The dream has finally been realised. After 17 years of hope, heartbreak and resilience, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are IPL champions. In a thrilling IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad, RCB held their nerve to defeat Punjab Kings by six runs and lift their maiden trophy—ending one of the longest title droughts in Indian franchise cricket.
At the heart of the celebration stood Rajat Patidar, the man who led RCB in their fourth IPL final—and this time, to ultimate glory. Echoing the words that had been both a hope and a taunt for over a decade, Patidar declared at the presentation: “I just want to say one line for the fans—Ee Sala Cup Namdu.”
He acknowledged the moment’s magnitude, especially for Virat Kohli, who broke down in tears on the field after 18 seasons of commitment finally bore fruit. “I think it is really special for me and special for Virat Kohli and all the fans who have supported for years. They deserve it,” said Patidar.
“For me, it's a great opportunity to do captaincy under him. It was a great learning experience. As I said, he deserves it more than anyone else. The management, support staff, everyone backed us and supported the players—it was beautiful.”
RCB had set a formidable total of 190 in the final, thanks to key contributions from Kohli and Mayank Agarwal. But it was their bowlers—especially Krunal Pandya—who turned the tide.
“The way bowlers executed their plans was tremendous to watch,” said Patidar. “Whenever I come under pressure, I look for KP (Krunal Pandya). Suyash also bowled really well throughout the season. And all the fast bowlers—Bhuvi, Yash, Hazlewood, and Romario—contributed. The way Romario came in and gave 2-3 solid overs and a breakthrough was special.”
For Krunal Pandya, who finished with 2/17 in the final, it was a night of validation. His spell included the crucial wickets that derailed PBKS’s chase just as momentum was shifting.
Yet, despite falling short, Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer remained proud and composed in defeat. “Dejected to be honest,” Iyer admitted. “But the way our boys came up to the occasion… it wasn’t meant to be. A lot of credit goes to the support staff, the owners, and everyone else who’s participated in this.”
PBKS made their first final in 11 years and only their third appearance in the IPL Playoffs. Under Iyer's leadership, the team played aggressive, fearless cricket throughout the season.
“Considering the last game, I personally felt that 200 was a par score. They bowled brilliantly, especially Krunal—he carries a lot of experience. I believe that was the turning point,” Iyer acknowledged.
Despite scoring a memorable 87 in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians to lead his team into the final, Iyer fell cheaply for 1 off 2 balls in the final—a cruel twist for a captain who became the first in IPL history to lead three different franchises to a final.
Still, his pride in his team was evident: “There are a lot of youngsters playing their first season—they’ve shown a lot of fearlessness. We wouldn’t be here without them. Kudos to them. I am very proud of each and every individual who has participated in this team.”
Looking ahead, Iyer offered a message of hope to PBKS fans: “We have to be here and win the trophy next year. The way we turned up to each game with a belief of saying ‘we can win this’—hopefully we can do it again next season and play some good cricket.”
