Virat Kohli and RCB Claim Their First IPL Title, Ending an 18-Year Drought
Ahmedabad/Bengaluru: In a thrilling finale on Tuesday, Virat Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) secured their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title with a narrow six-run victory over the Punjab Kings, bringing an end to an 18-year quest for the coveted trophy.
The Punjab Kings’ bowlers put forth a commendable effort, successfully limiting RCB to a total of 190 runs for nine wickets. However, the batting lineup of the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings faltered under pressure, managing only 184 runs for seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
Krunal Pandya emerged as the standout bowler for RCB, claiming two wickets for just 17 runs in four overs. This victory marked a significant milestone for RCB, who had previously finished as runners-up on three occasions. For the Punjab Kings, this was only their second appearance in the finals, and their first since 2014, making the loss particularly heartbreaking.
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 ⭐️ RCB PLAYED BOLD! 😇
— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 3, 2025
17 Years, 6256 Days, 90,08,640 Minutes later, the wait finally ends. 🙌🤯
The IPL Trophy is finally coming home. And we CANT KEEP CALM! 🤩😍❤️ pic.twitter.com/lQvtLff9o2
Despite a challenging batting performance, RCB managed to secure the win. Virat Kohli was the top scorer for his team, contributing 43 runs off 35 balls, while captain Rajat Patidar added 26 runs from 16 balls but was unable to capitalize on a promising start. On the bowling front for Punjab Kings, Yuzvendra Chahal delivered an impressive performance with figures of 1 for 37 in four overs, while Kyle Jamieson recorded 3 for 48.
The prized wicket of Kohli was claimed by Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai, who finished with figures of 1 for 35. However, the standout bowler of the match was India’s premier T20 bowler, Arshdeep Singh, who took three wickets in a dramatic final over, ending with figures of 3 for 40.
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