Punjab Kings vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru Match Scorecard IPL 2025

RCB Score: 190/9 (20 Ov) ·
PBKS Score: 184/7 (20 Ov) ·
Result: RCB won by 6 runs ·
Player of the Match: Krunal Pandya ·
Top Batter RCB: Virat Kohli 43 (35)

The key facts from the IPL 2025 final are summarized in the table below.

Why is PBKS vs RCB delayed?

Sources indicate the toss between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings faced scheduling inconsistencies before the IPL 2025 final, though the exact reason for the variation remains unclear across match reports. According to available records, the match proceeded to its dramatic conclusion as scheduled.

The impact on match start times reportedly forced adjustments to the evening schedule, with grounds staff and umpires coordinating logistics at the Narendra Modi Stadium. No official statement on the specific cause of scheduling variation was consistently cited across major cricket coverage outlets.

Who won RCB vs PBKS today?

Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Punjab Kings by 6 runs in the IPL 2025 final, posting 190 for 9 in their 20 overs before restricting PBKS to 184 for 7 in their reply (ESPN). The result marked RCB’s first-ever IPL title after 18 seasons without a championship.

Match result

RCB held their nerve in the final over when Shashank Singh struck a six off Josh Hazlewood, only to see the required runs stay just beyond PBKS’ reach (Hindustan Times). The 6-run margin sealed a historic triumph for a franchise that had come close twice before in IPL finals.

Score summary

Virat Kohli led RCB’s batting with 43 runs from 35 deliveries, while Shashank Singh responded for PBKS with an unbeaten 61 off just 30 balls. Arshdeep Singh took 3 wickets for 40 runs and Kyle Jamieson claimed 3 for 48 as PBKS fought back repeatedly during RCB’s innings.

Who is better, PBKS or RCB?

Head-to-head records show a tight rivalry between these franchises. Prior to the 2025 final, PBKS held a 17-16 advantage over 33 matches according to the Times of India, though other sources cite 37 total encounters with RCB leading 19-18 (Chase Your Sport). The discrepancy reflects different counting periods across sources.

Head-to-head record

Both franchises entered the 2025 final with zero IPL titles, making this matchup unique among all finals in tournament history. No other IPL final has featured two teams with identical championship droughts facing each other. PBKS had come close in earlier seasons while RCB reached finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016 without converting.

All-time IPL stats

The IPL T20 Official site confirms RCB’s maiden title win at Narendra Modi Stadium. Before that result, both teams ranked among the most successful franchises by matches played without winning, a distinction that ended conclusively on May 2025.

RCB vs PBKS All-Time IPL Stats

The rivalry between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings spans every IPL season from 2008 through 2025, with the Big Bash Board documenting encounters across 17 seasons. PBKS, formerly known as Kings XI Punjab until a 2021 rebrand, has featured consistently against RCB’s high-profile roster.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings stats

Batting records favor neither side significantly. PBKS showed a slight edge when chasing, winning 10 of 17 instances batting second versus RCB’s 9 wins from 16 chases. RCB’s 9 wins batting first slightly outpaced PBKS’ 7 victories when setting a target.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Punjab Kings matches

The first-ever meeting occurred on May 5, 2008 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, where the predecessor franchise Kings XI Punjab won by 6 wickets. The 2025 final at Narendra Modi Stadium marked the 34th competitive encounter between the franchises, with RCB finally claiming the upper hand in the most important meeting of all.

Key Moments in RCB vs PBKS Scorecard

The IPL 2025 final scorecard reveals a match defined by momentum shifts across both innings. RCB’s innings saw consistent fall of wickets, with Krunal Pandya’s 2 wickets for 17 runs proving decisive in the middle overs (ESPN). Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 2 wickets for 38 runs capped a disciplined bowling effort.

Fall of wickets

The key batting collapses shaped the final’s outcome. RCB lost early wickets before Kohli stabilized at 131 for 4, while PBKS’ chase saw Shashank Singh build a platform at 61 not out before the final over drama. Josh Hazlewood’s final over figures sealed the result despite Singh’s late heroics.

Top performances

Kohli’s 43 and Singh’s 61 not out represented the standout individual contributions. Singh’s strike rate of 203.33 across 30 deliveries almost_SINGLE single-handedly kept PBKS in contention against an RCB attack that otherwise performed within expected parameters. The margin of 6 runs translated to a 3.24% shortfall relative to RCB’s total.

PBKS vs RCB Head-to-Head Comparison

Across the 33 pre-2025 final encounters, PBKS and RCB split wins nearly evenly, with slight variations depending on source methodology.

The pattern shows PBKS held a slim lead in pre-final encounters, but RCB’s single championship win shifts the historical balance decisively in their favor.

What the Final Means for Both Sides

The RCB victory carries weight beyond the scoreline. IPL T20 Official documented the moment as franchise history being rewritten in real time. For PBKS, the runner-up finish represents another near-miss for a franchise that has never won the IPL despite consistent talent investment.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru scripted history at the Narendra Modi Stadium, clinching their maiden IPL title.

— IPL Official Match Report

The ball clears the ropes but ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF IPL 2025!

— Hindustan Times Live Commentary

Kohli, who had publicly stated this would be his final pursuit of an IPL trophy with RCB, finally delivered on promises that had defined his career’s most painful chapter. The 18-year wait ended not with a whimper but with a dramatic final over that tested every nerve in the stadium.

The 2025 final also highlighted shifting dynamics in T20 cricket’s marquee rivalry. RCB’s bowling attack, led by Krunal Pandya’s game-changing 2 wickets for 17 runs, outperformed expectations against a PBKS batting order that had scored freely throughout the tournament.

Summary

The IPL 2025 final between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru delivered everything the rivalry promised and more—drama, near-misses, and a historic result that ended the longest championship drought in tournament history. RCB’s 190/9 proved sufficient by 6 runs despite Shashank Singh’s blistering 61 not out for PBKS.

For IPL fans tracking this rivalry, the scorecard confirms what the final moments suggested: RCB’s maiden title marks a turning point for a franchise that had come heartbreakingly close three times before. PBKS, meanwhile, returns to 2026 preparation with valuable final experience but no championship hardware to show for it.

For bettors and analysts weighing future encounters, the head-to-head data now carries an asterisk—the 2025 final reset the rivalry’s competitive narrative entirely, with RCB holding a psychological edge that no prior record could provide.

Related reading: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians Match Scorecard – KKR’s 18-Run Victory

RCB’s narrow 6-run win in the IPL 2025 final builds on their storied RCB-PBKS head-to-head record with Punjab Kings, highlighting ongoing rivalry intensity.

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