Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) struggled the most in the middle overs despite a promising powerplay in the IPL 2025 final against the Punjab Kings on Tuesday at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. However, the final flourish from Jitesh Sharma has carried them to what should be an extremely competitive score of 190.
Although Phil Salt hammered 13 runs off the opening over bowled by Arshdeep Singh, the Englishman played one shot too many and lost his wicket in the very next to Kyle Jamieson. Mayank Agarwal (24) and Rajat Patidar (26) also perished after cameos, stalling Royal Challengers' progress significantly.
Virat Kohli, who had dragged himself to 43 off 34 deliveries, on either side of the cameos from Patidar and Agarwal, had been dismissed by Azmatullah Omarzai, who took an outstanding diving catch off his own bowling. Jitesh and Liam Livingstone started getting the momentum back for RCB as they hammered three sixes off Jamieson's final over but were back in the pavilion in back-to-back overs.
Although Romario Shepherd clobbered a four and a six in the second-last over, the West Indian departed in the final over, with RCB also losing Krunal Pandya. Arshdeep Singh also dismissed Bhuvneshwar Kumar to finish the innings. It was a litany of what ifs for Bengaluru as the highest partnership of their innings was 40.
Shreyas Iyer opts to bowl first after winning the toss in Ahmedabad:
The toss at the gigantic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad went Punjab Kings' way and they opted to bowl first in the final against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Both Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar have announced unchanged playing elevens.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarawal, Rajat Patidar(c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma(w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood.
Punjab Kings (Playing XI): Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis(w), Shreyas Iyer(c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
