It’s official — 2025 is the year of the underdogs. And the latest in that story, the IPL finals. Two teams who’ve never lifted the IPL trophy — Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings — face off in a final that guarantees a first-time champion. No giants. No usual suspects. Just raw hunger, passion, and the chance to rewrite history. RCB — the meme kings of heartbreak, forever chasing glory but never quite there. Punjab Kings — the eternal IPL puzzle, full of promise but no silverware yet. One of these teams ends the wait on Tuesday.
But this isn’t just cricket. Across the world, 2025 has been a global uprising of the title-less, the forgotten, and the doubted. In England, Crystal Palace shocked everyone by defeating Manchester City to win the FA Cup — their first major trophy in 119 years. Tottenham Hotspur silenced critics by lifting the Europa League, beating rivals Manchester United — their first European title in 41 years. And Paris Saint-Germain finally silenced doubters, thrashing Inter Milan to win their first-ever Champions League trophy after years of heartbreak.
The NBA is turning heads too. Forget the Lakers and Celtics — this year, the Finals feature the Indiana Pacers versus the Oklahoma City Thunder — two franchises who have never won the NBA title.
One of them will lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time ever, ending decades of near-misses and heartbreak. Formula 1 has been turned upside down. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are out of the picture this season. Instead, two McLaren drivers — Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris — are leading the championship battle, both chasing their first World Championship. A McLaren driver hasn’t been this close to glory since 2008, and 2025 might finally be their year.
In tennis, the Australian Open saw an unexpected fairy tale. Madison Keys, seeded 19th, defeated two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka to win her first Grand Slam title. With the French Open underway, fans are buzzing about potential new champions in Paris too.
And the surprises don’t end there. Newcastle United ended a 70-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup. In rugby, Union Bordeaux-Bègles captured their first European Champions Cup.
So, the IPL final tonight — RCB vs Punjab Kings — is no outlier. 2025 is not about dynasties. It’s about the dreamers. Teams, players and fans who waited decades, sometimes their entire lives. Not anymore!
