RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025 Final Highlights: Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings to win maiden IPL title in Ahmedabad

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Rajat Patidar after win

I think it is really special for me and special for Virat Kohli and all the fans who have supported for years. They deserve it. After the Qualifier 1, at that time we thought we could do this. I think 190 was a good score on this track because it was a bit slow. The way bowlers executed their plans was tremendous to watch. He's a wicket-taking bowlers. Whenever I come under pressure, I look for KP. Suyash also bowled really well throughout the season. And all the fast bowlers - Bhuvi, Yash, Hazlewood and the way Romario came in and the way he gave 2-3 overs and the breakthrough was special. For me it's a great opportunity to do captaincy under him and it was a great learning for me. As I said he deserves it more than anyone else. Virat Kohli and all the fans. Everyone who has supported - the management, support staff - the way they've supported the players was beautiful. I just want to say one line for the fans - Ee sala Cup Namdu.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Shreyas Iyer after result

Dejected to be honest but the way our boys came up to the occasion, it wasn’t meant to be but lot of credit goes to the support staff, the owners and everyone else who’s participated in this. Considering the last game, I personally felt that 200 was a par score. They bowled brilliantly, especially Krunal, he carries a lot of experience. I believe that was the turning point. I am very proud of each and every individual who has participated in this team. There are a lot of youngsters who are playing their first season, they’ve shown a lot of fearlessness. We wouldn’t be here without them, kudos to them. We have to be here and win the trophy next year. The way we turned up to each and with a belief of saying we can win this game. Hopefully we can be here next season and play some good cricket.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Krunal Pandya after winning Play Of the match

When we batted in the first innings, I was sitting outside and chatting with batters, I realised the slower you bowl the better. But in this format as a bowler you need guts to do that because the margin of error is small. I just backed myself and thought that if I'm able to vary my pace and keep it more on the slower side, I'll create chances rather than just coming and firing it in. What has been my biggest strength is learning what the situation requires. I've always backed my gut and instinct. Today also I realised if I have to take a couple of wickets, I have to be brave. If you would've bowled quick on that surface, it would've been a good batting wicket. But if you varied your pace, there was some help. In the second innings it got better as well compared to the first innings. When I joined RCB I said that I loved winning trophies. After three-and-a-half months, glad I was able to fulfil what I said on Day 1. Been pretty good - 10 years, 4 IPL trophies. Told Hardik also on the phone, there will be 9 IPL trophies in the Pandya household in 10 years.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Virat Kohli after win

This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It's been 18 long years. I've given this time my youth, my prime. I gave it everything I have. I never thought this day would come. Was overcome with emotion as soon as the last ball was bowled. What he's (AB) done for this franchise is tremendous. Told him before the game as well - this one is as much yours and I wanted him to celebrate with us. He still has the most MoM awards for us and he's been retired four years. He deserves to be on the podium with us. I have stayed loyal to this team, no matter what. Have had moments when I thought otherwise, but I stuck to this team. My heart is with Bangalore, my soul is with Bangalore and this is the team I'll play for till the time I play the IPL. Tonight I'll sleep like a baby. I have an opportunity to play this game for not many years. There's an end-date to us. Want to give everything I have before that. Thankful to God for giving it in my lap finally. You find different ways to help the team. This management and group is outstanding to be honest. A lot of people questioned us after the auction, but by Day 2 we were happy with what we had. There's a lot that's been spoken about me already, this win is for Bangalore. This moment is right up there with the best moments in my career. But it still ranks five levels below Test cricket. If you want to earn respect, take up Test cricket.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Jitesh Sharma after win

I won't be able to express anything right now, I am very happy for Kohli because he has been with this franchise for 18 years and has been waiting for a trophy for 18 years. I can understand as a human how it feels if you wait for 18 years. I have said this before the start of this tournament as well, when you play for someone else you end up doing extraordinary things. When you play for yourself, you end up playing a bit conservatively and also feel a bit insecure, but when you want to do something for someone, something magical happens and that's what happened tonight.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Dinesh Karthik after win

Massive. It's a team that's waited 18 years, had to wait a long time. ABD, Kohli, all tried their hearts out. Support staff too. We believed from the start we were good. Had all bases covered. Was great that everyone stepped up at different situations. Got above par tonight, batters felt it wasn't easy. But final wasn't about the pitch, we needed fire in the belly and had it. Andy Flower pulled us through the ringer, he's groomed me, Mo Bobat had a plan and a vision. It fell into place, amazing effort from the boys.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Phil Salt after win

It's an unbelievable feeling. I don't know where I am at the moment. I have not slept. [On being a father] I have got a luck charm now. Over the moon, mate. [Fans] Everywhere we got, we are the best supported team. It's a big fan base. AB is here, Chris is here. It's unbelievable. Thanks for supporting. You have won more games for us than you think.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Josh Hazlewood after win

I think 190 was a good score, wicket was up and down. May have gotten better in the second innings. Everyone chipped in. Means everything to Kohli, to be there from the start and get the result tonight will bring out a lot of emotion. (Coming back the right decision?) Absolutely, won't get better experience than this.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Bhuvneshwar Kumar after the game

We knew the wicket will not be easy and 190 would not be easy. It was 10 more than what we thought. [On Krunal] his spell changed the scenario for us. Change of pace was not easy, but we thought we would not over-use it.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings to win maiden IPL title in Ahmedabad

Well, there it is, Royal Challengers Bengaluru have won their maiden IPL title. It was quite a superb bowling performance from them in the second innings. It was not an overpowering score from their batters, but Krunal Pandya's spell through the middle overs ensured they had done the job. For PBKS, they were always behind in the game. The run rate is just spiking up after the 10 over, and they have failed to get the boundaries. There were tears in the eyes of Virat Kohli who has been associated with the franchise since the beginning. Congratulations to RCB over the win do stay with us for the post match quotes.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Focus on the talisman

Tushar Bhaduri: Someone took a catch, someone got a wicket, but the TV cameras, almost immediately, found a way to focus on Virat Kohli on the field as Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended their 18-year-wait for an IPL title. Whoever is the captain or the match-winner of the team, it is always about the heart, soul, face and talisman of the team. And ironically, the crown has come when the team finally veered away from the galacticos approach that they followed for most of their existence. They realised that despite all the batting firepower they assembled over the years, it would be bowling potency that would get them to the promised land. As Bhuvneshwar Kumar, one of the lynchpins of the attack, once said: “Batsmen win sponsorships, bowlers win championships.” And it was the unheralded Krunal Pandya, not even the most famous cricketer in his family, who did the star turn on the big day in Ahmedabad. But as the team made sure of victory, it were the tears of their one player which everyone saw. In this, the franchise remained true to type.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Chardi kalan' - message of eternal resilience for Sarpanch Shreyas

Nitin Sharma: Post their loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Qualifier 1 at Mullanpur, Punjab Kings skipper Shreyas Iyer had shared how they had lost the battle but not the war. Punjab Kings had made it to an IPL final 11 years ago and only once since 2008 before Tuesday’s final. While his bowlers restricted RCB to a below par total of 190 on the Ahmedabad pitch, Iyer had a rare failure with the bat and the other big hitters could not take the team home. With six uncapped players in the team, Iyer along with head coach Ricky Ponting would be telling his team about not worrying about the loss and having his faith for the next season. For Iyer though, Punjabis will stay with the nickname ‘Sarpanch’ for the Mumbai batsman and the 30-year-old would also be reminded of the Punjabi wordings ‘Chardi Kalan’ meaning a mental state of eternal resilience, optimism and to rise above adversity. That’s the Mantra Iyer has followed in his career and the days spent in Punjab too would have also taught Iyer the same

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Lost two more

Punjab has lost two more wickets, and it is fair to say that it will take something remarkable for RCB to lose from here. First, it was Marcus Stoinis who tried to squeeze a boundary through third man, ending up giving a catch to the third-man fielder inside the ring, and then it was Omarzai who perished for a slower one. Punjab still have Shashank Singh in the middle, but it just seems like both he and Kyle Jamieson have too many to get in the final two overs here. After all these years, it does seem like RCB are going to have their maiden IPL title.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Hanging but Wadhera falls

Punjab is hanging in this chase. It is not over yet. They are finding boundaries from time to time, which is keeping them in the hunt. Having said that the passage between 10-15 overs, while Krunal Pandya and Shepherd were bowling that spell, did a lot of damage in terms of the chase for Punjab. As we update, Nehal Wadhera has fallen here. He has been put out of his misery by Bhuvneshwar Kumar It was a wide delivery from him, which Wadhera slashed it straight to third man. He will have better nights than this Wadhera, but today it has just been his worst nightmare coming true.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Sharma ji ka data

Nitin Sharma: At the end of 15th over, RCB were 132 for 4 in their innings while Punjab Kings are placed at   119 for 4 in their 15 overs. RCB had scored 41 runs in the next three overs before they lost the steam in the last two overs. Can Shashank Singha and Nehal Wadhera push Punjab Kings closer to the target before the big hitter Marcus Stoinis arrives?

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Wadhera needs a move on

Wadhera needs to get a move on here. He has faced 12 deliveries from six. Under the circumstances, that is putting a lot of pressure on the batters at the other end. The runs have to come in quite quickly from him as well. While anchoring is fine but he is taking a bit too long. Shashank Singh, meanwhile at the other has to go after the bowling as well. He does not have the time to get himself in. That is what comes from being picked as finished on the side. He did finish quite a few games last season, but this year he has not had a similar impact, which is both a good and bad thing.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Inglis is gone

Jos Inglis is gone. That is a massive wicket for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and it just might be the wicket that has changed this game. What a spell this has been from Krunal Pandya. He picked up both Prabhsimran and Inglish to turn this game around. This game is drifting away and is happening quite quickly for the Punjab Kings. They have opted to take the strategic time out here, and there is not much to discuss here. The run rate is spiking up quite sharply and one of the two here has to go after the bowling and one has to bat till the end ensude stays till the end.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: 2023 Ahmedabad, 2025 Ahmedabad: same venue, same result for Shreyas

Sriram Veera: It was almost similar to the way Shreyas Iyer fell in Ahmedabad during the ODI world cup final in 2023. Back then it was Pat Cummins; now it was Romario Shepherd. Cummins had slipped in a back of length skidder just outside off, inducing a iffy poke from Shreyas who nicked it behind. Romario produced a almost similar ball, perhaps a touch further away, and Shreyas had yet another poke under the Ahmedabad floodlit night. The result was the same, edge and gone. He had made 4 from 3 balls in 2023 and now just one run. Virat Kohli leaped as high as his idol Cristiano Ronaldo in celebration.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Nothing shot

That was a bit of nothing shot from Iyer. Tried to guide the ball through the third-man for a single ended up edging to the keeper. That is a massive wicket in this game, and it is Romario Shephard who has got the breakthrough. They are tightening the screws here are the RCB bowlers. While there is still batting to come for the Punjab Kings right now, they need a partnership. Ingils is not going to change his game. He will continue to go after the bowling, it is up to Nehal Wadhera how he handles himself through these overs. This is getting very tricky for PBKS.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Kohli wishes, Patidar deters

Sriram Veera: As soon as Priyansh Arya fell in the 5th over , and Jos Inglis walked in, Virat Kohli gestured to the captain Rajat Patidar a legspinner's action. The suggestion presumably was to bring in the leggie Suyash Sharma before Inglis gets his eye in.

Patidar resisted, and brought in the leggie in the 8th over where both Inglis and Prabhsimran Singh looted a six apeice to kick momentum into the chase. At the end of the 15-run over, Punjab needed 121 from 72 balls.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Two wickets in quick time

Krunal Pandya picks the wicket here. It was a tossed-up delivery to Prabhsimrah, who tried to hit it through the cow-corner region but was beaten in the air and flight and ended up giving a simple catch to point inside the ring as the ball looped up in the air. He was getting quite itchy was Prabhsimran was trying to force the issue rather than looking to time the ball. Shreyas Iyer has walked into the middle. He played a fabulous innings the other day. Today he has to do something similar. It might not need to be as dramatic as that one, but a half-century will do a world of good to Punjab. As we update, Shreyas Iyer has fallen. Romario Shephard it is.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Hazlewood handcuffs Priyansh on leg side

Sriram Veera: Priyansh Arya is a fine batsman with great hands but if this IPL has made one thing clear about his still-developing batsmanship it is that he is restricted a touch on the leg side. He can throw his hands serenely on the off side and has a great knack of picking gaps but he doesn't flow as freely on the leg side. And trust Josh Hazlewood to hone in on that. The one big shot he has on leg side is the short-arm wavy pull which he attempted but Phil Salt was calmness personified at deep square leg. He pouched the ball, flicked it up even as he went over the boundary, and hopped back in to complete the catch.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Pulling back things

After the initial poor bowling, RCB has pulled back things quite nicely here. Spinners are in operation, and this is going to be the crucial stage of this game. It is this phase of play where Prabhsimran tries to go after the bowling and gets a few quick boundaries away and ups the ante. But today he is finding it hard to get his timing right. The onus is on Jos Inglis from the other end to make the most of this partnership and score some quick runs so that the run rate does not go out of control. PBKS have to make sure that they have a set batter till the end.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Sharma ji ka data

Nitin Sharma: If RCB were 55 for 1 after the end of Powerplay, Punjab Kings are 52 for 1 at the end of Powerplay in their innings. In the next nine overs, RCB would score 77 runs for the loss of three wickets. It has to be seen what will be Punjab Kings approach in the next nine overs before the last five overs begin,

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Sharma ji ka data

Nitin Sharma: Punjab Kings have successfully chased five time out of six times they have chased in this IPL. The Shreyas Iyer led team has chased successfully in those five games while playing away from their home grounds. Will today be the sixth time that Punjab Kings successfully chase a target this IPL and win their maiden IPL trophy?

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Hazlewood gets first one

That was a short ball from Hazlewood that has done the trick. Priyansh Arya to be fair to him did hit it quite well and Phil Salt fielding at mid-wicket had a long way to cover on the ground and he did while diving he lost the balance a bit and went over the boundary rope and made sure the ball was in the air and he reverted back from the boundary rope to complete the catch. Is it the moment where RCB will start to pull things back here? We have to wait and see. Hazlewood is one bowler Punjab has to be wary of. They have handled Bumrah quite well in the previous game, and they have to do a similar thing if they have to negate RCB's bowling attack.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Chance dropped

Romario Shepherd spilt the chance of Prabhsimran early in the piece here. It was a short ball from Hazlewood which Prabhsimran pulled straight to Shephard, and it should have been taken, but it seems like he misjudged it. That is a letaway by RCB. Defending the total is the last thing they needed. They have to create wickets that's the only way they are going to put some pressure on Punjab here. Or with the batting depth they have got, and the way wicket is playing, it might be a walk in the park. Also, it will be interesting to see how RCB will choose to use their spinners, there is not a lot on offer for them.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Not much help

Both the Punjab openers have started well here. They have not shied away from playing their shots. We did see a bit of seeing for Arshdeep Singh in the first innings in that opening over another masterful exponent of skill, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, did not get much here. The ball has been going in straight lines, and also Punjab openers have been quite counterattacking. Yash Dayal has taken the ball from the other end. He is more of hit the deck bowler than the one who pitches it up and looks for swing. A lot will depend on Hazlewood and his four overs in this game.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Sharma ji ki data

Nitin Sharma: 13/0. Thats what RCB’s score was at the end of the first over during their innings and Punjab Kings too have started with an identical first over in their run chase.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Kyle Jamieson during innings break

It's gonna have to be good enough for us (the total), don't think the slower balls have been holding up as well as the other night. I was just trying to mix it up a little bit and that last over (of mine) didn't go quite to plan. Got to give credit to Stoinis as well, because told me to change it up when certain plans didn't work.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Vyshak's non-celebration

Pritish Raj: Royal Challengers Bengaluru's wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma was going beserk after coming to bat post Virat Kohli's wicket in the 2025 IPL final. 

He came to bat and took on Arshdeep Singh immediately hitting him for consecutive fours in the 16th over. After that he went after Kyle Jamieson hitting him for two audacious sixes in the 17th over. The first one was a rollicking one with a stunning scoop on a short ball and the second one was a high six over the long-off.

However, Vyshak Vijaykumar troubled him in the 18th over getting him caught behind though umpire reversed the decision.
On the very next ball, Jitesh swung hard and the ball took the inside edge to his back thigh and disturbed the bails.
Vyshak, a Bengaluru native and former RCB player, wanted to celebrate with a fist pump but controlled himself in the end. Probably bringing a flavour of football where players don't celebrate against their former teams.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: How Punjab Kings' Aussie thinktank deployed the 2023 World Cup final bowling tactics to scuttle RCB

Venkata Krishna B: The short-pitched deliveries and those banged into the wicket with pace off were Punjab Kings' go-to balls against Mumbai Indians. On Tuesday in their big IPL final, it is what brought them the wickets and against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, they went about replicating the same tactic from the word go. 

From the moment Arshdeep Singh tested Phil Salt with short deliveries it was evident what Punjab had on their mind and up their sleeve. 

With the boundaries on either side of the pitch around 64 metres, the Punjab Kings bowling unit knew clearing the ropes won’t be easy for batsmen if there was no pace on it. 

And it is what Kyle Jamieson, Azmatullah Omarzai and Vyshak Vijayakumar did in the middle-overs to stop RCB from running away to a big total. That particular delivery might have fetched only, albeit the big wicket of Virat Kohli, but those slowy-shorties did the damage by setting up the wickets, by inciting a bit of anarchy in minds hell bent on slamming away.

Ricky Ponting wasn't the first Aussie to deploy the wonder tactic. In fact India had pretty painful memories of this tactic - on the same ground at Ahmedabad. Back on that doomed day of 19 November, 2023. 

During that World Cup final imprinted on Indian batting memories, Pat Cummins & Co had famously executed it against the hosts to apply brakes on their scoring and inject a dull lull into the score when batting first. Shreyas Iyer back then had been on the receiving end of the stifling noose, though Kohli had been felled similarly. Michael Clarke even chuckled about it in the comms.

Punjab’s Australian think-tank which includes Ricky Ponting, James Hopes and Brad Haddin seemed to have riffed off that playbook and employed the same pace-off-bang-downs, though this time it was Jamieson entrusted to mix things up and deliver the wickets.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Chris Gayle's dilemma

Nitin Sharma: While Chris Gayle was in a dilemma whom to support in the final with him wearing the turban supporting Punjab Kings and wearing the jersey and shoes in RCB colours to support RCB, former United Kingdom PM Rishi Sunak has been supporting RCB since long. The former UK PM is at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to watch the IPL final today along with his wife Akshata Murthy. Sunak while talking in the mid-innings show revealed that his in-laws had gifted him a RCB jersey on his wedding to Akshata. “I am married into a Bangalore family. So RCB is my team. My in-laws gave me a RCB jersey from the first IPL season when I got married. So cheering for RCB to win the trophy,” Sunak told Star Sports during the mid-innings show.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Lowest total

Nitin Sharma: 190. The lowest total to be defended at the ground this season if RCB has to win the IPL title. This is the lowest first innings total at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad this IPL season. The lowest total defended in the eight games played at the stadium prior to the final is 196, which Gujarat Titans defended against Mumbai Indians winning the match by 36 runs.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Royal Challengers Bengaluru 190/9 (20 overs) vs Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad

Arshdeep Singh has picked up three wickets in that final over. There is no two ways about it, this is a below-par total by RCB. They are at least 20 runs short here and will need some very good bowling from their bowlers to restrict this Punjab batting. They did manage to trigger a collapse in Mullanpur, but today it is quite different wicket. A lot will depend on Josh Hazlewood and his four overs, and how and when Patidar chooses to use them, that will decide the fate of the game. Once again, superb bowling performance from Punjab they have come up with the right plans for the conditions and execution has been top notch too. Do stay with us we will be right back for the second innings.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Losing momentum

Vyshak, with a fuller one has rattled the stumps of Jitesh Sharma. This is very good bowling from Punjab every time in this game. Bengaluru were getting away with scoring Punjab managed to pull it back. The bowling plans have been stunning, the mixing up of lengths has been top notch. RCB, when they come in, they have to try and do something similar. A lot will depend on Josh Hazlewood and his four overs. He has been in top form, and the conditions here will suit his style of bowling of hitting hard lengths consistently. However the part to watch out will be eight overs of spin which is something Patidar might have to use differently.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Excess of 200

Nitin Sharma: 11 times teams have scored a score in excess of 200 be it first innings or second innings in the eight matches played at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad prior to the final. The lowest total which a team has defended at this stadium this season is 196 when Gujarat Titans defended the total against Mumbai Indians in a match, which they won by 36 runs. That was also the only match at the stadium this season, where neither team in a match was able to score a total in excess of 200. Can RCB post a total in excess of 200 in the final today?

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Kohli’s choice of roommate, the streetsmart Jolly Jitesh shows his skill

Sriram Veera: Recently Virat Kohli was asked in a RCB video about who he would like to room with, given a choice. He plumped for Jitesh Sharma, saying that “One guy who is really funny but hasn't opened up with me is Jitesh. I would really want to see that fun, raw side of him. Because I can see it in his eyes that he has got that mischief about him. He is very street smart – you can see that on the field. He finds different ways of looking at things. So I would like to get to know him more.”

That street-smart and mischievous eyes were on full display on the big IPL final night, and the highlight being an impetuous six off Kylie Jamieson in the 17th over. The first ball was a well-directed slower bouncer, and Jitesh’s eyes widened, his body crouched, and he somehow got his bat down and up in a swatting motion to send the ball right over his head for a stunning six.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Jamiseon goes for 23

Kyle Jamieson was taken for 23 runs in his final over however, his moment of redemption was when he picked up Liam Livingstone. It was a low full toss which Livingstone, in his attempt to hit on the leg-side, missed it completely. He did review the decision after giving out, and it was umpire's call on wickets hitting. Romario Shepherd has walked into the middle. He needs to play a cameo here with three overs left. Bengaluru can still get to 210 here, which will be a good total. It is Jitesh Sharma's knock that changes the momentum of this innings. 

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Joe Root then, Virat Kohli now - a classic Omarzai moment

Sriram Veera: It was almost a deja-vu. In a vital juncture in the Champions Trophy game against England who were on course for a win, Azmatullah Omarzai had produced an utter beauty - a slower bouncer to induce Joe Root to glove it to the keeper. And Afghanistan won that game. Months later, he found himself facing yet another key moment in the IPL final against RCB. It was clear that Kohli , who was playing a sedate game, will go after him as it was the 15th over of the innings. Omarzai, who is rated highly by the Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott, decided to reproduce the slower bouncer. Kohli swivelled for the pull but the 127 kmph ball kept climbing, slowly at that, completely upsetting Kohli’s balance and poise, and unsurprisingly the ball lobbed to mid wicket. Kohli might still have escaped but Omarzai wasn’t done; he ran frantically towards the untenanted area, stretched his palms out and somehow managed to come down to the turf with the ball in hand.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Good bowling plans

Kohli's dismissal is quite a dampener for RCB. This innings is going in a similar pattern to how the Mumbai Indians progressed in the last game. Every time the partnership was brewing and batters were looking in Punjab has managed to pick up a wicket. Plenty of credit must go to the bowling plans before. The mixing up of length has been quite clever from the bowlers; in addition to bowling good length deliveries, they have bowled good sharp bumpers quite effectively from time to time. The onus is on Jitesh Sharma and Livingstone to counter this strategy and make sure they get to 200 here.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Urgency comes at a cost of Kohli

Since the strategic timeout out there is a definite urgency from both sets of batters here. Kohli definitely has started to be a lot more proactive, and Livingstone too has got his eye in and is setting up to access different areas of boundaries. This is where Punjab has to be a little cautious, as the game can run away quite quickly at this stage. Chahal has bowled quite well till that last over where both Kohli and Livingstone have a liking for his bowling. And as we update, Azmutallah Omarzai has picked up a big scalp of Kohli. It was a short ball from Omarzai which he pulled and got the top edge, and Omarzai ran to take the catch.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Jamieson rocks RCB’s boat walking the tall talk

Sriram Veera: With his height - 6 foot 8 inches- the batsmen don’t seem to expect really full deliveries from Kylie Jamieson, and time and again he shocks them. But it would take more than a really full ball or a yorker even to dislodge Rajat Patidar, who was looking in great flow. And so, Jamieson came up with a slower yorker that dipped on the middle stump line, evading the leg side swipe and pinging the front leg right in front of the stumps. The sequence of the deliveries was the key to get Patidar though. He bowled three consecutive slower ones but two of them were bouncers and one on a length. The length ball was smashed over long-off but the bouncers were awkwardly played. Then came the wicket ball, another slower one but the real-full one and Patidar was cooked.  “I think as a tall guy, naturally your length is further back, but over time you get used to trying to bring it a little bit fuller. With my height, I can afford to go a fraction fuller,” Jamieson had once said, and on a big IPL night he has walked that tall talk.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Family reunions galore

Tushar Bhaduri: Kyle Jamieson and Yuzvendra Chahal once played for RCB but are now with Punjab Kings. Mayank Agarwal was once with the Punjab franchise but turned out for the Bengaluru franchise in Tuesday's final. Vijaykumar Vyshak was an RCB-ian last year but is in the red of the Punjab Kings now. IPL is a small cricket world where almost everyone knows everyone else, but these few examples made the game look like an old family reunion. And the feeling was not restricted to the field of play. Chris Gayle, who has played for both franchises, was in the stands sporting a turban (presumably as a nod to the Punjab franchise) and an RCB jersey. In the helter-skelter world of the IPL, player movements are difficult to keep track of, especially by the casual fans, though the really marquee names are rarely let go. Shifting loyalties are a reality that franchise cricket made peace with a long time ago.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Move on needed

Liam Livingstone has to go after the bowling here. It does look like a deliberate attempt that RCB wants Kohli to anchor, and he is batting at a decent strike rate as of now, considering where the game is. But Livingstone at the other end needs to take more chances. Yes, he is out of form and needs a bit of time to get in, but it is getting a bit stagnant for RCB unless they are not going to make 200, it will be a hard ground to defend. While their bowling has been good this season and did trigger a collapse in Mullanpur against the same side, conditions are quite different today and Punjab are coming on backoff a terrific win against Mumbai Indians, hence momentum on their side.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Namma Jamaican Gayle in red turban

Nitin Sharma: The Universe Boss Chris Gayle is in stands watching the match wearing a RCB jersey and a red Turban. Gayle, who had played for Kolkata Knightriders from 2009 to 2010, had played for Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2011 till 2017 and was also inducted in RCB Hall of Fame later. In 2018, Gayle had joined the then Kings XI Punjab in 2018 and played for the team till 2021 and ended his IPL career with 4,965 runs in 142 matches. With the turban symbolising Punjab and the jersey representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it was a puzzle  for which team The Universe Boss will be cheering? “I am from Jamaica but it’s one India always. My turban, RCB jersey and RCB shoes. Both teams I represent and I love both the teams. We are going to have a good game tonight,” Gayle told RCB Social Media prior to the match.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Tap goes Cap Pat’s batting on its way

Sandip G: The hard-length ball from Vijayakumar Vyshak speared into Rajat Patidar’s off-stump. In a red-ball game, he could have shouldered arms on length; in an ODI game, he could have run it down the third man for a single. But here, he just uncorked his wrists to open the bat face and tapped the ball, from right next to the body, from right under his eyes, between backward point and third man, and third man. The RCB captain has not been in his best touch this edition, but this was all soft, nimble hands, and the stroke revved him into top gear. From the other end, Kohli expressed his approval with a clenched-fists gesture. The stroke though had none of the violence.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Kohli's unusual second fiddle in powerplay

Pritish Raj: Usually known to exploit the powerplay conditions, Kohli played just 10 balls in the powerplay against Punjab Kings. Phil Salt took the aggresror's role scoring 12 runs off Arshdeep Singh in the first over but he was silenced in the second over as Kyle Jamieson took his wicket to give the first blow to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Mayank Aggarwal came at number three for RCB and despite hitting a six in the third over, he failed to get going. Playing 17 balls in the power play, Mayank scored just 24 runs with two fours and one sixes before getting out to Yuzvendra Chahal in the seventh over.
Kohli on the other hand, managed only one boundary, when he flicked Jamieson in the fourth over, going into his usual anchor role.
RCB scored 55 runs in six overs, making it a slow start in the final. Arshdeep and Jamieson kept things tidy for Punjab Kings.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Jamieson gets one more

Kyle Jamieson comes back and picks the wicket of Rajat Patidar. The batter tried to walk across the stumps and tried to hit the ball behind the wicket; however, he could not make any contact and missed it completely. The umpire gave it out straight away, and Patidar did not bother reviewing it either, as it would have crashed into the middle stump. RCB has to be wary here, they are losing wickets after batters are getting starts and consuming deliveries. This is what happened to the Mumbai Indians the other night. They would want Kohli to bat till the 18th over and help anchor this innings.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Arshdeep’s Dimarco moment

Sayak Dutta: In the early stages of the IPL final, Arshdeep Singh looked to have a night which closely mirrored Inter’s Federico Dimarco’s Champions League final performance. He had given 24 runs from his first two overs and also made an unintentional blunder near the boundary ropes. While trying to catch a shot by Mayank Agarwal, the ball fell just short of Arshdeep but he inadvertently caught it with his shin and kicked it over the ropes. On Saturday night, Dimarco had such a nightmare start for Inter against PSG when he kept Doue onside for Hakimi's tap-in. For the second PSG goal, his limbs came into play as Doue’s shot deflected off him into his own net. He was dragged off early due in the second half. Arshdeep though, had his redemption when he caught Agarwal off Yuzvendra Chahal’s delivery.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Chahal lures Mayank into the leg-side trap

Sriram Veera: It was the topspinner that Yuzvendra Chahal specialises in T20s. He has a man at long-leg in big grounds and purposefully bowls it on the middle and leg line, almost daring the batsmen to go for the pull. And he did it again to lure Mayank Agarwal, who fell for it. The ball skidded off back of length and hurried on straight in that line, and Agarwal went down on his knee for the pull. But the pace off the pitch, the cramping line and length meant he couldn’t clear the fielder in the deep. Chahal pumped his right fist in celebration. Once Kane Williamson had told this newspaper about Chahal’s tactics. “He deliberately bowls that leg and middle line, tosses it up to me to make me go for the slog sweep. Sometimes he wins, at times I get it right.” With Mayank, the tossed-up delivery wasn’t probably ideal; the shot had to be cramped for room and hence the quick skidding toppie- and that worked. It’s the seventh time Chahal has dismissed Mayank Agarwal in IPL.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Chahal vs Patidar

Chahal against Patidar will be an intriguing contest to watch out for. The former has all the experience in the world and can be quite willly in this phase of the game with his pace variations and googlies, and per Patidar, he is one of the cleanest strikers of the cricket ball. He is not someone who is too much bothered by those different variations Chahal has in possession. If it is in his arc, Patidar will give it an almighty heave into the stand. His innings might be something which Punjab has to watch out for, as he is someone who will score his runs around about 200 when he is going at it, and is very brutal against the spinners.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Chahal breaks partnership

Yuzvendra Chahal has broken the partnership. It was a good length delivery, which Mayank Agarwal, kind off half-slog swept straight to square-leg. That is a soft dismissal, it was a nothing shot in the end, and Chahal, coming back on off injury, did look a bit rusty in the previous game, but with that wicket early in the piece, today he will have a bit of time to get into his spell. Skipper Rajat Patidar has walked into the middle, and RCB needs a partnership here. This is a pretty good wicket, and the ball is coming nicely onto the bat and RCB should be looking to post somewhere around 200 tonight. Anything less than that will be a below-par total.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Good start

This is a very good start for Royal Challengers Bengaluru. We have witnessed what has happened to Sunrisers Hyderabad last season, but the same has not happened here. RCB have played quite well, and also for Punjab's liking, they would have wanted to bowl their bowlers a tad bit fuller than what they actually did. Arshdeep Singh, especially, has resorted to pulling back the length quite quickly, but Jamieson bowling from the other end just found the happy medium of bowling in good length, which did trouble the batters with their footwork so far.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Salt swivels early

Vinayakk Mohanarangan: After RCB's win against PBKS in Qualifier 1 – where he scored a stylish half century in a quick run-chase – Phil Salt was asked by the broadcasters what was going through his mind when Kyle Jamieson bowled a peach of an over that saw him get the wicket of Virat Kohli and beat the bat of Mayank Agarwal repeatedly. Salt joked: "Don’t get out to Arshdeep — that was the only thing on my mind. We played two group games with PBKS and he’s got me out in different ways." Indeed Arshdeep had taken out Salt four times in the nine T20 innings he has bowled to him. And so when Salt was left to face Arshdeep first up on the day of the big final, the Englishman decided to take the attack to the pacer right away. Two deliveries around his hip region, the first was swivel-pulled for six, just clearing the fielder at fine leg, and the next, more finely pulled for four. It ought to have put any nerves Salt had at ease... but alas, this time around, he was out to Jamieson the very next over.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Phil Salt departs

Punjab Kings drew first blood here. It was a fuller one from Jamieson, which he tried to hit through the long-off region, but could not time the ball well. It went high in the air, and Shreyas Iyer, fielding at mid-off, ran back and took a lovely catch, which brought Mayank Agarwal to the crease. One advantage Punjab has over RCB is that they have played here on Sunday, and the bowlers know what ticks on this surface. Thus far they are mixing it up, bowling a few fuller ones and digging one short but as the ball gets softer we might see them using slower ones, which were quite effective against the Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2 game.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Good start

Well, that is a good start for Phil Salt. The first couple of deliveries from Arshdeep did swing a bit, however, he pulled his length back later in the over, which Salt made sure of extracting 13 runs in that opening over. It just might be one of those finals where we see plenty of runs will be scored. We have seen in 2023 how conditions were conducive for batting and the way Salt has started and showed the way in that opening over, it does not feel like it is not going to be any different. Kyle Jamieson has taken the new ball from the other end will be interesting to see what he can extract out of this surface.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Can Kohli surpass 54?

Nitin Sharma: 54 is the highest score by Virat Kohli in an IPL final with his knock of 54 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2016 IPL final his highest score in the three IPL finals he has played. In the 2011 IPL final, Kohli made 35 runs while in the 2009 IPL final, Kohli had made seven runs. All these scores came while batting second. Will Virat Kohli score his highest score in an IPL final today?

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: Let's go

The national anthem is done. The crowd here is buzzing, and no prizes for guessing which team has more fans at the stadium. While it is a big night for Punjab Kings, it is even a bigger occasion for Royal Challengers Bengaluru with just the sheer magnitude of their fan base and how close they have been yet so far.

RCB vs PBKS Live Updates, IPL 2025: RCB's final hitstory

Royal Challengers Bengaluru have lost all the IPL finals in which they have appeared while batting second. In the 2009 IPL final against Deccan Chargers, the team had won the toss and elected to field first before they lost the final by six runs. The team played their second IPL final in 2011, when they lost the toss with Chennai Super Kings winning the toss and opting to bat first. Royal Challengers Bengaluru lost the match by 58 runs. The last time Royal Challengers Bengaluru were in an IPL final was in 2016, when the team lost the toss and Sunrisers Hyderabad electing to bat first. Royal Challengers Bengaluru lost the final by eight runs chasing a target of 209 runs. Will it first time lucky for them while batting first for the first time in an IPL final?