Two and a half full months of cricket have all boiled down to this: the title match, the IPL 2025 Final, between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings, to decide which team takes the trophy home for the first time in franchise history, and for which team the agonising wait continues. It’s all on the line as the teams face off at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, and no more place left to hide. Here is all that you need to know.
Also Read: IPL 2025, RCB vs PBKS Final Live Updates: Virat Kohli chases history
RCB vs PBKS head-to-head
It’s a knife-edge contest. By beating them a few days ago in Qualifier 1, RCB levelled things up in their head-to-head against Punjab, with both teams now having won 18 times each against the other in 36 games.
However, RCB do lead the season head-to-head 2-1 now, and will be enthused by the dominant fashion in which they won in Mullanpur during the Qualifier, bowling PBKS out for 102.Â
Key matchups
Josh Hazlewood vs Shreyas Iyer
This could very well be where the match is decided. Iyer has struggled historically against the extra bounce and lateral movement off the pitch Hazlewood can produce, and the Punjab captain’s form will be integral to his team’s hopes of winning. Important to see if Iyer can survive and even produce off Hazelwood.Â
Arshdeep Singh vs Phil Salt
If Phil Salt scores quickly at the top of the order, his teams tend to win. He’s gunning for successive IPL victories opening the batting, and therefore keeping tabs on him will be key for Punjab’s new ball bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh.
Yuzvendra Chahal vs Suyash Sharma
The duel of the two wrist-spinners on a pretty flat track: whichever of these two bowlers performs better will likely set their team up for success. Chahal, with all his experience and nous, hoping to have an impact against his former team. Suyash, fresh from 3-17 against PBKS in the Qualifier. Two dangerous batting lineups to cope with. And one final time they need to step up.
Likely playing XIs
Don’t expect too many changes from two teams who know exactly what works for them and will want to stick with what got them to the final. Punjab will very likely be unchanged, but RCB might look to bring in Tim David if he passes the fitness test, ahead of Liam Livingstone.
RCB likely XI: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar (c), Mayank Agarwal, Jitesh Sharma, Liam Livingstone/Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar
PBKS likely XI: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis, Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kyle JamiesonÂ
