Live: Bengaluru gears up for historic RCB victory parade after 18-year wait

Kyle Jamieson was the pick of the bowlers for PBKS, finishing with figures that could have turned the match. He dismissed Salt early, trapped Patidar with a toe-crushing yorker, and removed Livingstone with a deceptive full toss. His variations stifled RCB's scoring, especially in the middle overs.

Despite being expensive in his final over — which yielded 23 runs — Jamieson’s impact was telling. Without his breakthroughs, RCB might have sailed to a more imposing total.

Unfortunately for Punjab, the rest of their bowling lacked the bite needed to hold RCB back further.

Despite posting 190/9, RCB's batting unit left a lot to be desired. After a solid powerplay that yielded 55/1, the middle overs slowed down significantly. None of the middle-order batters capitalised on their starts — Agarwal (24), Patidar (26), and Livingstone (25) all fell without converting. Kohli’s painstaking knock saw just three boundaries.

The death overs saw some recovery with Jitesh Sharma and Shepherd striking lusty blows, but Arshdeep Singh’s brilliant final over, where he took three wickets and conceded just three runs, restricted what looked like a 200-plus total.

Punjab Kings fought hard, but their chase never truly gained consistent momentum. Prabhsimran Singh started well but fell to Pandya after making 26. Arya and Inglis showed flashes of brilliance, but regular wickets pegged them back. Shashank Singh's fireworks came too late.

RCB’s bowlers, especially Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who dismissed Nehal Wadhera and Marcus Stoinis in a single over, shut the door firmly on PBKS.

A brilliant boundary-saving catch by Phil Salt, strategic field placements, and dot-ball pressure made the chase nearly impossible. In a final that ebbed and flowed, Punjab lacked the composure RCB found in crunch moments.

Josh Hazlewood and Krunal Pandya turned the tide with disciplined spells that choked Punjab Kings at crucial junctures.

Hazlewood, fresh off his comeback from injury, provided the initial breakthrough and defended 29 runs in the final over.

Krunal's tight spell (4-0-17-2) dried up the runs and saw off dangerous batters like Inglis.

Romario Shepherd's dismissal of skipper Shreyas Iyer for one further derailed PBKS’s chase.

Despite Shashank Singh’s valiant unbeaten 61 off 30 balls, the climb became too steep. Hazlewood’s clever variations and calm under pressure sealed the deal, showcasing RCB's bowling resolve when it mattered the most.

More than 91,000 fans turned the Narendra Modi Stadium into a sea of red as RCB’s loyal supporters dominated the final with their chants and unwavering spirit. Kohli’s iconic jersey number 18 was seen across stands, and every shot he played drew deafening roars.

When the final wicket fell and RCB clinched the win by six runs, the atmosphere was electric, almost cathartic.

Kohli fell to the ground in relief, hugged by his teammates. Fans, who had endured heartbreak in 2009, 2011, and 2016 finals, finally had their night of redemption — a dream realised after 18 years of unwavering support.

Virat Kohli, the heartbeat of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, once again proved his worth on the grandest stage, top-scoring with a gritty 43 off 35 balls in the IPL 2025 final. Although it wasn’t a fluent knock by any means, it was the anchor the team needed on a tricky Ahmedabad surface.

Kohli, who has now played all 18 seasons for RCB, dug in after the early dismissal of Phil Salt. He shared vital stands with Mayank Agarwal and Rajat Patidar before falling to Azmatullah Omarzai, his disappointment palpable.

For Kohli, lifting the IPL trophy after years of near-misses was a moment drenched in emotion, legacy, and loyalty.