Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) won their maiden title with a six-run victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Tuesday, ending their 17-year wait for the coveted trophy.
After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, Punjab Kings bowlers did more than a decent job to restrict Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 190 for nine.
However, their batters crumbled under pressure as RCB’s bowlers, led by Krunal Pandya’s sensational 2/17 from four overs, produced a spirited comeback to restrict Punjab Kings to 184/7 and seal a dramatic six-run victory at the Narendra Modi Stadium, finally ending their long-standing title drought.
Having suffered defeat in three previous finals across his 18-season IPL career, Kohli may have feared that the elusive title would once again slip away. But this time, fate had a different plan.
While Shashank Singh nearly pulled off a miracle with a fighting 30-ball 61* - including three sixes and a four off the final over - RCB held their nerve to lift their maiden IPL trophy, adding it to their Women’s Premier League (WPL) crown from earlier in the season.
Long branded as underachievers, RCB finally buried that tag with a complete campaign in 2025, finishing second in the league stage and earning a direct ticket to the final after defeating PBKS in Qualifier 1.
On the night of the final, it was Krunal Pandya who shone brightest. He dismissed the dangerous Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis, stalling Punjab’s chase at key moments. Bhuvneshwar Kumar chipped in with 2/38, while Romario Shepherd removed PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer — who had starred in the Eliminator with an unbeaten 87 — for just 1, leaving Punjab reeling at 98/4.
Iyer’s dismissal, edging behind off Shepherd, came right after Krunal had removed Prabhsimran with a miscued slog and Inglis in the middle overs, both crucial setbacks as PBKS struggled to keep up with the required rate on a slower surface.
Despite Shashank Singh’s late blitz, Punjab couldn’t recover from the cluster of wickets lost between overs 10 and 15, falling short in their second IPL final.
