By Zainab Shafiq 
In a heart-pounding finale at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) edged past Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs to lift their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title. It was a night of redemption, resolve, and raw emotion as the men in red and black finally ended their title drought in style.
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, PBKS struck early to remove Phil Salt for 16. However, Virat Kohli’s steady 43 off 35 balls kept RCB on track. Brief but impactful cameos from Mayank Agarwal (24), Rajat Patidar (26), and Liam Livingstone (25) ensured RCB didn’t lose momentum. But it was Jitesh Sharma’s blazing 24 off 10 deliveries, featuring 2 sixes, that pushed Bengaluru to a competitive 190/9.
PBKS’s Kyle Jamieson (3/48) and Arshdeep Singh (3/40) were the pick of the bowlers, keeping RCB from crossing the 200-run mark despite several dangerous starts.
Watch: RCB Win Maiden IPL Title
In reply, PBKS got off to a brisk start as Priyansh Arya (24) and Prabhsimran Singh (26) laid the platform. The chase gained momentum with Josh Inglis hammering 39 off 23, but the tide turned when Krunal Pandya (2/17) removed both Prabhsimran and Inglis in quick succession.
Shreyas Iyer’s dismissal for just 1 and a middle-order stutter saw PBKS struggle at 145/7. But Shashank Singh ignited hope with a sensational 61 off 30 balls*, smashing 6 sixes to take the game deep. With 21 required off the final over, Josh Hazlewood held his nerve, conceding just 14 as RCB sealed a nail-biting win.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/38) and Yash Dayal (1/18) provided crucial breakthroughs, while Krunal’s miserly spell proved to be the difference-maker in the middle overs.
As fireworks lit up the Ahmedabad sky, RCB finally buried the ghosts of past heartbreaks, etching their name in IPL history. A complete team performance, a composed captaincy by Rajat Patidar, and an electric crowd made this a finale to remember.
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