The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is about to end with a historic final on Tuesday, June 3. Two teams that have never won the title—Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS)—will fight for the trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

For many fans, especially broadcasters, this is a perfect final. The big reason? Virat Kohli, wearing jerseyo. 18, has the chance to finally lift the IPL trophy after 17 years. RCB’s wait has been long, and if it ends this year, it would be the perfect end to a 50-day season.

A big moment for Virat Kohli and RCB

This year’s IPL happened during a very serious time between India and Pakistan. The world also saw many senior cricketers retiring, including Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. After achieving so much—winning the T20 World Cup in 2024, the Champions Trophy in 2025, and even the ODI World Cup—Kohli only missed out on the World Test Championship. Now, fans are hoping he can win the IPL at least.

The pressure is high, but Kohli remains calm. He is not interested in fans shouting “e sala cup namde” anymore. In fact, he has even told his close friend AB de Villiers not to say it on camera until RCB actually wins the title. That shows how focused he is. Kohli has sacrificed a lot, even stepping down from captaincy, hoping that someone else could break the 17-year curse for the franchise.

Still, as emotional as Kohli’s story is, the IPL is a team game. Tuesday night will not only be about him.

Shreyas Iyer: The leader of PBKS

On the other side is Shreyas Iyer, the captain of Punjab Kings. He has quietly built a strong reputation as a leader. Iyer has already played in two IPL finals—winning once with Kolkata Knight Riders and losing once with Delhi Capitals. Now, he is back in the final with a third team.

This makes Iyer the only player in IPL history to take three different teams to the final under three different coaches. Yet, he still does not get the respect that many other captains do. This year, he has shown what he can do as a leader, with Punjab Kings fully supporting his decisions.

In Qualifier 2, his team confidently chased down 204 runs against the Mumbai Indians in just 19 overs. That win was one of the most powerful performances of the season. It showed that the team, under Iyer’s captaincy, is in top form.

Punjab Kings lost 3 of their 5 matches at their home ground in Mullanpur, but they were very strong in away games, winning 5 out of 7. Now, the final is also an away match, and that might work in their favour.

Rajat Patidar and RCB’s road to the final

While Kohli is the emotional centre of RCB, the actual captain is Rajat Patidar. It is not easy to lead a team when a legend like Virat Kohli is still playing. Many times this season, fans noticed that Kohli didn’t seem fully happy with Patidar’s decisions. The team also lost some early games at home, which made people question the leadership.

But Patidar stayed confident. He led RCB with his own style. With help from the bowlers and Kohli’s batting, RCB performed well, especially in away matches. They made it to the top two spots and beat Punjab in the playoffs.

RCB and PBKS have played each other three times this season. RCB leads 2–1. The first match was in Bengaluru, where Punjab’s fast bowlers destroyed RCB’s batting, and Punjab chased down a small target easily. In the second match in Mullanpur, Punjab couldn’t score much, and Kohli helped RCB chase the target with a strong 73*. The third meeting again happened in Mullanpur, where RCB bowled Punjab out for just 101 and chased the target in only 10 overs.

Ahmedabad is a neutral ground, but Punjab might be slightly more comfortable since they have played here before. Shreyas Iyer has scored well in both matches he played at this stadium. RCB, however, have not played at this venue this season but have a better bowling unit.

Final match: Pitch and weather update

The final might face some weather problems. On Monday, June 2, the Ahmedabad weather department said it may rain during the day. According to Arunkumar Dasane, “Conditions are likely to remain cloudy throughout the day, with light to moderate rainfall expected in isolated areas.”

If the pitch stays under covers for a long time, it might behave strangely. Usually, the Ahmedabad pitch is good for batting, but in the first few overs, it might help the bowlers.

Who will win?

This IPL final has two strong teams and two different stories. One team wants to win for a legend who has given everything to the game. The other wants to show the power of smart captaincy and team unity.

RCB fans are dreaming of a happy ending for Virat Kohli. But Punjab Kings and Shreyas Iyer are ready to spoil that party and write their own history.

No matter who wins, the IPL 2025 final promises to be a thrilling night filled with emotion, strategy, and some unforgettable cricket.

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