David Warner predicts IPL 2025 winner ahead of PBKS vs MI Qualifier 2 clash

Former Australian batter and Indian Premier League (IPL) winning captain David Warner has predicted that Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will win IPL 2025. The 38-year-old also predicted Josh Hazlewood to be adjudged the Player of the Match in the final on Tuesday, June 3.

The southpaw made the predictions while responding to a query during a Q&A session with fans on social media platform X on Saturday, May 31.

"I think RCB and Josh Hazelwood man of the match," Warner said in reply to a question from an X user.

RCB last reached an IPL final in 2016, where they lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) who were led by Warner. The Virat Kohli-led side, who were playing the final on home turf in Bengaluru, lost to SRH by eight runs.

The Bengaluru-based franchise booked their place in the IPL 2025 final with a comprehensive eight-wicket win over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur on Thursday, May 29. They will face the winner of Qualifier 2 between Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans in the summit clash.

Josh Hazlewood emerges RCB's bowling hero in march to the final

RCB purchased Josh Hazlewood for ₹12.5 crore at the mega-auction in November 2024. The 34-year-old has proven to be arguably the best buy for the franchise, claiming 21 wickets in 11 matches. After missing the final two league phase matches, he returned to take figures of 3/21 in Qualifier 1.

Former India batter Aakash Chopra admired the manner in which Hazlewood showed no after-effects of the shoulder injury he had suffered earlier in the tournament.

"Josh Hazlewood came, and what a trajectory this guy has. He doesn't stop. He had come after an injury. At times, you are slightly ginger when you return from injury and are playing your first match. He said 'Forget that, I will do it,'" Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

The 2025 IPL final will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, for the third time in the last four years.

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