Rishi Sunak erupts with euphoric fist pumps, sitting next to Jay Shah, as RCB snare Prabhsimran Singh

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, had made it clear before the start of the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad that he would be cheering for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in the match against the Punjab Kings. And his wild celebration during the fall of Punjab’s wickets could have made it more evident.

On Tuesday, as Krunal Pandya took the crucial wicket of opener Prabhsimran Singh on the third ball of the ninth over, Sunak, who was seated next to the ICC chairman Jay Shah and was in a deep conversation with him, could not control his emotions as he burst into a wild celebration. He repeatedly celebrated with fist pumps as RCB got their second wicket in defending 191 in Ahmedabad.

Sunak in RCB’s corner

Speaking to the Times of India ahead of the final, Sunak said that he would be supporting the RCB owing to the Bengaluru connection of his wife, Akshata Murty. “I’m married into a Bangalore family, so RCB is my team,” he said. “We went to matches a long time ago and I used to cheer them on in Downing Street.”

Sunak also admitted to being in awe watching the electric crowd at the Narendra Modi Stadium. “This is incredible, this is absolutely electric, this is my first time here, the crowd is incredible, I have never experienced cricket like this,” he said while speaking to interviewers at the stadium after RCB’s batting concluded.

Earlier in the evening, Bengaluru huffed and puffed to 190 for nine, unable to apply scoreboard pressure on a conducive surface. While RCB were not only a tad conservative in the big final, luck also did not favour the fourth-time finalists chasing their maiden trophy a great deal, as each of their batters perished after getting a start.