RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 final: 'Shreyas has the chance to finally...', experts cast predictions on showdown in Ahmedabad

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League has boiled down to its final match, in which Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Punjab Kings at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday. Both teams have come within touching distance of the silverware in the past, only to stumble in the final hurdle. And on Tuesday – or Wednesday, if rain forces the match referee to activate the ‘Reserve Day’ – one of the two teams will finally heal the wounds of the past and end a 17-year wait for a maiden title.

While PBKS made their only appearance in an IPL final 11 years ago, RCB have reached this stage thrice – each time with a different captain, the last of which occurred in 2016 during Virat Kohli’s reign as skipper.

As for the ongoing season, both RCB captain Rajat Patidar and his PBKS counterpart Shreyas Iyer have led their respective franchises into the final in their first season in charge, although the upcoming game will be Iyer’s second IPL final on the trot and his third in the last five years – each with a different team.

And Bengaluru have a 2-1 lead over Punjab this year, including in Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur in which the latter were bundled out for just 101 and Patidar’s men chased the target down with 8 wickets and half of their overs to spare .

That record, however, will hardly matter in the final, where the pressure of winning a maiden IPL title will be something of a leveler for both teams involved.

ABD, Bhajji and other experts cast their predictions for IPL 2025 final

Indian spin legend Harbhajan Singh, who has represented three of the most successful teams in IPL history – Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders – backed Iyer to create history by winning back-to-back titles with two different teams after leading from the front in his team’s five-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 on Sunday.

“He’s the kind of player who takes responsibility for finishing games on his shoulders. We’ve seen him do it for India—not just once, but in the World Cup, the Champions Trophy, and now for Punjab Kings. For Punjab, for all Punjabis, this is a massive gift. The franchise hasn’t lifted the IPL trophy in so long, and Shreyas has the chance to finally turn that dream into reality,” ‘Bhajji’ said on JioHotstar following PBKS’ victory over MI at the venue that will host Tuesday’s final.

“Even now, just one step away from the trophy, the hope this team has ignited is incredible. On behalf of Punjab, I’d like to thank them. The brand of cricket they’ve played has electrified the state—even in Punjab’s grassroots cricket, the youth are buzzing with energy after witnessing performances like these from their home team,” the former off-spinner added.

South African batting legend AB de Villiers, who shared the RCB dressing room with Kohli for a decade from 2011 to 2021, felt the franchise got its balance right this season, and hoped the “little moments” would go in his former team’s favour in the grand finale.

“I think 2011 was a really good chance to win the title. Everyone talks about the 2016 season, but let’s forget about the past. Where are RCB now? In another final — 2025. It’s closer than you think and smaller than you think. So hopefully those little moments will go in RCB’s favour, come the 3rd of June.

“It was around the auction time when I felt like RCB really got the balance right this year. It’s not a one-dimensional batting line-up, not a one-dimensional bowling line-up — there are options. I just loved the look of that squad when I saw it come out. They found a way to gel together as a unit. As you can see, all the players individually chipped in at times, and that is a sign of a healthy environment,” ‘ABD’ said on JioHotstar.

Former India wicketkeeper-batter Robin Uthappa, who was part of the Anil Kumble-led RCB team that reached the final of the 2009 edition before losing to Deccan Chargers, felt the Royal Challengers have been the most consistent team in the last five years and have also “looked the most dangerous”, and backed Patidar and Co to conquer the final hurdle.

“I’m ecstatic and I’m feeling just exactly like how Virat is feeling right now. Ecstatic, but I know there’s one more to go. You can’t take your eyes off the ball right now. If you look at the last five years, I reckon they’ve been the most consistent team, but also the team that has looked the most dangerous as well.

“They’ve actually turned up, they’ve brought the heat, and they’ve been there and thereabouts — but just something has been evading that first trophy for them. Maybe it’s befitting that in the 18th year, after 18 years of waiting for number 18 as well, they will finally win it this year,” Uthappa told the official broadcaster.