Rajat Patidar Ends RCB’s 18-Year Wait, Clinches IPL Title in Debut Season as Captain

RCB clinched a six-run victory over Punjab Kings in the final held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Rajat Patidar Ends RCB’s 18-Year Wait for IPL Glory

The long wait finally ended on Tuesday. For 18 years, the phrase “Ee Sala Cup Namde“ evolved from a passionate rallying cry to a punchline for trolls. Royal Challengers Bengaluru had come agonizingly close to lifting the IPL trophy on three previous occasions—most recently in 2016—but it was in 2025 that the drought ended. In his very first season as captain, Rajat Patidar led RCB to their maiden title, edging out Punjab Kings by six runs in a gripping final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Few had predicted Rajat Patidar rise to captaincy after RCB parted ways with Faf du Plessis in October before the mega auction. Media speculation and popular opinion leaned heavily toward Virat Kohli making a return to the role he stepped down from in 2021.

Yet, in a surprising move, Patidar was handed the reins—prompting doubts about whether he could command a team filled with Indian stars, especially without any prior experience leading an IPL franchise. But the 32-year-old defied all expectations, guiding RCB to their long-awaited title and ending nearly two decades of heartbreak.

RCB beat PBKS by 6 runs

Punjab Kings bowlers did all they could to restrict Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 190 for nine in the IPL 2025 final. But their batters failed to rise to the occasion when it mattered most.

Despite not posting a daunting total, RCB held their nerve. Virat Kohli anchored the innings with a composed 43 off 35 balls, while skipper Rajat Patidar started well but fell for 26 off 16. For Punjab, Yuzvendra Chahal was economical with figures of 1/37 in four overs, and Kyle Jamieson picked up 3/48.

The turning point came when Krunal Pandya dismissed impact substitute Prabhsimran Singh, stalling Punjab’s momentum after a decent 52/1 in the powerplay. Then, in the 17th over, Bhuvneshwar Kumar sealed the fate of the match by removing Nehal Wadhera and Marcus Stoinis within three balls. From there, RCB’s historic maiden IPL title win was all but confirmed.

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