RCB vs PBKS: A First-Time IPL Champion Will Rise

The stage is set for a new champion to be crowned in the IPL 2025 final, as Punjab Kings (PBKS) defeated Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 on Sunday night in Ahmedabad. With Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) already through, the final on Tuesday, June 3 will see two title-hungry teams clash for their maiden IPL trophy.

RCB are no strangers to the big stage, having reached the IPL final three times in the past — in 2009, 2011, and 2016 — but they’ve never managed to go all the way. They lost to Deccan Chargers, Chennai Super Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad in those respective finals.

PBKS, meanwhile, are making only their second-ever IPL final appearance. Their previous shot at the title came in 2014, when they were still known as Kings XI Punjab and were beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders. Remarkably, that 2014 season was also the only time PBKS had reached the playoffs since the format’s introduction in 2011—until now.

Captain Shreyas Iyer has made history of his own, becoming the first player to lead three different teams to the IPL final. He captained Delhi Capitals in the 2020 final and led KKR to the title in 2024, before guiding PBKS this year.

Both teams had stellar campaigns in the league stage, finishing first and second with nine wins, four losses, and one no result each from their 14 matches. Their net run rates were nearly identical, underscoring just how evenly matched they are. PBKS won the league fixture in Bengaluru, while RCB took the reverse encounter in Mullanpur.

In Qualifier 1, also played in Mullanpur on May 29, RCB delivered a crushing performance by bowling out PBKS for 101 runs and chasing it down in just 10 overs to seal a direct path to the final. PBKS then had to overcome Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 at Ahmedabad — their second win against MI in a week — to earn their place in the title clash.

Now, all eyes are on Ahmedabad, where history will be made and one team will finally lift the IPL trophy for the very first time.