A composed knock from Virat Kohli (43) and a fiery cameo from Jitesh Sharma (24) powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to a competitive total of 190/9 in the high-stakes IPL 2025 Final against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
After being put in to bat, RCB lost early wickets but recovered well through the innings. Kohli, as always, played the role of the anchor, rotating strike and finding boundaries at crucial moments. His 43-run innings steadied the ship after quick dismissals at the top.
Later, Jitesh Sharma injected momentum in the death overs with a quickfire 24, propelling RCB past the 180-mark. Support also came from the lower middle order, which chipped in valuable runs despite Punjab’s disciplined bowling attack.
PBKS bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh and Kagiso Rabada, kept the pressure on with regular breakthroughs, especially in the final overs. However, a few dropped chances and late hitting allowed RCB to post a challenging total on a slightly two-paced Ahmedabad pitch.
As Punjab Kings prepare to chase 191 for their maiden IPL title, all eyes will be on their powerful batting lineup, including Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, and captain Shreyas Iyer.
Will RCB finally lift their first trophy, or can PBKS script a historic comeback?
