Royal Challengers Bengaluru Win First IPL Title in Thrilling Upset Over Punjab Kings

Finally, after 18 torturous seasons of breakups, close calls, and “Ee Sala Cup Namde” chants, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fulfilled their vow, upsetting Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in a nail-biting IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. The win gave RCB their maiden Indian Premier League title, sending fans into a frenzy across the country.

Sent in to bat on a high-pressure night, RCB managed to muster up a tricky 190 for 9 off their 20 overs. Their batting was held together by their ace man Virat Kohli, who played a calm hand scoring 43 from 35 balls. He was well-assisted by Rajat Patidar (38 off 27) and veteran Dinesh Karthik, who added a fiery 32 off 18. Losing wickets in regular intervals, RCB’s middle-order still managed to push the score to nearly the 200-mark, presenting their bowlers with a challenging score to defend.

Punjab Kings bowling unit, led by Arshdeep Singh (3/40) and Kyle Jamieson (3/48), was tight during the middle overs, but some dropped catches in the death overs and missed chances cost them dearly.

Chasing 191, PBKS began on a nervous note and lost wickets in clusters. While opener Jonny Bairstow fell early, there was a bit of resistance from Shreyas Iyer with a composed 35 from 28 balls. The real threat came from Shashank Singh, who played a valiant unbeaten 61 from a mere 30 balls. His late cameo brought Punjab Kings near the mark.

But the RCB bowlers demonstrated nerves of steel. Krunal Pandya was the hero with the ball, delivering a match-winning bowling effort of 2 for 17 from four overs. His middle overs crucial wickets took the sting out of Punjab’s innings and shifted the momentum in Bengaluru’s favor. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Siraj also stayed tight at the death, so that Punjab managed to muster only 184 for 7 in their 20 overs.

With this win, RCB finally broke their title jinx, much to the delight of millions of fans. Virat Kohli, who has been the face of the franchise for over a decade, was emotional after the victory. “It’s been a long wait. We’ve come close so many times. This one is for the fans, for Bengaluru, and for every player who wore this jersey over the years,” he said at the post-match presentation.

Krunal Pandya richly earned the Player of the Match award for his frugal and match-winning spell. His display was the turning point of the final and highlighted the importance of experience under pressure.

2025 IPL final was a perfect end to a memorable season with underdog stories, new stars, and hard-hitting cricket. For Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it was the ultimate payback and one that will be remembered for years in memory.

Final Score:
RCB: 190/9 (20 overs)
PBKS: 184/7 (20 overs)
Result: RCB won by 6 runs
Player of the Match: Krunal Pandya (2/17)