Islamabad, June 4, 2025: After 18 seasons of heartbreak and near-misses, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have finally lifted the IPL trophy, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in a gripping final at Ahmedabad.
RCB posted 190 for 9 after being sent in to bat first, with Virat Kohli anchoring the innings with a 43. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, a late push from Jitesh Sharma — who smashed 24 off 10 balls — gave RCB a defendable total.
Kyle Jamieson was the standout for PBKS with the ball, taking 3 for 48. His clever use of variations, particularly the slower leg-cutter, proved vital in dismissing Rajat Patidar and two others just as they looked to accelerate.
In response, PBKS managed 184 for 7 in their 20 overs. Shashank Singh’s unbeaten 61 off 30 balls almost pulled off the impossible, but a tight final over from Josh Hazlewood sealed the win for Bengaluru. PBKS required 29 off the last over, and though Shashank launched a flurry of big hits, the effort came too late.
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Rajat Patidar contribution in the middle order earlier in the tournament had already been key in taking RCB to the playoffs, and though his final innings was short-lived, his role across the campaign was critical to the team’s success.
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Krunal Pandya, who has won previous titles with Mumbai Indians, made a crucial impact with the ball this time. His tight spell during the middle overs including the dismissal of Prabhsimran Singh helped choke PBKS during a key phase of their chase.
After years of unfulfilled promise, RCB’s loyal fans can finally celebrate their first IPL title. For Kohli and Bengaluru, this was more than a win — it was redemption.
