By Sushant Agarwal
Published on | Jun 03, 2025
Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted their first IPL trophy, defeating Punjab Kings by 6 runs in a dramatic final in Ahmedabad.
Virat Kohli top-scored with 43 off 35 balls as RCB posted 190/9. Despite strong starts, none of the batters managed a big innings.
Arshdeep Singh (3/40), Kyle Jamieson (3/48), and Yuzvendra Chahal (1/37) kept the RCB batters from breaking free on a good batting surface.
Despite powerplay momentum, Mayank (24), Patidar (26), and Livingstone (25) couldn’t convert starts. RCB scored just 42 runs from overs 6-11.
Krunal Pandya’s dream spell of 2/17 and Bhuvneshwar’s double strike in the 17th over turned the tide firmly in RCB’s favour.
With 29 needed off the final over, Josh Hazlewood delivered two dot balls and sealed RCB’s victory, holding off a Shashank Singh blitz.
With figures of 4-0-17-2, Krunal Pandya choked Punjab’s middle order, earning the Man of the Match award for his masterclass under pressure.
Shashank Singh’s unbeaten 61 off 30 balls (3 fours, 6 sixes) gave Punjab late hope, but the target proved just beyond reach.
Josh Inglis was threatening to take the game away with 39 off 23, but Krunal Pandya had him caught at long-on — a momentum-shifting breakthrough.
From crowd eruptions to AB de Villiers’ cameo on the big screen, RCB’s emotional win was cheered by thousands at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
PBKS, in their first final since 2014, fought valiantly but once again fell short, unable to chase 191 despite a promising start.
From perennial underachievers to IPL 2025 champions, RCB’s journey has come full circle — a triumph led by grit, discipline, and long-held dreams.
Fittingly, it was Virat Kohli — RCB’s No. 18 — who stood tall as Bengaluru finally ended their 18-year quest for an IPL title in 2025.