Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won the last league game of IPL 2025 to finish second and secure their spot in Qualifier 1 against table-toppers Punjab Kings (PBKS) on May 29. As a result, Gujarat Titans (GT) finish third and will take on Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Eliminator on May 30.
RCB chased down 228 against Lucknow Super Giants with half-centuries from Virat Kohli and stand-in captain Jitesh Sharma as Rishabh Pant’s 61-ball 118 went in vain, giving RCB their third Qualifier 1 appearance, having previously finished in the top two in 2011 and 2016.
RCB and PBKS, who both had one game each abandoned due to rain, finished on 19 points each, with PBKS boasting a better net run rate. PBKS had defeated MI a day prior to confirm a top-two finish for them, leaving MI on 16 points. Meanwhile GT’s defeats in their last two matches, against LSG and Chennai Super Kings, meant they finish on 18 points.
When Pant’s ton took LSG to 227 for 3, it looked like RCB would have to settle for playing the Eliminator, but an unbeaten 33-ball 85 from Jitesh helped them complete the third-highest chase in IPL history. RCB became the first team to win all seven of their designated away matches.
RCB will have just one day to prepare for their Qualifier 1 match against PBKS in New Chandigarh on Thursday, while GT and MI will square off at the same ground on Friday.
The second Qualifier is scheduled on June 1 in Ahmedabad, with the final on June 3.
Source: Espncricinfo
