IPL 2025 final: 'Job is half done,' says PBKS captain Iyer; RCB will give their best for Kohli, says Patidar

Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer hailed the youngsters for playing a key role in propelling the team into an Indian Premier League (IPL) final for the first time in 11 years, but has has made it clear that the job is only “half-done” for his team after their emphatic victory over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2.

After finishing on top of the points table, PBKS suffered an 8-wicket thrashing at the hands of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Qualifier 1. The Kings, however, bounced back in style in Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians, the team that had defeated Gujarat Titans in the Eliminator, with Iyer smashing an unbeaten 87 to help his team chase down a target of 204 at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium.

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PBKS thus face RCB in Tuesday’s final, which will be taking place at the same venue as Qualifier 2 with a ‘Reserve Day’ in place in case of an extensive delay due to rain. And with both teams having finished runner-up in the past, the IPL is set to crown a first-time champion 24 hours from now – or inside 48 hours, if the ‘Reserve Day’ is activated.

“I think the role of a captain is that you have to get the best out of your players in terms of performance. And when we got a start in this tournament, we gained momentum right from the beginning. After that, every individual kept stepping up," PBKS captain Iyer said on the eve of the final against RCB in Ahmedabad.

“We have so many youngsters in our team; they’ve been dictating terms from ball one, and they’ve done it throughout the season. This is the reason we’ve reached the final.

“I felt like my job was half done. It’s not even finished. We have a match tomorrow. I approached it with that mindset. The job is half done, and I have to come back tomorrow. I have to play the match again. I was thinking that recovery is important,” he added, reflecting on his match-winning knock on Sunday that ensured MI suffered a Qualifier 2 loss for the second time in three years.

‘Always like to keep things simple’: RCB captain Patidar

Madhya Pradesh batter Patidar, meanwhile, has become the fourth captain after Anil Kumble (2009), Daniel Vettori (2011) and Virat Kohli (2016) to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru into an IPL final. However, while his predecessors have all stumbled at the final hurdle, Patidar hopes to be the one to finally end an 18-year wait for the franchise that enjoys a massive fanbase, one that rivals five-time champions Chennai Super Kings.

Patidar and the rest of the franchise will also be rallying to try and fulfill Kohli’s dream of lifting the title. The batting superstar has represented RCB since the inaugural season in 2008, completing 9,000 runs for the franchise during the final league match of the season against Lucknow Super Giants, but the glittering trophy has somehow managed to evade him throughout his career.

With Kohli in the twilight of his playing career, having already retired from Twenty20 Internationals and Test cricket, he will be looking at Tuesday’s final as a golden opportunity to finally heal years of heartbreak.

“Of course. I think he has given a lot of years to RCB and the international side also. We will try to do our best in the game,” Patidar said on the eve of the final in Ahmedabad.

“We are not looking on the stage that we are in the finals. We will try to play our best cricket. We are not playing here for the stage. I always like to keep things simple,” he added, when quizzed on the pressure of playing in a final.

Also Read | IPL boss begs Kohli not to retire if RCB win the final; wants him to reverse Test retirement

As for the secret to achieving instant success as RCB captain after replacing former South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis in the role, Patidar said a “good environment off the field” between the players, domestic as well as international, was the key.

“Till now, I have enjoyed a lot to be honest. For me, I think it is a great opportunity to learn from the great leaders of the game, (some) great players, great foreign players of the game. It is a great opportunity for me to learn from them and their different ideas, which is helping me a lot in my leadership role,” he said.

“I have always tried to create a good environment off the field as much as I can so that every player, whether it is a domestic player or an international player, they both feel the same. They should feel relaxed and confident. I think this is my first point,” the 32-year-old said during the press conference.

The final of the 18th season gets underway at 7.30 pm in Ahmedabad with toss taking place half-an-hour earlier.