IPL 2025 Final: 5 milestones that can be achieved in today's RCB vs PBKS match
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3. Irrespective of the result, we will have a first-time winner as neither RCB nor PBKS have won the IPL before. Bengaluru have been runners-up on three occasions, while Punjab have made it to the summit clash only once.
If we look at the recent head-to-head record, RCB have a massive advantage. They have emerged triumphant in four of the last five matches played against PBKS. This season as well, they have won two of the three clashes. In fact, Bengaluru thumped Punjab eight wickets in Qualifier 1. Virat Kohli is in sensational form and their bowling has been bolstered by Josh Hazlewood's return.
For Punjab, they need to avoid the mistakes they made against Bengaluru in Qualifier 1. Then again, they cannot be overcautious with the bat as such an approach can also backfire. In Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians (MI) in Ahmedabad, they came up with the near-perfect performance. PBKS will have the advantage of having played at the venue recently, though it might not be a big one.
Ahead of the IPL 2025 final between Bengaluru and Punjab, we look at five milestones that could be achieved in today's grand finale in Ahmedabad.
#1 PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer could become the first captain to achieve massive record in the IPL
Punjab skipper Shreyas Iyer captained Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to victory last season. By guiding PBKS into the final, he has become the first leader in the IPL to guide two different franchises to the final in successive years.
Shreyas can create even bigger history on Tuesday. If Punjab win, he will become the first captain in the IPL to lead two different franchises to title triumphs. Back in 2020, the batter had led Delhi Capitals (DC) to the IPL final. However, the side went down to MI in the summit clash.
#2 RCB pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar needs 4 wickets to create IPL history
Seasoned RCB pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar already holds the record for having claimed the most number of wickets by a pacer in the IPL. In 189 matches, the right-arm pacer has claimed 196 wickets at an average of 27.41 and an economy rate of 7.68, with two five-fers and two four-fers.
Bhuvneshwar is currently second on the all-time list of leading wicket-takers in the IPL. The 35-year-old needs four wickets to complete 200 scalps in the T20 league and become the first pace bowler to achieve the feat. Only PBKS leg spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has taken more wickets that Bhuvneshwar in the IPL.
#3 Mayank Agarwal needs 12 runs to complete 5,000 T20 runs
RCB batter Mayank Agarwal has come in as a replacement player for Devdutt Padikkal and has made his presence felt. In three innings, he has contributed 71 runs at a strike rate of 154.34. Agarwal scored 41* off 23 balls in the win against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow.
The 34-year-old needs 12 runs to complete 5,000 T20 runs. In 214 matches (208 innings), he has scored 4,988 runs at an average of 25.71 and a strike rate of 134.33, with two hundreds and 28 half-centuries. Agarwal is also one six away from completing 100 sixes in the IPL.
#4 Kyle Jamieson needs 4 wickets to complete 100 T20 scalps
PBKS all-rounder Kyle Jamieson has claimed two scalps in three matches in IPL 2025 at an economy rate of nine. The tall New Zealand pacer needs four wickets to complete 100 wickets in his T20 career. In 85 matches, he has picked up 96 wickets at an average of 25.04 and an economy rate of 8.07.
#5 Krunal Pandya needs 50 runs to reach 3,000 T20 runs
RCB all-rounder Krunal Pandya is 50 runs away from reaching the 3,000-run mark in his T20 career. In 221 matches (177 innings), he has scored 2,950 runs at an average of 23.98 and a strike rate of 130.93, with nine half-centuries to his name. The left-handed batter scored a brilliant 73* off 47 balls in the triumph over DC at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in the league stage.