The cricket fans across the globe are waiting with bated breath in anticipation for the IPL 2025 final showdown between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) which is scheduled to be played on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. All eyes are particularly focused on Virat Kohli and his Bengaluru team as they approach this crucial match.
I feel like all the pressure is on RCB to win IPL 2025 title: Alyssa Healy
While both Punjab and Bengaluru franchises are vying for their maiden IPL title which has been alluding them since the inception of the glitzy league in 2008. The pressure seems to weigh more heavily on RCB, given their track record which includes three painful final defeats in 2009, 2011, and 2016, a record that fuels the fervent desire of their over 20 million fans who are desperate to witness RCB finally break their 18-year title drought on June 3.
Ahead of the action-packed grand finale, Australian Women's cricket captain Alyssa Healy has voiced her opinion that RCB face a greater degree of pressure compared to PBKS in this final. However, Healy highlighted RCB's significant star power, extensive global fanbase, and the lingering absence of the coveted trophy, suggesting that this makes them particularly eager to win the title.
On the other hand, Punjab Kings are entering this grand final with a different mindset. Healy observed that PBKS appears calm, confident, and highly motivated, suggesting they are well-prepared to disrupt RCB's aspirations and potentially claim the title for themselves in this decisive encounter in Ahmedabad.
“Neither team has obviously ever won before. There's going to be a little bit of panic at some point out there. RCB would really want to win, having come so close in the past. I feel like all the pressure is on RCB to win this title. Especially with the way they have shaped up all year. But Punjab is just going to come along and steal it from them,” Alyssa Healy said on the LiSTNR Sport podcast.
When Royal Challengers Bengaluru faces the Punjab Kings in Ahmedabad, the spotlight will undoubtedly be on Virat Kohli. Despite achieving significant milestones in his career, including winning the 2012 ODI World Cup, the 2024 T20 World Cup, and the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, alongside securing the Orange Cap twice, the elusive IPL title remains the one trophy that has eluded him.
Kohli has consistently showcased exceptional form, reminiscent of his performances in 2016 and 2024, where he amassed over 600 runs in each season. However, RCB fell short of the championship in those years. This final presents Kohli with what might be his best opportunity yet to finally lift the IPL trophy. Nevertheless, Alyssa Healy, wife of Australian speedster Mitchell Starc and captain of the Australian women's team, anticipates that Kohli will be under immense pressure during this crucial match.
Healy emphasized that as the prominent figurehead of RCB, Virat Kohli inevitably bears the weight of disappointment whenever the franchise fails to achieve its ultimate goal. She believes that Kohli's ability to handle the pressure in this final will be a critical factor in determining the outcome of the match for the Bengaluru-based franchise against the Punjab Kings.
“I feel sorry for him. Every time they haven't won, it's like it's his fault. It's not per se. But he is the face of the organization, and it's like, 'Oh, Virat has lost it again.' It's not so much for RCB, but 'Virat still hasn't won the IPL trophy.' So, the pressure is all on him. And that side is going to rely a lot on Virat Kohli to get RCB to that trophy,” Healy concluded.
Talking about the head-to-head record between RCB and PBKS, Bengaluru have won 18 matches while Punjab have also clinched as many wins in a total of 36 encounters played between them in IPL