AUSTRALIA's Josh Hazlewood took 3-21 to help Royal Challengers Bengaluru secure a place in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final with an eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings on Thursday.
Bengaluru bowled out Punjab for 101 and chased down the target in 10 overs during the first qualifier of the T20 tournament at Mullanpur in New Chandigarh.
Punjab will have another opportunity to reach the final on June 3 when they face the winner of the eliminator between the third and fourth-placed teams.
Opener Phil Salt made 56 not out as Bengaluru reached their fourth IPL final in search of a first title.
"Just gives us momentum, cliché but true," Salt said after the match. "Back end of the tournament you want to hit your straps."
Virat Kohli was caught behind for 12 off New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson, who took a wicket without conceding a run in the over.
Salt put on 54 runs with Mayank Agarwal, who made 19. Captain Rajat Patidar scored 15 and hit the winning six.
Bengaluru's bowlers set up the victory after they chose to field and Hazlewood returned from a shoulder injury.
Hazlewood claimed two early wickets, including that of captain Shreyas Iyer, to trouble Punjab’s batting.
Left-arm seamer Yash Dayal removed Priyansh Arya for seven in the second over and Prabhsimran Singh for 18.
Hazlewood then got Iyer caught behind in his first over and dismissed Josh Inglis, who scored seven, in his next.
Punjab lost half their side in 6.3 overs when Dayal bowled Nehal Wadhera.
Marcus Stoinis tried to rebuild as wickets fell around him, scoring 26 off 17 balls with two fours and two sixes.
Leg-spinner Suyash Sharma took two wickets in one over and dismissed Stoinis for his third. The Punjab crowd went silent after Stoinis’s dismissal.
Suyash was named man of the match.
Afghanistan's Azmatullah Omarzai pushed Punjab past 100 before he was last out to Hazlewood as the innings ended in 14.1 overs.
"Not a day to forget, but got to go back to the drawing board," Iyer said. "We have lost the battle, but not the war."
Gujarat Titans will play Mumbai Indians in the eliminator at the same venue on Friday.
The league was extended by nine days after being paused due to a military conflict between India and Pakistan. The revised schedule clashed with the international calendar.
Some overseas players are missing from the playoffs, including Gujarat’s Jos Buttler, who was playing on Thursday for England against West Indies at Edgbaston.
(With inputs from agencies)
