Bengaluru booked a spot in the final for the second straight time with a commanding 92-run win over Gujarat in Qualifier 1 at Dharamsala. Gujarat captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl, bringing in left-arm pacer Kulwant Khejroliya in place of Arshad Khan.
Bengaluru got a brisk start through Venkatesh Iyer before he fell for 19 off 7. Virat Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal then kept the momentum going, taking the side to 76/1 at the end of the powerplay, before both were dismissed in the same over.
Captain Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya turned the innings into a rout. Patidar cashed in on reprieves and punished Khejroliya in the 15th over that included five no-balls, with Bengaluru collecting 28 runs. Krunal made 43 off 28 before falling to Rabada, while Patidar raced to 93 off 33, as Bengaluru finished on 254/5.
Chasing 255, Gujarat collapsed early. Sai Sudharsan was out hit-wicket for 14, Gill was bowled for 2, and Jos Buttler’s 29 could not steady the innings. Gujarat were eventually bowled out for 162 in 19.3 overs, sealing Bengaluru’s emphatic entry into the final.
