RCB beat Punjab Kings by 8 wickets: IPL Qualifier 1 – as it happened

That is it from our live coverage of RCB’s win against Punjab Kings.

A sizeable victory sends the away team into the final.

We hoped you enjoyed the coverage and can join us again for more live sport over the coming days.

The Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan takes centre stage on Saturday.

On Friday, we have the second T20 international of the three-game series between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

For now, though – from Kevin Hand and Hafsa Adil – it is goodbye for now.

Click here to read our preview of Saturday’s big match.

Will Kohli finally get his hands on the only trophy that has evaded him in a glittering career?

There was talk of lucky 18th [IPL] for RCB’s number 18.

We’ll find out on Tuesday.

RCB skipper Rajat Patidar is full of praise for his bowlers, who basically set up the match for their side.

“[Our] fast bowlers used the surface well and Suyash chipped in well,” a beaming Patidar said after the match.

The skipper said he’s a “big fan” of Phil Salt.

“The way he is giving us starts, it is a treat.”

He ends his chat by thanking the RCB fans, who must wait another day to “celebrate together”.

Join us on Friday for the second match of the three-game series between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The opener resulted in a Pakistan win in Lahore, where all three games – including Sunday’s final – are being played.

Punjab captain Shreyas Iyer is clear about what his team needs after tonight.

“We have to go to the drawing board,” he said in his post-match comments.

“We were befuddled and lost a lot of wickets – [that’s] something to go back and study.”

Iyer said he will stick by is on-field decisions, but there’s little his bowlers could do to defend “such a low total”. He cannot offer any excuses for their poor performance.

“We are professionals, and we have to live up to it. We have lost the battle, but not the war.”

Phil Salt is all smiles after his 27-ball 56 that never let RCB feel any pressure of the run chase.

The opener says it’s a “great feeling” to lead the run chase.

“What came in my head was don’t get out to Arshdeep,” he jokes after the match. Salt said he just wanted to “react to every ball” as it came.

A clash billed as the meeting of the best teams failed to live up to expectations as Punjab Kings folded under pressure and in the face of RCB’s tight bowling.

A loss at home will hurt Iyer’s side, but they live to fight another day as they will now play in the second eliminator on Sunday.

Their opponents will be decided in tomorrow’s first eliminator, which pits Gujarat Titans against Mumbai Indians.

The Bengaluru outfit have done it!

Musheer gives away two more singles to help RCB level the equation. It’s then down to the Bengaluru captain to hit the winning runs and boy does he do it in style!

Patidar gets down on one leg to a full delivery and dispatches the ball into the Punjab sky for a six and a place in the final!

RCB return to the IPL finals after nine years!

Musheer Khan has the unenviable job of bowling what could be the final over of an embarrassing performance by Punjab.

He gives away two singles, before Patidar latches onto a full delivery for a four in the extra cover region.

Three needed by RCB for a place in the final.

Patidar takes a single and Salt returns to take the strike and take on the bowler with a punch through the square region. Four more runs to the RCB opener, who finishes the over with a dot and with nine required for a place in the final.

That’s a skewed equation, but the RCB fans won’t complain.

Brar bowls to Patidar who doesn’t mind going off strike to get Salt on.

Salt plays a simple drive through the covers to take a comfortable single and bring up his half-century off 23 balls. A dot ball follows.

Patidar fetches a single on his first delivery, which is on the middle and leg stump line.

The third ball is wide of Agarwal, who comes forward to hit it over the bowler’s head with ease and grace. Agarwal then plays a good-looking drive through the covers for a boundary after bisecting the two fielders running in close to the boundary.

Musheer has the final laugh as he has the batter caught behind on the fifth delivery. The ball went down the leg side, but Punjab believe the batter nicked it. They call for a review, and an inside edge is confirmed.

Rajat Patidar, the RCB captain, walks in.

Agarwal c Iyer b Musheer 19(13)

The slow left-arm bowler is introduced to see if the RCB chase can be shaken up.

He gives away two singles – one each to Agarwal and Salt.

Agarwal gives the strike back to Salt on the opening ball of the over, and the big-hitter obliges by hitting a six!

Salt gets his front leg out of the way to hit a clean pull shot over deep mid-wicket and makes a mockery of this run chase.

RCB fetch three singles on the next four balls to stay well ahead of the required run rate.

The Englishman gets on strike on the third ball of the over and runs a couple after a drive through the slip region.

He then goes big on the last three balls.

The first hit is a four off an overpitched delivery and through the covers.

Salt follows it up with a pull over midwicket that lands safely just before the boundary rope.

He saves the best for the last as another overpitched delivery is disposed of over the cover region for a 21-run over.

The impact substitute gets off the mark with a four off Jamieson.

The Kiwi follows Agarwal’s charge, but the batter is able to hit it down mid-on for a boundary.