“Ee Sala Cup Namdu” as RCB wins their first maiden IPL Final against Punjab Kings

New Delhi (India) June 4: Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings by 6 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium to win their first IPL championship. After batting first, RCB scored 190/9, and PBKS returned with 184/7. After years of heartache, RCB was finally crowned champions after the thrilling final.

The small six-run victory margin showed how evenly matched these two teams have been this season.

For Kohli, who participated in the inaugural IPL match for RCB in April 2008 and has been with the team for 18 years, winning the trophy was an emotional moment.

He said, “This win is as much for the fans as it is for the team. It has been 18 long years. I’ve given this team my youth, prime and experience. I’ve tried to win it every season, and I gave it everything I have. To finally have the IPL title is an unbelievable feeling. I never thought this day would come, I was overcome with emotion after the last ball was bowled.”

Former UK Prime Minister (PM) Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty, were also attending Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Sunak is clearly supporting the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).It's his first time seeing a cricket match at the big stadium.

He said, “This is incredible, this is absolutely electric, this is my first time here, the crowd is incredible, I have never experienced cricket like this. 

I'm married into a Bangalore family, so RCB is my team. We went to matches a long time ago and I used to cheer them on in Downing Street.”

Virat Kohli is Sunak’s favourite player. He referred to him as a "total legend" and mentioned a signed bat that Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar gave him while he was working at Downing Street. "It's one of my prized possessions.”

Preity Zinta, a Bollywood actress and co-owner of the Punjab Kings, was clearly emotional after Punjab Kings lost the final.

Preity was seen bringing comfort to the players like captain Shreyas Iyer. Internet users have been moved by her polite and heartbroken manner, with many highlighting how committed she has been to her team from the start.

By choosing to bowl first, PBKS held RCB to 190 for 9, with Kyle Jamieson (3 for 48) and Arshdeep Singh (3 for 40) playing key roles. With 43 off 35, Virat Kohli helped RCB in scoring runs. Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, and Josh Inglis all made some important hits, but none of the Punjab Kings batsmen were able to withstand the pressure put on them by the RCB bowlers. At the other end, wickets were falling as Shashank Singh fought alone. The Shreyas Iyer-led team could only score 184/7 in 20 overs and lost the match.

Aadrika Tayal