across the crease to make room for a shot but missed the ball completely. He knew taking a review would be futile and returned on 26(16). Liam Livingstone joined Virat at the crease, and the duo spun Chahal inside out to take 14 runs from the over. However, the momentum swung in Punjab’s favour after Virat’s top edge landed straight back into Azmatullah Omarzai’s hands, forcing the franchise icon to return on 43(35).

Jitesh Sharma notched back-to-back sixes off Jamieson to turn up the much-needed run flow in the 17th over. Jamieson struck back to pin Livingstone (25) in front of the stumps to take the momentum back from Bengaluru. Romario Shepherd survived after substitute Praveen Dubey dropped his mistimed slog. Vijaykumar Vyshak cleaned up Jitesh Sharma to pull the curtains down on his 24-run blitzkrieg from 10 deliveries.

Shepherd reeled off a four and a towering maximum in the last two deliveries of the penultimate over. Shepherd tried to take on Arshdeep but got pinned in front of the stumps, courtesy of the left-armer’s searing yorker. Krunal Pandya followed Shepherd’s footsteps after he holed it straight to Shreyas. Arshdeep capped off the innings with Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s scalp as Bengaluru settled for 190/9.

Brief Scores: RCB: 190/9 (Virat Kohli 43, Liam Livingstone 26, Arshdeep Singh 3/40) beat PBKS: 184/7: (Shashank Singh 61*, Josh Inglis 39, Krunal Pandya 2/17). (ANI)