Veteran pace bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar was delighted after defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru earned a place in the playoffs with a comprehensive 23-run win over Punjab Kings on Sunday.
Superstar Virat Kohli and middle-order batter Venkatesh Iyer scored sparkling half-centuries before Kumar’s devastating new-ball spell ensured a place in the IPL playoffs for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Sunday.
Fresh from his ninth hundred in the IPL, Kohli scored a fantastic 58 off 37 balls (four fours, three sixes) and Iyer made 73 off 40 balls (eight fours, four sixes) while Impact Player Devdutt Padikkal contributed 45 off 25 balls (four fours, three sixes) as the RCB put up a huge total of 222 for four in Dharamshala.
In reply, Punjab suffered early blows with Kumar (4-0-38-2) removing openers Priyansh Arya (0) and Prabhsimran Singh (5).
Punjab never recovered from Kumar’s strikes as they ended up with 199 for eight despite Shashank Singh’s valiant 27-ball 56.
Kumar, the highest wicket taker of the season with 24 scalps, was delighted after the team’s playoff qualification.
“It feels good. I think that’s what you play for. If you can qualify in the first two, it’s of course a great thing,” the 36-year-old said.
“You can see the emotion because we have been working hard all these two months, and when you qualify, it’s of course an emotional moment. Looking forward to the next matches as well.”
Table-toppers RCB now have 18 points from 13 matches, while fourth-placed Punjab (13 points from 13 matches) suffered their sixth straight loss, having started their campaign with six wins and a point earned from a no-result due to rain.
The shocking slump has now left Shreyas Iyer’s team staring at elimination from the playoff race.
Last year’s runners-up can still qualify if they win their final league game against the already eliminated Lucknow Super Giants on May 23.
Iyer, who led Kolkata Knight Riders to IPL triumph in 2024, remained upbeat about Punjab’s chances.
“I’m always positive irrespective of the results. It doesn’t dictate how my personality is, and I always approach with a strong attitude,” he said.
“I’m not someone who dwells too much in the past. This is over, this is gone. Tomorrow again I’m going to see the sunrise, and there’s always light at the end of the tunnel.”
Source: Khaleej Times