Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) held their nerve to beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs in an exciting final.
Jitesh made an aggressive 24 off 10 balls cameo for PBKS, but RCB’s sharp fielding and catching kept them at bay. Check the royal challengers bengaluru vs punjab kings match scorecard for full details of this thrilling encounter.
| Date | Match / Tournament | RCB Score | PBKS Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jun 2025 | IPL 2025 Final — Ahmedabad | 190/9 | 184/7 | RCB won by 6 runs (cricketteamscorecard.com) |
| 29 May 2025 | IPL 2025 Qualifier 1 — New Chandigarh | 106/2 (10 overs) | 101 all out | RCB won by 8 wickets (cricketteamscorecard.com) |
| 20 Apr 2025 | IPL 2025 League — New Chandigarh | 159/3 (18.5 overs) | 157/6 | RCB won by 7 wickets (cricketteamscorecard.com) |
| 18 Apr 2025 | IPL 2025 League — Bengaluru | 95/9 (14 overs, rain) | 98/5 (12.1 overs) | PBKS won by 5 wickets (cricketteamscorecard.com) |
| 9 May 2024 | IPL 2024 League — Dharamsala | 241/7 | 181 all out | RCB won by 60 runs (sportsf1.com) |
Kohli 43
Kohli, as captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore since his arrival in 2020, has had a profound effect on their franchise since he joined.
Since his arrival, they have achieved many significant achievements under his guidance – such as becoming the first Indian player to score 10,000 runs in T20 cricket and surpassing Sri Lankan Sachin Tendulkar’s record for most ODI centuries.
Unfortunately, Kohli’s struggles in recent weeks have drawn widespread criticism; leading some observers to suggest he step aside as captain and let du Plessis take over.
Even with their poor play in the playoffs, Kohli has been an essential element in their success this year. His efforts helped the team secure one of three top positions.
Yet his batting has lacked consistency; finding an optimal balance between attack and defence remains an ongoing struggle for him.
RCB’s match against PBKS marked the opening in a series of matches which would determine their fate as champions or suffer another heartbreaking defeat.
At first, both sides seemed evenly poised at the outset; with PBKS needing 191 to win. Their openers Priyansh and Prabhsimran made quick progress but Hazlewood got rid of Priyansh to stop any momentum; eventually run-rates slowed as PBKS lost speed before succumbing easily — making this match an apt finale to season where Kohli had dominated but failed in terms of championship title; nonetheless he remains an integral member of their team; both now and for years to come.
Pandya 2-17
Hardik Pandya is an aggressive cricketer. His signature cut stroke calls to mind Kapil Dev, Botham and Imran Khan; yet, on an auspicious Newlands pitch that was as fitting for a final as ever, Hardik struggled with the bat and was sent back into his dugout by Kagiso Rabada’s slower one on 17 overs.
MI had lost openers Abhishek Sharma (17) and Shubman Gill (4) cheaply early, yet Pandya’s 95-ball 93 kept them competitive by hitting six fours and four sixes to help take India from 78/4 to 221/2 in just under seven overs.
Pandya’s batting was an echo of all-rounders from the 80s who played like T20 casual players in Test matches eschewing perceived formalities of Test matches.
His runs came quickly with no signs of stopping, much like Kapil Dev would run, slip, bowl and run again – recalling their breezy approach that never seemed to end.
Pandya’s bat set an example for young players of his current generation. Axar Patel, Shivam Dube and Suryakumar Yadav attempted to steal the match away from Proteas but were foiled by an aggressive South African pace battery of Varun Chakravarthy (2-14) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-17).
Lungi Ngidi (3/31) led their bowlers while Lutho Sipamla (2/38) and Arshdeep Singh (2/38) provided support. South Africa were all out for 254 runs in total;
Shepherd 3-40
Shepherd and his teammates saw their hopes fade as the final ball sailed over the ropes and hit the stumps for four.
But some brilliant fielding and catching saw PBKS fail once more, forcing a draw after only eight overs were played. Shepherd finished with three wickets for 40 runs bowled – including Prabhsimran for 26 and Josh Inglis for 39, as well as crucial ones like Prabhsimran’s run out for 26 and Inglis for 39 – yet it will seem that all his efforts went unused despite all his efforts being worthwhile as his team fell short once more.
Ingerski,Wilson punted 35 yards to SHEP21 where Hardyway,Michael returned 9 yards (Sauve,Alex). Unfortunately for Ingerski,Wilson the penalty for SHIP False Start 5 yards from SHIP49 to SHIP44 meant an end of play and this play.
Omarzai 2-2
Afghanistan all-rounder Abdel Rahim was a key component in PBKS’ quest to win their maiden IPL trophy under Ricky Ponting’s guidance this season.
His quick 24 off 10 balls cameo in Qualifier 2 gave them just what they needed but his wicket along with that of Stoinis put an end to that effort quickly.
Abdel’s ability to swing new balls and perform under pressure made him an invaluable asset during their chase for IPL success and was purchased at auction for 2.4 Crore; his future looks bright.
