June 3, 2025: It’s a monumental night for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans as Virat Kohli’s squad makes its long-awaited return to the IPL final after nine years. Facing off against the Punjab Kings at the electrifying Narendra Modi Stadium, RCB is determined to clinch their maiden IPL title.
All eyes are naturally on Virat Kohli, but the cameras also caught a special presence in the stands—his wife and Bollywood star Anushka Sharma. The actress was spotted enthusiastically cheering for RCB, proving once again she’s Kohli’s ultimate lucky charm.
Fans have shown up in full force, turning the stadium into a sea of red and gold. Kohli’s name echoes through the venue as excitement peaks ahead of the high-stakes showdown.
At the toss, Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bowl first. “It’s an amazing day. The crowd is electrifying. All we have to do is come here and cherish the moment,” said Iyer. “It’s not just another game—it’s the final, and we’re going to play like it.”
RCB skipper Rajat Patidar said he would have preferred to bowl as well. “The pitch looks hard. We’ll try to post a solid total and put them under pressure,” Patidar remarked, emphasizing that the team is approaching the match like any other away game, despite the high stakes.
Here’s how the teams line up for the 18th IPL final:
Punjab Kings (Playing XI):
Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (w), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Impact Subs: Prabhsimran Singh, Praveen Dubey, Suryansh Shedge, Xavier Bartlett, Harpreet Brar
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI):
Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (w), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood
Impact Subs: Rasikh Salam, Manoj Bhandage, Tim Seifert, Swapnil Singh, Suyash Sharma
With stars in the stands and pressure on the pitch, the stage is set for an unforgettable finale.