With the IPL 2025 approaching steadily, the finals will host the Punjab Kings and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with the exciting prospect of having a new Indian Premier League Champion this year. This announcement comes after the Punjab Kings won their second-ever entry into the finals, following the Qualifiers 2 match on Sunday, June 1. The Punjab Kings gained victory over the Mumbai Indians—5-time IPL champions.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru also secured their place in the finals at the Qualifier 1 on Wednesday against the Punjab Kings.
Shreyas Iyer from the PBK commented on the loss, stating that they have “lost the battle, but not the war”. He later led his team to victory against the Mumbai Indians, with an unbeaten 87 off a mere 47 balls during Sunday’s Qualifier 2, gaining a second chance at nailing an IPL victory. Playing fiercely against the Mumbai’s, Iyers worked with Nehal Wadera to coordinate a stunning 84-run collaboration off 47 deliveries for the fourth wicket.
Chasing 200 against the Mumbai Indians, Shreyas Iyer achieved the seemingly impossible feat, breaking one of the most long-standing records, simultaneously giving IPL fans a glimpse of the excitement and skill the finals will hold, with the Punjab Kings replaying the Royal Challenger Bengaluru. Standing as the first player in the history of the Indian Premier League to lead three different teams to the finals, captaining the Delhi Capitals, and leading the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to victory in 2024 brings promising prospects to the PBKS team.
The Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be playing in the IPL finals for the fourth time, having played in 2009 against the Deccan Chargers, in 2011 against the Chennai Super Kings, and against the Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016.
With Qualifier 2 having faced delays due to the weather, questions have arisen about the IPL finals also facing issues due to the adverse weather. The IPL finals are scheduled to take place in Ahmedabad on June 3, and if the weather conditions persist, the reserve date will be June 4.
With a total of 9 wins from 14 games this league, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru stands at No. 2 in the Indian Premier League points table, with the Punjab Kings currently topping the chart at 1.
There is also very little difference between their net run rates, with the Punjab Kings having beaten the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Bengaluru, and the situation reversing when the Royal Challengers Bengaluru gained victory over the Punjab Kings in Mullanpur, where they played Qualifier 1, ending the match with 10 overs to spare.
Having reached the final once before in 2016 with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s longest-serving captain, Virat Kohli, under whose captaincy the team has won the most matches, the RCB team is bound to bring up a spectacular final game against the Punjab Kings, whose captain, Shreyas Iyer, has left a significant mark in the IPL this year.
With the finals set to take place on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, it is clear that for either team, a win would be a historic achievement.
