AB de Villiers finally admitted to saying the four forbidden words — “Ee Saala Cup Namde” — despite Virat Kohli’s explicit warning not to. The phrase, beloved by RCB fans but long seen as a jinx given the team’s history of near-misses, had become a sort of cricketing superstition around the franchise. De Villiers joked that his fellow broadcasters were “setting traps” for him and insisted it wasn’t really his fault, but promised he wouldn’t say it again.
This admission came shortly after RCB’s dominant Qualifier 1 win over Punjab Kings in Mullanpur, which saw the team reach the IPL final for the first time in nine years. The victory was a result of clinical bowling that bowled out Punjab for just 101 runs on a tricky, grassy pitch. Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Yash Dayal wreaked havoc up front, while Suyash Sharma cleaned up the tail.
Despite Virat Kohli’s modest batting contribution (14 runs), explosive batting from Phil Salt (56* off 27) ensured RCB chased down the target quickly—in just 10 overs—highlighting the team’s dominant form.
Even after the win, celebrations remained restrained, with Kohli signaling to his wife Anushka Sharma that the job wasn’t complete yet. The message was clear: one more hurdle to clear before RCB could truly celebrate ending their long title drought.
De Villiers praised the team’s approach this season, emphasizing their focus on laying strong foundations, working hard, and managing the pressure moments better than in previous years. He remained optimistic but cautious, reminding everyone that despite the confidence, the final still needed to be won.
