A new chapter in IPL history will be written on Tuesday as a first-time champion is guaranteed to emerge at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The much-anticipated final of the tournament’s 18th edition will see Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru lock horns, with both franchises chasing their maiden title after years of unfulfilled promise.
Throughout IPL 2025, both Punjab and Bengaluru have displayed remarkable consistency. Punjab Kings topped the points table at the end of the league stage, closely followed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in second place. Their dominance this season has set the stage for a final that promises intensity, passion, and possibly redemption for two sides that have long lived in the shadow of more successful teams.
Over the past 17 completed IPL seasons, seven different franchises have lifted the coveted trophy. Among them is Deccan Chargers, now defunct, and Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad, neither of whom were part of the inaugural season in 2008. Despite fielding squads brimming with talent over the years, Punjab and Bengaluru have remained titleless, often faltering at the final hurdle.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru have made it to the final on three previous occasions, in 2009, 2011, and 2016, but fell short each time, missing out on the ultimate prize. Punjab Kings, formerly known as Kings XI Punjab, came close to glory once in 2014 but were denied by Kolkata Knight Riders in a thrilling final. Now, after an 11-year wait, they have a golden opportunity to end their drought.
When it comes to head-to-head encounters, the rivalry between the two teams is as balanced as it gets. In their 36 meetings across IPL history, both sides have secured 18 wins apiece, underscoring the evenly matched nature of their competition. Most recently, in Qualifier 1 of IPL 2025, RCB dismantled Punjab Kings with an eight-wicket victory, thanks to Philip Salt’s brisk 56-run knock.
Punjab, however, bounced back in Qualifier 2 with a gritty win over Mumbai Indians. Shreyas Iyer played the anchor role with a commanding 87-run innings, guiding his team to their first final in over a decade. Now, both sides are within touching distance of history. As anticipation builds, fans can expect a clash brimming with emotion, stakes, and the promise of long-awaited glory for one of IPL’s perennial underachievers.
RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 final live updates: Full squads
Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Harpreet Brar, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yuzvendra Chahal, Suryansh Shedge, Musheer Khan, Xavier Bartlett, Praveen Dubey, Azmatullah Omarzai, Vishnu Vinod, Yash Thakur, Aaron Hardie, Kuldeep Sen, Mitchell Owen, Harnoor Singh, Pyla Avinash
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Nuwan Thushara, Suyash Sharma, Josh Hazlewood, Tim Seifert, Rasikh Dar Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Swapnil Singh, Blessing Muzarabani, Tim David, Mohit Rathee, Swastik Chikara, Abhinandan Singh
RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 final live updates: Toss update
Punjab Kings won the toss and opted to bowl first against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.