Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ended an 18-year wait for their first IPL title, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in a thrilling final.
Krunal Pandya’s spell (4-0-17-2) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s late wickets sealed RCB’s historic victory.
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Kohli’s 18-Year Wait Ends
After 18 seasons of heartbreak, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally lifted the IPL trophy with a tense six-run victory over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the 2025 final at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.
The win marked the culmination of Virat Kohli’s 18-year loyalty to the franchise, with the talismanic batter scoring 43 off 35 balls to set the foundation for RCB’s 190/9 total.
Kohli, who surpassed Shikhar Dhawan as the IPL’s all-time leading run-scorer with 771 fours, dedicated the win to RCB’s “passionate fans” after three previous final defeats .
“This is the team I’ll play for until my last day,” he said, reflecting on his journey from a 19-year-old debutant to IPL champion.
Krunal Pandya’s Match-Winning
RCB’s bowling unit, led by Krunal Pandya, delivered under pressure to restrict PBKS to 184/7.
Pandya, named Player of the Match, conceded just 17 runs in four overs and dismissed Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis at critical junctures .
His ability to mix pace and angles—including an 80kph slower ball that deceived Prabhsimran—proved decisive in shifting momentum back to RCB.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s Death-Overs
Bhuvneshwar Kumar added two crucial wickets in the 17th over, removing Nehal Wadhera and Marcus Stoinis to derail PBKS’ chase.
Despite Shashank Singh’s unbeaten 61 off 30 balls—including four sixes in the final over—the Punjab side fell six runs short.
Turning Moments
Krunal’s Slower Ball Deception
In the tenth over, Krunal Pandya’s 80 kph slower delivery uprooted Prabhsimran’s middle stump, underscoring his tactical acumen.
Hazlewood’s Nerves of Steel
Faced with 29 needed, Josh Hazlewood began the final over with two dot balls, choking PBKS’s momentum in the rcb vs pbks finale.
A Rivalry with Narrow Margins
The final mirrored the season-long competitiveness between RCB and PBKS, who shared two regular-season wins.
PBKS’ bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh (3/40) and Kyle Jamieson (3/48), had earlier restricted RCB to 190, but RCB’s bowling depth proved decisive.
Key Stats & Records
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Krunal Pandya: 4 overs, 17 runs, 2 wickets; most dot balls (12) in the final.
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Shashank Singh: 61 off 30 balls, including six sixes, earned him Super Sixes of the Match.
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Virat Kohli: Third-highest run-scorer in IPL 2025 (657 runs at 54.75).
RCB’s triumph in rcb vs pbks cements Kohli’s legacy and sets the stage for next season’s title defense.
PBKS must regroup and harness late-surge lessons from rcb vs pbks to clinch their maiden IPL trophy in 2026.
