IPL 2025 final, RCB vs PBKS Preview: New champion in waiting as Bengaluru-Punjab square off in Ahmedabad

A new Indian Premier League (IPL) champion will be crowned on Tuesday (June 3) as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) lock horns with Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the summit clash. A clash set to take centre stage at the Narendra Modi Stadium will be no less than a spectacle for neutral fans as one of the two teams will have their hands on the trophy for the first time.

RCB might have the mental edge having beaten PBKS in Qualifier 1, but Shreyas Iyer and Co will look to go shoulder-to-shoulder after impressing in the Qualifier 2 clash against Mumbai Indians.

RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 final: Path to the final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished in the top two of the league stage having amassed 19 points from a possible 28. With nine wins, they finished level on points with PBKS but missed out on the top spot on net run rate (NRR).

RCB had an impressive away record in IPL 2025 as they won seven away matches. Their path to the final was a one-off contest having beaten PBKS by eight wickets in Qualifier 1.

Punjab Kings on the other hand had an impressive campaign as they finished in the Playoffs spot for only the third time. They secured the top spot in the league stage with a similar record to RCB having won nine and drawn one match.

They suffered an embarrassing defeat in Q1 having been bundled out for 101 on their home turf. However, they did create history in Q2, becoming the first team to beat Mumbai Indians after the five-time champions had set a total of more than 200.

RCB vs PBKS, IPL 2025 final: Head-to-head record

Tuesday’s meeting will be the 37th encounter between the sides and arguably the biggest head-to-head contest in the history of IPL. Nothing separates the two teams in the previous 36 meetings as the spoils are shared with 18 wins all. No contest between the sides has been washed out, so it will be interesting to see what happens in the IPL 2025 final.