After 18 seasons of near misses and heartbreaks, Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally became IPL champions. The team, often joked about for never winning the title, silenced critics with a powerful performance in the 2025 final. On the other side, it was a tough night for Punjab Kings, who had played exciting cricket all season but couldn’t deliver in the final.

This win meant everything to RCB fans who had supported the team through thick and thin. It was also a special moment for Virat Kohli, who had given his best to the team for many years. He couldn’t hold back his emotions, hugging his wife Anushka Sharma after the win. Former teammates AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle joined the celebrations too.

“I’ve given my all to this team every single season. To finally win the trophy feels amazing,” said Kohli.

RCB scored 190 runs in their innings. Though it wasn’t a huge score, their bowlers stepped up in a big way. Krunal Pandya bowled brilliantly and was named Player of the Match. Josh Hazlewood, Romario Shepherd, and the rest of the bowling attack also kept things tight. Punjab’s batting line-up, which had been strong all tournament, couldn’t handle the pressure and collapsed.

Punjab’s captain Shreyas Iyer got out early, and only Josh Inglis showed some fight with 39 runs. Nehal Wadhera and others couldn’t keep up the pace. RCB kept things tight and didn’t allow boundaries at crucial times.

Earlier, Kohli scored 43 runs from 35 balls, which some felt was a bit slow. He didn’t find many boundaries and played cautiously, which made things harder for RCB. But cameos from Jitesh Sharma and Romario Shepherd helped the team reach a decent total.

Despite Arshdeep Singh bowling an excellent final over for Punjab, it wasn’t enough. Punjab had their chances, but RCB held their nerve.

Krunal Pandya was the star of the night with the ball, taking two key wickets. This was his second time winning Player of the Match in an IPL final, the first being in 2017.

RCB’s win was not just about this match—it was about years of effort, heartbreak, and hope. And now, they finally have the trophy to show for it.