Watch: 'Emotional' AB de Villiers reveals Virat Kohli blocked him from saying...

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have ended a nine-year wait by reaching the IPL final once again after an eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2025 season. Former RCB cricketer AB de Villiers was seen in tears following the team’s victory during the playoff match.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have reached the IPL final for the fourth time, and their first appearance since 2016, when AB de Villiers played a crucial role in winning Qualifier 1. The Bengaluru franchise is yet to secure the coveted IPL trophy, having lost all three of their previous final matches.

Watch: AB de Villiers Reveals Virat Kohli Banned Him from Saying Bengaluru Phrase

RCB fans, we have a surprise gift 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/Z6kynh9a3P

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— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) May 29, 2025

AB de Villiers revealed that Virat Kohli had asked him to avoid saying the famous Kannada phrase, "Ee Sala Cup Namde" ("The cup is ours this year"). Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, AB de Villiers urged fans to stay excited as he believes the team is set to win the title.

"The time has come. RCB is going all the way. I'm not allowed to say the Bengaluru terms because Virat told me I'm not allowed to say that anymore. But I truly believe we are going all the way this season. So stay tuned, buckle up and enjoy the ride," AB de Villiers told ESPNCricinfo when asked to deliver a message for the RCB fans.

The Rajat Patidar-led team will play the grand finale at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3. Punjab Kings, Gujarat Titans (GT), and Mumbai Indians (MI) are all competing for the second spot in the final.

RCB Deliver Dominant Bowling Display After Winning the Toss

RCB showcased a dominant bowling performance after winning the toss at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on Thursday, May 29. Punjab Kings were bowled out for 101 runs in 14.1 overs. For RCB, Josh Hazlewood and Suyash Sharma picked up three wickets each.

Punjab lost five wickets for just 50 runs within seven overs, including Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Shreyas Iyer, Josh Inglis, and Nehal Wadhera. Musheer Khan came in as the Impact Player but was dismissed for a duck. Marcus Stoinis scored 26 runs off 17 balls before being dismissed by Suyash.

Suyash Sharma Named Player of the Match for Match-Winning Bowling Spell

In response, RCB chased down the 102-run target in just 10 overs. Phil Salt scored 56 runs off just 27 balls. He shared a 30-run stand with Virat Kohli, who was dismissed for 12. Mayank Agarwal chipped in with 19 before falling to Musheer Khan.

Salt shifted gears in the final over of the powerplay and reached his fastest IPL half-century. Captain Rajat Patidar finished the game in style with a six off Musheer over deep midwicket to seal an emphatic win.

Suyash Sharma was named Player of the Match for his spell of 3 for 17. Punjab Kings will get one more chance to reach the final when they take on the winner of the Eliminator between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 2 on Sunday, June 1.

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