The big day has arrived when the Indian Premier League will crown a new champion, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru set to take on Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The summit clash is expected to be a fascinating contest, with two table-toppers locking horns after each securing 19 points at the end of the league stage, differentiated only by a slight margin in net run rate. RCB emerged victorious in Qualifier 1, directly entering the finale, whereas PBKS took the longer route, defeating Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 to reach the final stage of what has been a thrilling tournament.
The narrative surrounding the grand finale centers on whether RCB and Virat Kohli will finally lift the coveted trophy. However, PBKS have also had their struggles since the tournament’s inception, and Punjab fans are eager for their 18-year wait to end. RCB supporters, along with many neutrals, want the franchise to triumph for Kohli, the only player to represent one franchise since the tournament began in 2008. Meanwhile, PBKS fans hope Shreyas Iyer will etch his name in the tournament’s history, becoming the first captain to lift the IPL trophy for two different franchises in consecutive years. Some even want Punjab Kings to push the bar for their co-owner, Preity Zinta, who has supported the team with a smile through the lowest of lows over the past 18 years. It promises to be a mouth-watering contest, with emotions running high as both teams take the field in front of what is expected to be a capacity crowd in the world’s largest cricket stadium.
On the eve of the match, the box office at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Sports Enclave was packed with fans lining up to collect their tickets. Many young fans were seen inquiring with security officials about whether Virat Kohli was inside the ground, with some requesting permission to watch him train only to be declined politely. Others picked up jerseys from street-side vendors for the big match day. With over a lakh of people expected to attend the game, jersey vendors have had to stock up. The RCB jersey with “18 Virat” is the hot seller, with prices of pirated jerseys surging. PBKS bowling coach James Hopes has predicted that the Ahmedabad crowd would be “pro-Kohli,” and it seems like he won’t be wrong. Due to high demand for “18 Virat” jerseys, vendors have increased prices from Rs 200–250 to Rs 500 since before Qualifier 2. However, Punjab Kings have undergone a complete makeover, both on and off the field. While “18 Virat” tops the popularity list, “96 Shreyas” has also become a top seller.
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“”Idhar hum sab zyada se zyada Virat ki jersey lakar rakhe hai par ye Punjab ka Shreyas Iyer ka bhi bohot demand hai. Kal naya lot aa raha hai uski jersey ka. Aur demand mein hoga kal. (We brought as many of Virat’s jerseys as we could, but the demand for Punjab’s Shreyas Iyer is also very high. Tomorrow, we’re bringing a new batch of his jerseys, and the demand will likely increase),” said Manish, a jersey seller outside the stadium.
As the battle of jerseys intensifies outside the stadium, the real action will unfold inside the venue. In head-to-head encounters, RCB and PBKS are tied at 18 wins each. However, RCB have dominated PBKS since 2023, winning five out of six matches.
For RCB, all eyes will be on Virat Kohli, who has scored 375 runs in eight matches against Punjab at an average of 62. Will the 18th season of the IPL belong to “Number 18”? Kohli was seen practicing extensively with Rajat Patidar on the eve of the game, focusing on smashing spinners around the park. He looked at ease against bowlers like Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma, hitting sixes with ease. In terms of fitness, Tim David is the only likely absentee for RCB, having injured his hamstring in the lead-up to the playoffs. The Australian was spotted at the Narendra Modi Stadium but did not participate in practice.
For Punjab Kings, the focus will be on Shreyas Iyer, who delivered two of the best knocks of IPL 2025 in Ahmedabad. In their season opener against Gujarat Titans, the PBKS skipper smashed an unbeaten 97, and led his team to the final with an explosive unbeaten 87 in Qualifier 2. However, Punjab would want their explosive openers, Prabhsimran Singh (523 runs) and Priyansh Arya (451 runs), to step up after faltering in their last two playoff matches.
If PBKS lift the trophy, an open-top bus parade is likely in one of Punjab’s cities. If RCB triumph, expect wild celebrations in Bengaluru and across Karnataka. A high-octane evening awaits us. May the best team win.