The timing could hardly have been better. The return of Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood fired up Royal Challengers Bengaluru to such an extent that they marched into their first Indian Premier League final since 2016 with an utterly compelling bowling display.
And it could hardly have been more emphatic. Punjab Kings were skittled out for 101 as Bengaluru set course for an eight-wicket victory in Thursday's first qualifier.
Bengaluru needed just 10 overs to reach 2-106, handing Ricky Ponting's Punjab the biggest-ever defeat in IPL play-off history in terms of balls remaining in the process.