RCB sv PBKS, IPL 2025 Final: Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings eye maiden IPL crown

Ahmedabad: Both teams, in pursuit of their maiden IPL crown, will look to script history under lights at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Tuesday, as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face off against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.

 

It is a clash 17 years in the making, RCB are back in a final after nine long years, still chasing their elusive first title, while PBKS return to the summit clash for only the second time, 11 years after their maiden appearance in 2014. The weight of expectation, coupled with the hunger to break free from years of heartbreak, sets the stage for a high-voltage encounter.

 

Rajat Patidar’s RCB come into the final riding high on confidence, having beaten Punjab twice this season, including an emphatic eight-wicket win in Qualifier 1. That night, their bowlers demolished PBKS for just 101 runs, with Josh Hazlewood’s three-wicket burst setting the tone. They chased the total down in just 10 overs, signalling a team in ruthless form.

 

Virat Kohli, the heartbeat of RCB, has been in scintillating form this season. With 614 runs from 15 innings at a strike rate of 146.53, including eight half-centuries, Kohli is widely tipped to anchor RCB’s batting once more.

 

Philip Salt, who struck 56 off 27 in the previous clash, has provided explosive starts, while Patidar himself has been a steadying presence in the middle order.

 

Mayank Agarwal, Krunal Pandya, and Jitesh Sharma have chipped in with valuable contributions, while Romario Shepherd and Tim David have offered finishing firepower. The return of Josh Hazlewood has bolstered the bowling unit, ably supported by the experienced Bhuvneshwar Kumar and spin duo Suyash Sharma and Yash Dayal, both of whom impressed in the last outing.

 

Punjab Kings have shown resilience, bouncing back from the heavy loss in Qualifier 1 to defeat Mumbai Indians by five wickets in the second qualifier. Captain Shreyas Iyer led from the front with a blistering 87* off 41 balls, anchoring the chase of 204 and sending PBKS into only their second-ever IPL final.

 

Punjab’s top order has been in fine form all season. Prabhsimran Singh (523 runs) and Priyansh Arya (451 runs) have consistently provided brisk starts. Josh Inglis has added momentum at number three, while Iyer has been the lynchpin in the middle, scoring 597 runs at a remarkable strike rate of 175.

 

Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis and Shashank Singh have each played crucial cameos, lending depth and flexibility to the line-up. With Marco Jansen ruled out, Kyle Jamieson has stepped up in the pace department alongside Arshdeep Singh (18 wickets). Yuzvendra Chahal’s return has strengthened their spin attack and could prove decisive on the Ahmedabad surface.

 

The Narendra Modi Stadium has been a high-scoring venue this season, with the first innings average sitting at 177 and three of the last matches crossing the 200-run mark. Out of eight games played at this ground during IPL 2025, six have been won by teams batting first—making the toss crucial.

 

The pitch is expected to favour batsmen early on, while slower bowlers could find assistance later in the evening. Weather conditions are expected to be mostly dry, with a slight chance of light rain around 18:00 hrs. Temperatures will hover around 30–33°C during match hours.

 

Analysts are tipping the Bengaluru side as marginal favourites. However, Punjab’s powerful batting lineup and comeback win against MI mean the match is likely to go down to the wire.

 

Both sides have a chance to break their title drought. With past demons to exorcise and new glory to chase, expect a fierce contest played with intensity and flair. A score above 210 could be par, and with nerves running high, the side that holds composure in crunch moments will likely lift the trophy.

 

Predicted XIs:

 

RCB: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Suyash Sharma. Impact Player: Mayank Agarwal.

 

PBKS: Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal. Impact Player: Prabhsimran Singh.