Honestly, if you’d told a Royal Challengers Bengaluru fan at the start of the 2025 season that they’d finally be lifting the trophy, they probably would’ve laughed you out of the room. We’ve heard "Ee Sala Cup Namde" for eighteen years. Eighteen. It had basically become a meme, a yearly ritual of hope followed by inevitable heartbreak.
But on June 3, 2025, the script finally flipped.
At the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, in front of over 90,000 screaming fans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru became the IPL 2025 final winner, beating Punjab Kings by a nail-biting 6 runs. It wasn't just a win. It was an exorcism of nearly two decades of ghosts.
The Match Nobody Expected to Be This Close
Going into the final, everyone was talking about the star power. But the actual game? It was a gritty, middle-over slog that came down to who blinked first. PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer won the toss and did what most captains do in Ahmedabad—he chose to bowl. He wanted to chase.
RCB’s innings was weird.
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No one really "went big." Usually, you expect a Kohli century or a massive explosive 80 from an opener in a final. Instead, it was a collective effort of "starts." Phil Salt looked dangerous but fell for 16. Virat Kohli, the man everyone was watching, played a measured, almost cautious 43 off 35 balls. He knew the pitch was holding up a bit. He anchored, while others played around him.
Rajat Patidar, the captain—yeah, remember when people questioned RCB naming him leader over bigger names?—chipped in with a vital 26. Then came the cameos. Jitesh Sharma’s 24 off 10 balls was probably the most underrated part of the night. Without those late boundaries, RCB wouldn't have reached 190/9.
- Most experts in the dugout thought it was 20 runs short. Punjab’s bowlers, especially Arshdeep Singh and Kyle Jamieson (who both took 3 wickets), looked like they had the game under control.
Why Krunal Pandya Was the Unsung Hero
If you look at the scorecard, you might see Shashank Singh’s name flashing for his unbeaten 61 for Punjab. But the reason RCB is the IPL 2025 final winner is Krunal Pandya.
He was named Player of the Match, and for good reason. In a high-scoring tournament, he finished his 4 overs with figures of 2/17. That is absurd. He strangled the Punjab middle order just when they were starting to cruise at 70/1. He got rid of Prabhsimran Singh and then the dangerous Josh Inglis.
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Krunal basically turned the ball into a bar of soap for the batters. They couldn't hit him. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal then closed it out at the death, surviving a massive scare from Shashank Singh, who hit three sixes in the final over but just couldn't find those last few runs.
The Numbers That Mattered
- Final Score: RCB 190/9 beat PBKS 184/7 by 6 runs.
- Top Scorer (RCB): Virat Kohli (43 runs).
- Top Scorer (PBKS): Shashank Singh (61* runs).
- Player of the Match: Krunal Pandya (2/17).
- The Drought: 18 seasons, ended at last.
The Emotional Weight for Virat Kohli
You've seen the photos. Kohli with tears in his eyes. This wasn't just another trophy for the cabinet; it was a validation of his 18-year loyalty to one franchise. In a world where players hop teams for better deals, Kohli stayed. He saw the wooden spoons, the heartbreaks in 2009, 2011, and 2016.
After the game, he was kiiinda overwhelmed. He mentioned in the post-match talk that he’d given his youth and prime to this team. To finally win it at 36, in the twilight of his IPL career, felt like a movie ending.
What This Means for IPL 2026 and Beyond
Now that the "trophy-less" tag is gone, the pressure on RCB changes. They are no longer the underdogs with a big fan base; they are the defending champions.
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The strategy under coach Andy Flower worked. They moved away from just relying on two superstars and built a "balanced" squad. Having Rajat Patidar as captain allowed Kohli to play freely, which we saw throughout the season as he finished with 657 runs.
Punjab Kings shouldn't hang their heads too low either. They played their best cricket in years. Shreyas Iyer has turned that team into a powerhouse, and Shashank Singh has proven he is a world-class finisher, not just a one-season wonder.
If you’re looking to analyze why the 2025 season felt different, look at the "Impact Player" usage. RCB used it defensively better than anyone else, often subbing in an extra bowler like Yash Dayal to protect totals rather than just chasing extra runs. It’s a tactical shift that other teams will definitely copy in 2026.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Watch the Replay: If you missed Krunal Pandya’s third over, go find it. It’s a masterclass in T20 defensive bowling.
- Check the Mega Auction Rules: With the 2026 cycle approaching, keep an eye on retention lists. RCB will likely fight tooth and nail to keep this core together.
- Update Your Trivia: You can finally stop saying RCB has never won a title. They are officially in the history books.
The wait is over. Bengaluru is finally a city of champions.