IPL set to crown new winner as RCB, PBKS clash in an epic final
Virat Kohli’s nearly two-decade long agonising wait to lay hands on an IPL Trophy with Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be up against Shreyas Iyer’s resolve to make first-time winners out of the tenacious Punjab Kings when the 18th season finale of the world’s biggest T20 league unfolds at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Tuesday.
For Kohli, this is his fourth IPL final and perhaps the most poignant, with retirement from Test cricket already announced and India’s next ODI series months away. Expect a sea of No 18 jerseys as fans rally behind a man who has defined RCB’s journey.
This season, Kohli (614 runs) has remained the anchor, but crucially, RCB are no longer a one-man show. The top-order has fired consistently, with Phil Salt’s aggression complementing Kohli’s composure, while Rajat Patidar, Mayank Agarwal, and Jitesh Sharma have stepped up. Josh Hazlewood’s 21 wickets have added steel to the bowling attack, and RCB have looked clinical, especially in their thumping win over PBKS in Qualifier 1.
Punjab, though, have bounced back admirably. Hurt but not hindered by that loss, they stormed into their maiden IPL final under Iyer’s calm leadership, knocking out five-time champs Mumbai. Iyer (603 runs) becomes the first to lead three different teams to IPL finals—a testament to his tactical sharpness.
Backed by exciting talents like Prabhsimran Singh, Josh Inglis, and Shashank Singh, PBKS have found rhythm at the right time. Their bowling, missing Marcus Jansen and a fully fit Chahal, still showed grit on a flat Mullanpur track.
While there are no predictions of rains impacting the contest, an additional hour to the playtime extending the duration to 120 minutes and having a reserve day in the final are the measures in place to ensure the contest is completed.
Two determined teams, two compelling stories—Kohli’s legacy and Iyer’s audacity. One will lift a maiden IPL trophy.
