Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally break the curse – IPL Champions at last!
After 17 years of heartbreaks and near-misses, Royal Challengers Bengaluru are finally IPL champions. Under the composed leadership of Rajat Patidar, RCB held their nerve to edge past Punjab Kings by six runs in a nail-biting finale, defending 190/9 with discipline and guile. Krunal Pandya, a seasoned campaigner with three IPL titles already under his belt, delivered a clutch spell in the middle overs, finishing with a game-turning 2-17.
Where RCB took control: The middle overs edge
In a game decided by fine margins, RCB carved out their win during the middle overs. They outscored Punjab Kings 77/3 to 67/3 in this phase, creating enough of a buffer to weather a late storm from Shashank Singh, reports Live Cricket Score.
| Parameters | RCB | PBKS |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 77/3 | 67/3 |
| Run-rate | 8.56 | 7.44 |
| 4s/6s | 3/3 | 2/5 |
RCB’s Innings
PowerPlay: A shaky foundation
Phase score – 55/1 [RR: 9.17, 4s/6s: 5/2]
Phil Salt began aggressively but fell early to Kyle Jamieson. Virat Kohli was unusually quiet in the first six, facing just 10 balls. Mayank Agarwal, promoted up the order, found a few boundaries but rode his luck. Punjab’s seamers enjoyed early movement and came out on top in the PowerPlay.
Middle Overs: Grinding through
Phase score – 77/3 [RR: 8.56, 4s/6s: 3/3]
Yuzvendra Chahal and Azmatullah Omarzai brought control and breakthroughs. Kohli battled through a scratchy stay, while Patidar briefly counterpunched with a six off Chahal. However, Jamieson outwitted the RCB skipper with a smart change of pace, trapping him LBW. Livingstone tried to lift the scoring but lost his partner and momentum as RCB stumbled to 132/5 at the end of the 15th.
Death Overs: Late fireworks and a final-over wobble
Phase score – 58/5 [RR: 11.60, 4s/6s: 3/4]
Jitesh Sharma provided a mini-rescue act with big hits off Jamieson and Arshdeep. Romario Shepherd also chipped in with a few lusty blows. But Arshdeep returned with a superb final over (1 W 1 W 1 W) to keep RCB just under 200.
Punjab Kings’ Chase
PowerPlay: Steady, not explosive
Phase score – 52/1 [RR: ~8.67, 4s/6s: 5/2]
PBKS started cautiously. Prabhsimran Singh survived a couple of close calls while Priyansh Arya struggled for rhythm. Arya was eventually dismissed via a boundary-line stunner by Phil Salt. Josh Inglis added some intent, but RCB’s pacers kept the run-rate in check.
Middle Overs: Krunal changes the game
Phase score – 67/3 [RR: 7.44, 4s/6s: 2/5]
Krunal Pandya was the game-breaker. He removed the set Prabhsimran and then accounted for Inglis after bowling three tight overs. Shepherd struck to remove Shreyas Iyer, and Punjab’s innings started to unravel. Despite a few hits from Nehal Wadhera, RCB were firmly in the driver’s seat by the 15-over mark.
Death Overs: Shashank’s fight, RCB’s resilience
Phase score – 65/3 [RR: 10.83, 4s/6s: 2/6]
Shashank Singh gave Punjab hope with a thrilling 61*, hitting big sixes off Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar. But wickets at the other end – including Wadhera and Stoinis – dented the chase. Even though Shashank smacked three sixes in the final four balls, it wasn’t enough. Hazlewood’s nerveless dots sealed RCB’s title.
Match Summary:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: 190/9 in 20 overs
(Virat Kohli 43, Rajat Patidar 26; Arshdeep Singh 3-40)
Punjab Kings: 184/7 in 20 overs
(Shashank Singh 61, Josh Inglis 39; Krunal Pandya 2-17)*
Result: RCB won by 6 runs
Player of the Match: Krunal Pandya
