Royal Challengers Bengaluru Clinch Maiden IPL Title After 18-Year Wait
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have finally broken their title drought, clinching their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy after 18 long seasons. In a thrilling final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, RCB edged out Punjab Kings by 6 runs, defending a target of 191 to seal the IPL 2025 championship.
Batting first after being sent in by Punjab Kings, RCB posted a competitive total of 190 runs. Despite early setbacks—losing opener Phil Salt for 16—RCB found stability through a 38-run partnership between Mayank Agarwal (24) and Virat Kohli (43). Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal halted the momentum by removing Agarwal at 56, but captain Rajat Patidar (26) and Kohli added a crucial 40-run stand for the third wicket.
Kohli departed with the score at 131, but late fireworks from Liam Livingstone (25 off 12), Jitesh Sharma (24 off 10), and a short cameo by Romario Shepherd (17 off 9) pushed RCB to a challenging total. Punjab’s Arshdeep Singh impressed with the ball, taking 3 wickets to restrict the damage.
In response, Punjab Kings faltered under the mounting pressure exerted by RCB’s bowling attack. Chasing 191, their batting lineup failed to build lasting partnerships. While Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Josh Inglis offered resistance, it was Shashank Singh who fought a lone battle as wickets fell regularly around him.
RCB bowlers held their nerve in the death overs, executing their plans with precision to seal a nail-biting 6-run win.
The triumph marks a historic moment for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who have come close several times in the past but had never lifted the trophy—until now.
With the win, RCB etches its name into the IPL’s list of champions, bringing joy to a massive fan base that has waited nearly two decades for this moment.
Related Posts