In a game that will be remembered forever, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally achieved their maiden Indian Premier League title by winning the IPL 2025 final against Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs. This blog breaks up the key moments, personal brilliance, and strategic moves that transformed this closely contested fight into a historic win for RCB.
RCB Batting: Calculated Partnerships and Late Aggression
Batting first, RCB aggregated 190/9 after PBKS decided to bowl. While the target appeared par, the innings was based on calculated partnerships and steady middle-order contributions. Phil Salt and Virat Kohli provided RCB a solid start, with Kohli holding the innings together with a match-winning 43.
In spite of frequent wickets breaking the momentum, some short but effective contributions from Agarwal, Patidar, Livingstone, and Shepherd intervened. But Jitesh Sharma’s late rampage, 24 off 10 balls, gave RCB the thrust that in the end was decisive.
PBKS Bowling: Disciplined But Expensive at the Death
PBKS bowlers were mostly impressive throughout the innings. Arshdeep Singh and Kyle Jamieson took three wickets each and worked with tight lines and intelligent variations. They were well supported by Omarzai, Chahal, and Vyshak as they contributed important wickets at frequent intervals.
But one costly over in the death, when Jitesh punished Jamieson with two back-to-back sixes, proved to be expensive. Though the bowling was tight for the majority of the innings, failing to shut the innings down tightly gave RCB the upper hand.
Punjab's Chase: A Bright Start That Faded Away
Pursuing 191, PBKS opened aggressively. Priyansh and Prabhsimran contributed 70 runs within the eighth over, indicating an early conclusion. But Hazlewood’s breakthrough led to a turning point. When pressure built up, RCB’s fielding and acute bowling tightened their hold on the match.
Krunal Pandya was the middle overs’ jewel, with 2/17 and the dismissal of set hitters at key moments. Shreyas and Wadhera got out cheaply, and PBKS lost their way approaching the latter half
RCB's Bowling Composure Shines in the Death Overs
RCB’s seamers showed great calm under pressure. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, and Hazlewood carried out their plans with control. Bhuvneshwar’s two death wickets wrapped it up, even as Shashank Singh’s heroic unbeaten 61 counted for little.
RCB’s option to bowl to the field and limit boundary possibilities made the chase more difficult for PBKS. As the run rate escalated, wickets fell, and RCB persisted with the final overs.
Leadership and Legacy: Patidar and Kohli’s Moment
Rajat Patidar’s leadership surprised many at the start of the season, but he silenced all doubts by leading with maturity. Calm decisions and trust in his squad defined his captaincy.
For Virat Kohli, this victory closed a long, emotional chapter. His loyalty to the franchise finally translated into silverware, cementing his legacy not just as a great, but as a champion.
RCB’s historic IPL 2025 victory wasn’t so much a game won, it was years of heartache reimagined as a fairytale ending. The nail-biting six-run win against PBKS was all about grit, strategy, and faith. RCB’s determination finally came to fruition, putting their stamp on IPL champions with a finale for the ages that will be remembered by fans for years.