The last time Royal Challengers Bengaluru played the Qualifier 1 in the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians had two IPL titles each. Now, they both have five IPL titles each. Real Madrid had won 10 Champions League titles at the time of the 2016 Qualifier 1 match, and they managed to win five more, including the one in 2016.
Qualifier 1: The top two teams from the league stage contest the match. Winner will advance to the final. Loser will have a second chance to reach the final. The format was introduced for the first time in 2011.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru play Punjab Kings in the Qualifier 1 match in Chandigarh tonight, and let’s revisit their past performances in Qualifier 1 matches.
2016: Gujarat Lions, Qualifier 1 (Bengaluru)
The newly formed Gujarat Lions topped the league stage. RCB entered the game with a big momentum, having won their last four league matches. Shane Watson’s four-wicket haul and left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdullah’s early strikes helped RCB to restrict Gujarat Lions to just 158 runs at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. RCB had a rocky start, losing 5 wickets for just 29 runs. It soon became 68/6. One man stood tall for RCB. AB de Villiers’ unbeaten 79 off 47 balls took the team home with 8 balls to spare. Iqbal Abdullah contributed with the bat as well, scoring a patient 33 off 25 balls.
Virat Kohli was dismissed for a 2-ball duck, his first in 52 T20 innings.
2011: Chennai Super Kings, Qualifier 1 (Mumbai)
Table toppers RCB played CSK at the Wankhede Stadium, just 52 days after the iconic 2011 World Cup final at the same venue. RCB scored 175/4 in 20 overs, thanks to Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 70. Mayank Agarwal, who currently plays in the middle order for RCB, opened the innings and scored a sedate 34 off 33 balls.
The game was going RCB’s way, even at the end of the 18th over of the chase. CSK’s all-time great Suresh Raina and their cult hero Albie Morkel smoked 21 runs in the 19th over and decisively tilted the game in favor of the defending champions. Suresh Raina’s unbeaten 73 triumphed over Virat Kohli’s unbeaten 70. Albie Morkel’s 28* off 10 balls took CSK to their 3rd final in four seasons.
2009 and 2010: Semi-finals
The conventional semi-finals format was in play for the first three seasons of IPL.
RCB finished 2nd in the points table in 2009, after finishing 7th in the inaugural season. They defeated Chennai Super Kings by 6 wickets and qualified for the final. 20-year-old Virat Kohli (24* off 17) hit the winning run.
RCB finished 4th in the league stage in 2010 and played table toppers Mumbai Indians in the semi-final at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. Kieron Pollard’s all-round efforts (33* off 13 and 3/17) propelled MI to the final. Virat Kohli was dismissed for 9 runs by none other than Pollard.
Stay updated on all the action from the IPL 2025. Check the IPL 2025 Schedule, track the latest IPL 2025 Points Table, and follow the top performers with the Orange Cap and Purple Cap.
