By Akanksha - Jun 03, 2025 11:52 PM
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have finally done it! After 18 long years of heartbreaks, near-misses, and social media memes, the Men in Red and Gold have officially shed their 'chokers' tag by lifting their first-ever IPL title in 2025. And what a nail-biter it was!
Facing off against a spirited Punjab Kings side in the IPL 2025 Final at Narendra Modi Stadium, RCB held their nerve in a thrilling showdown that had fans on the edge of their seats till the very last over. A six-run win may not scream dominance, but it screamed destiny. And this time, destiny wore the RCB jersey.
After being put into bat by Punjab Kings, RCB posted a competitive 190/8 on the board. But the innings was anything but smooth sailing.
Phil Salt’s quickfire 16 hinted at a flying start, but his early departure brought a sense of déjà vu. Enter Virat Kohli (43) and Mayank Agarwal (24) – the duo steadied the ship before Mayank fell to Chahal’s crafty leg-spin. Skipper Rajat Patidar (26) joined Kohli, and the two stitched a crucial partnership to keep the scoreboard ticking.
At 131/3, just when Kohli looked set to finish with a vintage flourish, PBKS struck again. But cometh the hour, cometh the hitters – Liam Livingstone (25 off 12) and Jitesh Sharma (24 off 10) exploded in the death overs, launching a late assault that injected serious momentum.
Romario Shepherd (17 off 9) put the cherry on top with some muscular hits as RCB posted a total that screamed "defendable." Arshdeep Singh was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS with 3 crucial wickets.
Chasing 191 in a high-stakes final isn’t for the faint-hearted. Unfortunately for Punjab Kings, only a few brave hearts turned up. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh showed flashes of brilliance, while Josh Inglis added some intent, but the wickets kept tumbling like a house of cards.
When the game needed an anchor, Shashank Singh tried to stand tall amid the ruins. But with every over, the RCB bowlers tightened the noose. Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s swing, Hazlewood’s bounce, Krunal Pandya’s guile, and Yash Dayal’s nerveless death overs combined to seal the deal.
Punjab Kings ended their innings at 184/8, falling agonizingly short by just 6 runs. The RCB bowling unit – often criticised in past seasons – stepped up when it mattered the most.
? RCB HAVE WON THE IPL. ? pic.twitter.com/XEM9aE4qsz
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 3, 2025
18 years. Multiple captains. A sea of legends. Three previous finals. Countless heartbreaks. And finally, redemption.
Virat Kohli, who’s seen it all with RCB since the league’s inception, was emotional as ever. While the captaincy reins now lie with Rajat Patidar, the win felt like a team effort years in the making. The chants of “Ee Sala Cup Namde” echoed through the Ahmedabad night sky, this time with tears, smiles, and that shiny IPL trophy in hand.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (capt), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood
Impact Subs: Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Dar, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh
Punjab Kings:
Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (capt), Josh Inglis (wk), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Subs: Prabhsimran Singh, Xavier Bartlett, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Pravid Dubey
This title doesn’t just mark the end of a trophy drought. It’s the start of a new era. With a young core, experienced firepower, and finally a winning mindset, RCB are no longer just entertainers – they’re champions.
As the confetti settles and the party rages on in Bengaluru, one thing’s for sure. This victory was well worth the wait.
Ee Sala Cup Ayethu. RCB are your 2025 IPL Champions.
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