RCB fans fuel airfare surge ahead of IPL final, Bengaluru-Ahmedabad one-way flights touch ₹26,000

With IPL 2025 in its final stages, Qualifier-2 between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings today will be played at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The winner will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final on Tuesday – to be hosted by the same stadium.

With RCB already in the final, a large number of their fans are expected to arrive in Ahmedabad on June 3. As a result, one-way airfare from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad has surged nearly five times, reaching ₹26,000 — compared to the usual ₹4,500–₹5,000.

RCB has reached the final after nine years, adding to the excitement of their fans.

The black marketing of tickets for the final is also on the rise, as reports suggest that tickets worth ₹1,500 are costing as high as ₹10,000.

On Thursday, a brilliant bowling show led by three-fers from Suyash Sharma and Josh Hazlewood took Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to their fourth final in the Indian Premier League (IPL) history, beating Punjab Kings by eight wickets in a one-sided Qualifier 1 clash in the 2025 season at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh. 

On a pitch that had ample stitching and extra bounce, everything went RCB’s way, right from the toss, as leg-spinner Suyash and a returning Hazlewood took 3-17 and 3-21 respectively to rip apart the PBKS’ power-packed batting line-up and bundle them out for just 101 in 14.1 overs. The duo were also supported by Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, and Romario Shepherd, taking four wickets collectively to set the base for a dominating RCB win.

In the chase, opener Phil Salt scored a 23-ball fifty, his fastest half-century in the IPL, and sizzled with some exquisite stroke-play to be unbeaten on 56 off 27, as RCB completed the chase with 10 overs to spare. While RCB will now play their fourth IPL final on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, PBKS have another shot at making the final when they play Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians on Sunday.

(with inputs from syndicated feed)