NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli’s nearly 20-year-long quest for an IPL title with Royal Challengers Bengaluru reaches its most defining moment as RCB face Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. But there’s a twist—rain could play spoilsport, with forecasts hinting at a brief drizzle in the evening.RCB cruised into the final with a commanding win over Punjab in Qualifier 1. However, Punjab Kings bounced back with a gritty victory over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2, setting up a high-stakes battle between two teams still chasing their first-ever IPL title since the league began in 2008.There’s an emotional layer to the contest as well. Kohli, who recently stepped away from Test cricket, is expected to take a break from all formats after the final. With no immediate ODI assignment on the horizon, this could be fans’ last glimpse of Kohli in action for some time.
RCB have been a transformed unit this season—clinical, consistent, and composed. After years of heartbreak and missed chances, they’ve stormed into the final riding on big wins and rock-solid performances.WHAT IF RAIN WASHES OUT THE FINAL?A short delay won’t threaten the game, as up to 120 minutes of extra time is available to complete the match. However, if rain prevents play from being completed on Tuesday, the final will shift to the reserve day—Wednesday, June 4.If conditions don’t improve and no play is possible even on the reserve day, the team that finished higher in the league stage will be declared IPL 2025 champions.That gives Punjab Kings the edge. Having topped the points table with nine wins from 14 matches, the Shreyas Iyer-led side would be crowned champions if rain wipes out both days.
SquadsRoyal Challengers Bengaluru: Rajat Patidar (c), Virat Kohli, Phil Salt (wk), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Swastik Chhikara, Liam Livingstone, Krunal Pandya, Swapnil Singh, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Manoj Bhandage, Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh Salam Dar, Suyash Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Nuwan Thushara, Lungi Ngidi, Abhinandan Singh, Mohit Rathee, Yash Dayal.Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod (wk), Josh Inglis (wk), Harnoor Pannu, Pyla Avinash, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Harpreet Brar, Azmatullah Omarzai, Priyansh Arya, Aaron Hardie, Musheer Khan, Suryansh Shedge, Mitch Owen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vyshak Vijaykumar, Yash Thakur, Kuldeep Sen, Xavier Bartlett, Pravin Dubey, Kyle Jamieson.
