Can RCB Celebrate After Another Game? Patidar's Message Following IPL 2025 Final Entry

New Chandigarh, May 29 (NationPress) After the Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their place in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the fourth time, following an impressive eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 of the 2025 season, captain Rajat Patidar expressed that it’s just a matter of one more match before they can celebrate their success alongside the franchise’s loyal supporters.

At the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, outstanding performances from Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood enabled RCB to dismiss PBKS for a mere 101 runs in just 14.1 overs. An unbeaten 56 from Phil Salt facilitated RCB in chasing down the target within ten overs, securing their spot in the championship game at the Narendra Modi Stadium on June 3.

“We have conducted numerous practice sessions throughout the tournament, so missing one day of practice won’t affect us. I am immensely grateful to RCB fans, not just in Chinnaswamy, but wherever we go, it feels like our home ground. We appreciate your support, so let’s gear up for one more game and celebrate together,” Patidar stated during the post-match presentation.

He further commended Suyash for his ability to trouble the PBKS batsmen during the middle overs. “We were clear about our bowling strategies. The fast bowlers utilized the pitch effectively. Suyash executed his lines and lengths brilliantly,” he praised.

“As captain, I have confidence in his bowling. He needs to focus on targeting the stumps; that's his forte. His wrong 'un is tricky for the batters to decipher. I aim to provide him with clear instructions, avoiding any confusion. I’m okay with him conceding a few runs during this process,” he added.

Patidar also spoke highly of Salt, the explosive opener from England. “The way he has been batting consistently has been phenomenal. Watching him provide solid starts is truly enjoyable from the dugout,” he remarked.

On the other hand, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer maintained his confidence despite the heavy defeat in Qualifier 1, emphasizing the need for a reassessment of their batting strategies. PBKS will have another opportunity to reach the final when they face the winner of the Eliminator in the Qualifier 2 match in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

“This is not a day to forget, but we need to return to the drawing board. We lost too many wickets early on. There’s much to analyze. I remain confident in my decisions. Our planning was sound, but execution fell short on the field. We cannot blame the bowlers as it was a low total to defend. We need to improve our batting, especially on this pitch, which has shown variable bounce,” he stated.

“We cannot use that as an excuse because we are professionals and must adapt our batting to the situation. Although we lost this battle, the war is not over,” he concluded.