IPL 2025: 18 Years of Hurt End With RCB Winning Their Maiden IPL Title

IPL 2025: At the 18th time of asking, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won the battle.

RCB have won IPL 2025.

(Photo: BCCI)

For seventeen summers, they have carried the weight of hope and heartbreak. Royal Challengers Bengaluru could well be a case study in the strange paradoxes of sport: a team without silverware, yet backed by one of the most passionate fanbases in the world. In a results-obsessed realm like professional cricket, RCB were an anomaly — loved not for their triumphs, but despite the lack of them.

But not anymore.

At the eighteenth time of asking, Bengaluru finally shattered the curse. RCB are champions — for the very first time in Indian Premier League history.

In the final against Punjab Kings, which was played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, RCB secured a 6–run victory, and with it, their maiden title.

On being asked to bat first — which was a difficult ordeal on a pitch which spent a significant while under the covers, owing to the Ahmedabad rain — Bengaluru managed to put up a modest total of 190/9. Their batting display was one of mutually collaborative progress, wherein not a single player scored a half-century, but five of the top six batters scored north of 20 runs.

The title, though, was won with the ball. Krunal Pandya was excellent with the ball, as he conceded only 17 runs in his four-over spell and also got the wickets of Prabhsimran Singh and Jos Inglis.

The left-arm spinner was duly supported by all of his pace compatriots, with the entire quartet of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal and Romario Shepherd being among wickets.

On the batting front for Punjab, Shashank Singh was the lone warrior, remaining unbeaten on a 30-ball 61. That, whether he could have won Punjab the game had he come ahead of Nehal Wadhera, who could only score 15 off 18 deliveries, remains one of the many questions in the long list of 'what ifs' for Punjab, who wait for the elusive first title is now set to extend.

The Reactions

I've given this team my youth, my prime and my experience, and I've tried to win this every season and I give it everything I have. To finally have this moment come, it's an unbelievable feeling. I never thought this day would come. I was overcome with emotions as soon as the last ball was bowled and this means so much to me. Well, it's right up there. As I said, I've given everything that I had for the last 18 years. I've stayed loyal to this team, no matter what, and I always dreamt of winning it with them. And this is far more special than winning it with anyone else because my heart is with Bengaluru, my soul is with Bengaluru. And as I said before, this is the team I'm going to play for till the last day that I play the IPL. So this one is absolutely right up there because, you know, as a sportsman, when you grind for something, and this is a very high intensity, high quality tournament, which is of great value in world cricket today. I'm someone that wants to win the big tournaments, the big moments, and this one was missing. And tonight, I'm going to sleep like a baby.

Virat Kohli

I think it is really special for me and special for Virat Kohli and all the fans. Those who have supported from years, so I think they all deserve it. You had a very consistent season, but when did it actually cross your mind that you have a chance of actually winning the trophy? At what stage of the IPL? I think you are talking about this game. I think 190 score was good on this track because it was a bit slow and the way bowler executed their plans, that was tremendous to watch. Inspiring move to give Krunal Pandey the ball at that stage and he did a fabulous job. What a spell from him. 4 overs, 2 for 17. Of course, he is a wicket-winning bowler. Whenever I come under pressure, I look where is KP. So, I had a lot of belief in him. With KP, I think Suyash also bowled really well throughout the season and all the bowlers, fast bowler, Bhuvi, Yash, Hazlewood. And the way Romario came in and the way he gave 2-3 overs and that breakthrough, I think that was really special.

Rajat Patidar

When we were playing the first innings I had this feeling that the slower you bowl the better it will be. But you need guts to do that in this format. I just backed myself, thought I'll vary my pace and keep it on the slower side more often. My biggest strength has been to learn what the situation requires. I knew I had to be brave to get wickets tonight. Thought I'd do that by bowling slow. If you'd have bowled quick, it'd have been a good wicket. But if you mixed it up it was tougher. Pitch actually got easier in the second innings. Have enjoyed my time with RCB so far, I said on day one I wanted to win. I told Hardik that the Pandya household will have nine trophies in 11 years.

Krunal Pandya