Phil Salt makes an outstanding catch at deep square-leg. Priyansh Arya mishits his first pitch and it flies past short third man with its thick edge slipping past.
After 18 long years, Virat Kohli and RCB fans will never forget this momentous occasion: finally lifting the IPL trophy with an exciting yet nerve-wracking showdown that went down to the wire.
RCB vs PBKS
After several missed opportunities, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally earned victory in an exciting final against Punjab Kings during 2025’s IPL tournament. It was an emotional victory after three previous RCB finals had gone down to Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad; but this time around RCB bowlers rose up and prevented Punjab Kings from scoring easy runs en route to success.
The match took place at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium and saw thousands of fans converge to witness it, creating an electric atmosphere within the stadium. RCB squad were full of excitement as they prepared to lift their first trophy after so many near misses over recent seasons.
RCB’s bowlers dominated in restricting PBKS to just 88 runs and their batsmen easily chased it down with Chris Gayle leading them. Umesh Yadav impressed everyone by bowling three maiden overs for just 23 runs to take home Player of the Match honors.
After their victory, AB de Villiers extended his congratulations to Virat Kohli and his players; their players rejoiced with him during celebrations. Additionally, Kohli expressed his appreciation for former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak being present and supporting RCB; wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma dedicated the victory to him saying it was an honor playing under him.
RCB faced Sunrisers Hyderabad in an exciting second semi-final. RCB’s top order batsmen put together an excellent total of 190 runs; their opponents found it harder to meet their required run rate and fell 10 runs short despite AB de Villiers’ incredible innings (97 off 62 balls) of making history! In the final over, Shashank Singh hit Hazlewood twice for sixes to seal victory and celebrate as they hoisted their golden cup high into the air and with Virat Kohli beside them! RCB captain Rajat Patidar lifted it high up into the air while Virat Kohli smiled brightly beside him; its captain Rajat Patidar lifted his cup high as his celebrations were audible throughout the stadium with crowd-goers cheering his triumphant celebrations; with captain Rajat Patidar raising his cup high into the air alongside cheering Virat Kohli alongside him and Virat Kohli looking thrilled as ever alongside him! RCB finally won trophy after years of pursuit! Captain Rajat Patidar lifted high into the air while Virat Kohli watched proudly alongside.
Predicted XI
The final between RCB and PBKS was an exciting contest that ended with a nail-biting finish. Both teams gave it their all, yet in the end it was RCB who emerged victorious after long overdue wins for both squads – creating an unforgettable matchup!
Chris Gayle, Brendon McCullum, Virat Kohli and Mayank Agarwal made up the RCB batting lineup, posting an impressive total of 190 thanks mainly to Jitesh Sharma’s strong performance. By contrast, PBKS managed only to score 184/7 on their board.
With a target of 195 to win, PBKS started their innings on an optimistic note; however, soon thereafter their top order collapsed and they struggled to recover their wickets before eventually finishing with an below-par score that allowed for their visitors to claim their maiden championship title.
After being defeated three times during IPL finals, Royal Challengers Bangalore finally emerged victorious to claim their first IPL trophy. Although their start wasn’t stellar, RCB were still able to achieve an outstanding victory against fierce competition.
RCB have won the inaugural IPL 2025 Season! Congratulations on becoming champions!
Head-to-Head Record
These teams share an intense rivalry, making this final matchup all the more captivating. Both have 18 wins apiece; therefore whoever comes out victorious in this contest will claim their first IPL crown. RCB easily beat PBKS in Qualifier One and have momentum heading into this contest.
RCB are on an impressive winning streak, winning four out of the last five matches under interim captain Rajat Patidar and led by interim skipper Virat Kohli (whose runs this season total 614); bowlers deep and wide (Josh Hazlewood has taken 21 wickets in 11 matches); with Virat Kohli as their star performer scoring numerous match-winning knocks; Josh Hazlewood taking 21 wickets despite only being at their disposal since March 2018.
Punjab Kings haven’t made it back into an IPL Final since 2014 and possess a powerful batting lineup and some of the finest spinners. Shahid Afridi can turn games with short deliveries and smart variations while Nehal Wadhera brings calmness with his economical pace bowling.
Both teams boast impressive records in this fixture and both possess home ground advantage – RCB have won six out of 12 matches played at their M Chinnaswamy Stadium while PBKS have claimed victory in five out of nine contests held at HPCA stadium and Dharamshala pitch – and there could be anything between wins for either side in this matchup.
This special final will feature several players who have represented both RCB and PBKS before, such as Kyle Jamieson, Marcus Stoinis, and Yuzvendra Chahal – each will be looking to end their respective franchise’s drought and win the trophy. Both sides must bring their A game on this high-stakes clash in order to come out victorious!
Live Streaming
After 17 seasons of disappointments and near misses, an IPL champion will finally be decided tonight when Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Punjab Kings at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium. Both teams named unchanged line-ups for their respective final matches; finisher Tim David still recovering from hamstring strain had yet to play while Yuzvendra Chahal, although only bowling four overs in Qualifier 2, was fit enough to play due to recent recovery.
Virat Kohli led Royal Challengers Bangalore’s charge, striking six sixes and two fours as he led them to 191/6 from 20 overs – which initially appeared subpar compared to their opponents PBKS – in an intense game of cricket, leading his side with two wickets himself (Krunal Pandya being particularly effective with one each).
But RCB’s batsmen came through for them with an unbroken stand of 69 by Jitesh and Josh Inglis, taking their score to 210/6 after 10 overs – though PBKS’s precision fielding and catching ensured that they didn’t score even higher totals.
Just when it seemed RCB were poised for victory, Kohli was dismissed after scoring his half-century off 35 balls – mistiming Omarzai’s bouncer which sent it high into the air – sending RCB careening backwards and ultimately sending Romario Shepherd making an excellent diving catch to send them tumbling downhill again.
Vyshak and Praveen Dubey from RCB bowlers kept up their excellent bowling performance, conceding only five runs in the 18th over. When Jitesh attempted to squeeze out a single run off the last ball of the 20th over, Phil Salt caught him for deep square leg. This big wicket dealt a devastating blow to PBKS who had hoped to make the final with ease after three previous defeats; on the contrary, Kohli and his team celebrated victory as they won their maiden IPL title after three prior losses! It was truly remarkable game played from both teams!
