It has been almost a week since IPL 2025 wrapped up with a new champion in Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The Rajat Patidar-led side won the final and lifted their maiden IPL trophy by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by only 6 runs.

Kings batter Nehal Wadhera can't forget the night; even today he blames himself for the loss PBKS suffered. In a fresh conversation, the middle-order batter expressed the emotions he is containing in his heart from that night when PBKS lost by only 6 runs.

Batting first, Royal Challengers Bengaluru scored 190 on the scoreboard thanks to Virat Kohli's forty-plus runs and some cameos in the middle order. PBKS started the innings well with Priyansh Arya, but soon a stunning catch near the boundary rope by Phil Salt tilted the momentum of the high-octane match. And it was not Virat or Rajat Patidar; it was Krunal Pandya's tight bowling that couldn't allow Punjab batters to score runs in a quick manner.

Read More: Rohit Sharma to miss 2027 World Cup? Captaincy twist sparks speculation

That night was for RCB

Nehal, who is known for his hard hitting, could not push the paddles at the right time to speed up the run rate. The southpaw scored just 15 (18) with a lone six. Supporters of PBKS criticized the batters, including Wadhera, for batting with a relatively slow run rate. Only Shashank Singh's brilliant innings of 61 (30) kept the relevance in the battle. But that was not enough to chase 190.

Blaming himself, Nehal Wadhera said, "I totally blame myself for the IPL 2025 Final. If I had played better, we could've won the IPL. Earlier in the tournament, when I had to accelerate, I did it, and it paid off except for the last game."

Apart from the final match, Wadhera had a decent run in IPL 2025, scoring 369 runs in 16 innings. 

A week ago, Punjab Kings left the cricketing fraternity stunned with a stunning run chase in Qualifier 2 of the Indian Premier League 2025 against Mumbai Indians. At the forefront of this effort was skipper Shreyas Iyer, who played an innings to remember of 87* from a mere 41 balls at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. His brilliance took Punjab to the IPL final, even though their journey was halted in disappointment by a defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on June 3.

Following the ferocious battle against Mumbai, the emotions remained charged as the players greeted each other with traditional handshakes. It was in this instant that Iyer was seen lashing out at teammate Shashank Singh using harsh words in what seemed like an animated argument. Shashank later reported that the tantrum was a result of his own carefree nature at a pivotal moment of the match, and one that could have been expensive. Though the incident created a tense situation, he subsequently ate with Iyer for dinner, acknowledging that the rebuke was warranted.

Shashank openly accepted his loss of concentration and went further to say, "I deserve it; Iyer should have slapped me; my father didn't speak to me till the finals." He admitted, "I was casual; I was walking on the beach, not even in the garden." It was an important moment; Shreyas was firm that I didn't expect this from you, but afterwards he treated me to dinner." The event did not have any impact on their personal equation, reflecting the leadership and maturity of the Punjab Kings captain. 

Praise for a Leader Who Leads with Balance

Even in the wake of the incident, Shashank Singh praised Shreyas Iyer's captaincy to the hilt and labeled him the best captain of present times in world cricket. "Whatever I have told others and witnessed, there is no better captain than him at present times in world cricket," he opined. He pressed upon how Iyer allows his teammates freedom along with accountability, forming a well-balanced atmosphere in which all find a place and are motivated to perform."

Also Read: 3 players RCB should consider trading in after IPL 2025 ft. Smaran Ravichandran

Shashank further commented, "He gives us space; he treats everybody alike. Nobody will say, Shreyas has an attitude. The young ones in the dressing room can get along with him as a chill bandaa (chill guy). Shreyas is the lone captain, who informed us that if somebody has any idea while playing, he can come and tell it to him". If he thinks it's the right counsel, he will accept it. It's not common." This mix of authority and accessibility has turned Shreyas Iyer into one of the most well-respected and successful captains in contemporary cricket.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) recently shared a video in which viewers can see the co-owner of the team, Preity Zinta, and head coach Ricky Ponting have engaged in a candidate chat. The franchise has shared a clip of the video from their official 'X' handle, which quickly attracted attention from cricket lovers.

In reply to a question from Zinta, Ponting asked her to join him in the dugout so that she could feel the intensity more during a match. The cricket legend of Australia, known for his aggression during his captaincy, now looks more calm and composed as a coach in the dugout. So, when the Bollywood actress heard about his aggressive mentality and approach, it was a shocker for her.

"How does somebody be so aggressive on the ground and as a person but be so calm and chilled out?" Preity Zinta asked this question to Ponting. In reply, Ponting said, "You need to come and sit next to me in the dugout sometimes, because you will see that it's not always calm. Look, I'm an aggressive-natured person, especially when it's cricket time."

Read more: BB vs MMR: Match 17 Weather and Pitch Report – Mumbai T20 2025

The 50-year-old coach revealed his approach to coaching as well in the video shared by Punjab Kings. Punjab Kings experienced one of their best dominating seasons in IPL 2025. They topped the group stage, and after a defeat in Qualifier 1, they cornered Mumbai Indians to claim a spot in the final match. Though, in the end, Royal Challengers Bengaluru had the last laugh over Punjab. Despite the heartbreaking moment, Ponting's influence over the team was undeniable.

Ponting revealed his views on coaching a team

As he revealed, he is completely focused on his duties and always tries his best to pull out the best performances from the players. 

"I'll have a laugh and a joke and a coffee and sit down with anyone and talk about anything outside of cricket time. But when it's cricket time, it's my job to bring high performance to this team... And so I'm not going to waste a minute, I'm not going to waste a day, I'm not going to waste a training session where I'm not trying to be the best coach that I can be and make every single player that's playing with me the best player that they can be," Ricky said this to Preity in the video clip. 

Watch the clip here

Ponting mentality - Train with passion, roar with aggression 💪🔥

Don’t miss the full video on our YouTube channel and app. 📹 pic.twitter.com/L0EWSmRXGX

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) June 7, 2025

Shreyas Iyer has also emerged as one of India's best performers this year, providing consistent performances both overseas and in the IPL. The elegant right-hander from Mumbai was in top form in the ICC Champions Trophy that was played a few months ago, where he finished as India's top scorer in the tournament. Iyer took the momentum into the season of IPL 2025 as well, playing a crucial role for Punjab Kings and proving himself across all formats.

During the just concluded IPL, Iyer accumulated an impressive 604 runs in 17 matches and took Punjab Kings to their first IPL final in more than a decade. Though they fell short of winning the championship, Iyer's captaincy as well as batting effort was widely appreciated. His leadership and consistency have now put him in the limelight, and there are strong indications that he has entered the fray to become India's next white-ball captain.

As per a June 7 report by Indian Express, a top Indian cricket official confirmed that Iyer's name is in contention. "Right now he just plays ODIs, but after this IPL we can’t keep him out of T20 internationals and even Tests," the report quoted. His leadership qualities, along with his run-scoring talent, make him an interesting candidate in the post-Kohli and post-Rohit era.

A leadership contender in transition

In spite of his robust IPL credentials, Iyer has not yet captained the Indian senior team in any format. He won an IPL title with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024 and also guided Punjab Kings to the final this year—acts that have cemented his reputation as a born leader. He was still surprisingly omitted from India's Test squad for the coming series against England, however, in light of the retirement of senior pillars.

Also Read: WATCH: Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashing bowlers at U 19 NCA camp

Having recently switched allegiance to SoBo Mumbai Falcons in T20 Mumbai 2025, Iyer's next task with the national side will arise in August when India visit Bangladesh to play three ODIs and three T20Is. With selectors eager to rebuild and reshuffle captaincy choices, Iyer's increasing profile makes him a strong favorite to lead India's white-ball future.

IPL 2025 effectively resumed its normal operations on 18th May, after a temporary halt due to external factors. After the garden city - Bengaluru's heavy and incessant downpour washed out the previous evening's clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), dampening the renewed spirits of the fans, the league got its restart at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in the pink city of Jaipur. It was a day game between the Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Punjab Kings (PBKS), with a high-scoring affair on the cards, at one of IPL's few dimensionally long grounds. 

Rajasthan had their exit fate locked in before the pause, while Punjab was still in contention for a playoff berth. Having opted to bat after calling it right at the toss, Shreyas Iyer's men scored a mammoth 219 after losing five batters, in their full quota of 20 overs. The protagonists of setting up this gigantic total were Nehal Wadhera and Shashank Singh, scoring 70 and 59 runs respectively. The Kings have been excellent this term and have clicked as a unit, something rarely said about them, and then it was up to their reputed bowlers to defend those runs on the board. 

The chase was on, and it was palpable from the start. As they are known for, the Royals' openers were at their intrinsically explosive best. The Indian test opener, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and his partner, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, began their innings with a bang. They went bonkers and smashed the bowling attack of the Punjab Kings to all corners of the ground, on their way towards setting a record for the current season. It was Jaiswal who took the lead and was shortly joined by the 14-year-old cricket prodigy in Vaibhav. Every ball is an event in T20 cricket, but it was more than just that when those two batted sensationally.

See Also: IPL 2025, Match 59: Rajasthan Royals vs Punjab Kings Full Match Highlights

There was a long phase in their innings when none of them ran for a run or two, and instead went about their business dealing in just boundaries. Little did they know that they were on course towards setting a new benchmark this season. It took both of them just 17 balls or 2.5 overs to cross 50 runs and eventually make it the fastest team fifty in IPL 2025. This was also the second fastest team fifty for RR in all IPL after their 2.4 overs vs KKR at the Eden Gardens in 2023. When the record was set, Yashasvi was on 34 off 11 and Vaibhav on 16 off 6. Both remained unbeaten on reaching that landmark.

The Royals, however, went on to lose the game by 10 runs. After their openers got out, only Dhruv Jurel kept them in the hunt with a gritty knock of 53 runs, but without any substantial support from the other middle-order batters. As has been the case this season, RR failed to capitalise on a beast of a start and missed out on closing in the game, affirming pity on their subdue position in the points table this year. 

RR SCORED THE FASTEST TEAM FIFTY OF IPL 2025 - 51/0 IN 2.5 OVERS. 🤯 pic.twitter.com/po5AleYXX1

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 18, 2025

50 up in just 2.5 overs 🔥🔥

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Suryavanshi are on the move... #RRvsPBKS pic.twitter.com/70o5g6em6w

— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) May 18, 2025

A look at the second and third fastest team half-centuries of IPL 2025: 

Punjab Kings

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) were up against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the latter's backyard on Saturday, 12th April. Opting to bat first on a belter of a pitch, the Kings' opening pair Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, in an insane display of batting, smashed 50 runs in just three overs. They made Mohammad Shami and the Hyderabad Skipper Pat Cummins look like ordinary bowlers, and hit them for several runs, on their way towards amassing a half-century for their team. PBKS set a target of 246 for SRH, which was unbelievably chased down with nine balls to spare by the home team. Abhishek Sharma made light work of the chase and lit up the Hyderabad sky, striking 141 runs and taking his team home.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) locked horns against the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Thursday, 10th April in Bengaluru. Been sent to bat by DC, the RCB openers Phil Salt and Virat Kohli took on Mitchell Starc and Axar Patel, and in great fashion. Salt took charge and struck boundaries, smashing the Delhi bowlers to all parts of the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The Englishman was well complemented by Virat, and the team reached fifty in exactly three overs. RCB, however, lost their way in the middle and could manage only 163 runs in their 20 overs. The target was comprehensively chased down by DC, courtesy of KL Rahul's gritty and unbeaten knock of 93 runs.

After generating one of their best IPL seasons, Punjab Kings (PBKS) had to go home with empty hands. Behind the dominating performance of PBKS in IPL 2025, Yuzvendra Chahal is one of the main reasons. After a staggering few matches during the initial stage of the season, the experienced Indian spinner proved his ante by taking wickets on a regular basis.

The wrist spinner suffered an injury during the playoff stage and sidelined him for a while. Though PBKS allowed him to play in the last couple of matches of the season. Now, after the conclusion of the season, RJ Mahvash revealed something huge about him.

The well-known influencer claimed through a social media post that Chahl played with multiple injuries, fractures, and pain. The emerging actress said that Chahal played with a total of three fractures, including one in his bowling finger. She further wrote on social media that the pain was so much that he used to cry and scream.

Read More: MID vs KET Dream11 Prediction Match 20 Match Fantasy Cricket Tips English T20 Blast, 2025

Yuzvendra Chahal played with multiple injuries! 

"They fought, stayed, and played till the last match! And special post to @yuzi_chahal23 Because what people don't know is that his ribs got fractured in the second match only, and his bowling finger got fractured later; this guy played the entire season with 3 fractures! We all have seen him screaming and crying in pain but have never seen him give up! I mean, what a warrior spirit you have, man," she said on Instagram.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Mahvash (@rj.mahvash)

She further added, "The team kept fighting till the last ball! It was nothing but an honor to be a supporter of this team this year! Well played, boys. All the people in these pictures have my heart. See you next year! Also, many congratulations to RCB and fans for winning the title. Everyone played and worked hard! Cricket, and IPL...my God again! Truly a festival for us Indians."

The 34-year-old played 14 matches for Punjab Kings and claimed 16 wickets with a best figure of 4/28 and a 9.55 economy rate. 

Just before the beginning of India's journey in the 2025-2027 ICC World Test Championship, Team India has got a new strength and conditioning coach, who formerly worked with the Punjab Kings.

After the IPL 2025 completion, Indian cricket is set to begin its international cricket journey in the new season. Just before the beginning of the five-match away Test series against the hosts England, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has brought South African Adrian Le Roux as the new strength and conditioning coach. He has replaced Soham Desai.

See Also: Bad News for India as Star England bowler likely to make comeback in 2nd Test

Former South African coaching staff Adrian Le Roux worked with PBKS and KKR

Adrian was the strength and conditioning coach for the Punjab Kings for the last six years, starting from the IPL 2020 season. He was one of the key coaching staff members of the franchise in the IPL 2025 season, where they finished as the runners-up, while finishing the league stage as the points table topper. 

On his social media post on Thursday (June 5), Adrian revealed his journey ending with PBKS and a new journey beginning with the Indian men's national cricket team. 

The former South African men's national cricket team's strength and conditioning coach, Adrian Le Roux, also worked for the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders between 2008 and 2019. 

Adrian Le Roux previously worked with Team India

Meanwhile, it isn't the first time Adrian Le Roux has worked with the Indian men's national cricket team. After initially working with them during the India tour of South Africa 2001-02, Adrian completed a one-year contract with Team India in the physical trainer role of the team. Under his tenure, Indian cricketers' fitness improved remarkably, while he was a key coaching staff member during India's famous NatWest Tri-Series 2002 trophy victory in England. Later, Adrian left the Indian cricket team to join the Proteas, where he worked from June 2003 to August 2007. 

Yograj Singh, father of Yuvraj Singh, blasted Punjab Kings (PBKS) skipper Shreyas Iyer for his cheap dismissal at the all-important final of IPL 2025 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

When PBKS was looking under control, Iyer threw his wicket cheaply and went back to the dugout for a 2-ball one. Which later proved costly for the team when they lost by only 6 runs to Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Expectations were high for Iyer, especially after his heroic knock in the Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians. But in the summit clash, he fell short for a harmless length delivery from Romario Shepherd. For Yograj, in a final match, the way Iyer dismissed it was a criminal offense. He simply can't tolerate this kind of approach in a title decider match.

Read More: AA vs AT Dream11 Prediction Match 5 Fantasy Cricket Tips Mumbai T20 League 2025

"The shot that Shreyas Iyer played in the final was a criminal offense, according to me. Ashok Mankad told me about this criminal offense, which comes under Section 302. He also told me that the repercussions of this are that you will be banned for two matches. What Shreyas did yesterday is not acceptable. There is no apology for that," Yograj Said.

Shreyas Iyer wants to make a even stronger comeback 

Though the right-handed batter has made an apology to their fans and promises to make an even stronger comeback in the next season. PBKS skipper appreciated his players for the dominating performance Punjab Kings displayed throughout the IPL 2025, and he showed confidence in young talents to claim glory for the team from Punjab. 

"The job is still half done; we have to be here and win the trophy next year. Positives: definitely the way we turned up and every individual stepping up and saying that he can win the match. There are so many youngsters in the team; I'm sure they've gained a lot of experience from these matches. I'm sure when they come next year, they will carry immense experience with them. We can build some tactics and strategies around that so that we can play some decent cricket," Shreyas Iyer said after the match. 

Punjab Kings (PBKS) has shared a heartfelt video regarding the IPL 2025 final and the aftermath. PBKS performed in a promising way under Shreyas Iyer's leadership, and at a point in the final, the momentum of the contest was with the Punjab Kings. But in the end, the moment turned out for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). 

In the video edited and published by PBKS, we can see PBKS players on the ground, disappointed, with sad faces and numb eyes. They couldn't believe their fates after fighting so brilliantly all throughout the seasons. Chris Gayle was there in an RCB jersey, also a former Punjab player, who came forward to support the defeated players at Ahmedabad. Shreyas Iyer, the captain of the runner-up team, spotted Virat Kohli; they had a conversation together. 

Punjab Kings was looking under control throughout the first innings and during the initial stage of the second. With them, the ball PBKS bowlers did not allow RCB batters to go all out with their big hits. Despite leaking some runs, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal's bowling department was able to stop Royal Challengers Bengaluru within 200, restricting them to 190 in 20 overs. 

Read More: WATCH: RCB Director of Cricket Mo Bobat delivers emotional Thank You speech after historic IPL title win

That catch from Phil Salt was something came out of the equation 

With the bat, Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh started well, looking dangerous and dealing with boundaries. Phil Salt did an unthinkable stunt just inside the boundary line, an outstanding catch to dismiss Arya. From there, RCB found their momentum and never turned back. Krunal Pandya helped Singh and Josh Inglis to cut their innings short. Pandya, the best performer in the final, got the bowling figure of 4-0-17-2. 

Punjab Kings displayed one of their most dominating performances in the history of IPL. They qualified for the round of four after finishing first in the points table. In the Qualifier 1 they lost against RCB and bounced back after defeating Mumbai Indians to confirm a place in the final, where they again couldn't prove themselves better than RCB. 

Watch the edit here 

You win some, you lose some! 🥺 pic.twitter.com/qnXgtJwjkc

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) June 4, 2025

In a pulsating IPL 2025 Final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) edged past Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs to clinch their maiden IPL title. The match was a rollercoaster, filled with emotional highs and moments of brilliance from both sides. Here's how the players and coaches reacted to the unforgettable night:

Rajat Patidar (RCB Captain)

“This is really special — for me, for Virat, and for all the RCB fans. They’ve stood by us through thick and thin. 190 was a strong total on this pitch, and our bowlers executed beautifully.

I have immense faith in Krunal — he's my go-to man under pressure. The pacers — Bhuvi, Hazlewood, Dayal, and Romario — all stepped up when it mattered most.

Leading RCB with Kohli playing under me is a dream. He deserves this more than anyone. This win is for him and every RCB fan.

One line for the fans — EE SALA CUP NAMDU!”

Shreyas Iyer (PBKS Captain)

“We are dejected, yes — but proud. We restricted RCB to 190, which was below par in our eyes. Our bowlers tried hard, especially Krunal. But hats off to RCB; they held their nerves.

I'm very proud of our youngsters. This experience will serve them well. The goal now is to come back stronger and lift the trophy next year.

We’ve built a core here — one full of heart, hunger, and belief. This campaign has shown that we can compete with the best, and I truly believe this is just the beginning of a new era for PBKS.

The support from the owners, coaches, and fans has been phenomenal. They believed in us even when we were written off, and that belief carried us through tight matches all season.

There are plenty of positives — our fearlessness, the emergence of young talent, and our ability to handle pressure. This final was painful, but it’s also fuel. We’re coming back hungrier, stronger, and with unfinished business.”

Virat Kohli

“18 long years. I’ve given my everything to this team — my youth, my prime. I dreamt of this day, and finally, it’s here.

AB de Villiers deserves this too. He’s been an integral part of this journey.

This is one of the biggest moments of my life. I stayed loyal to this team, and I’ll retire with this badge. Tonight, I’ll sleep like a baby.”

Krunal Pandya (Player of the Final)

“I observed from the dugout that bowling slower was the key. You need guts in this format — I just backed myself to vary pace and stay brave.

I told Hardik, there’ll be nine trophies in the Pandya household — now it’s true! Manifested this on day one with RCB.”

Josh Hazlewood

“Winning this with RCB means everything. We've fought for this for years. You only improve in pressure situations like these — and we did.”

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

“We knew 180 was defendable on this pitch, and getting 190 was a bonus. Everyone executed slower balls perfectly — Krunal’s spell turned the match.”

Also Read: Top 3 reasons why Punjab Kings Lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025 Qualifier 1

Dinesh Karthik (Mentor, RCB)

“This title belongs to every RCB fan, player, and staff member. Kohli, ABD, and Gayle — they laid the foundation. Andy Flower’s vision and planning were spot-on.”

Andy Flower (RCB Head Coach)

[Received the Winners’ Trophy on behalf of RCB]
“This is a reward for discipline, belief, and vision. The boys delivered when it mattered most.”

Shashank Singh (PBKS)

*Played a valiant knock of 61 off 30.*
“We came so close. It hurts to fall short, but I'm proud of the fight. We’ll take this experience and return stronger.”

Phil Salt

“This is unreal. So proud of the boys. Becoming a father this season brought us luck. Thanks to the amazing fanbase.”

Jitesh Sharma

“I’m so happy for Virat bhai. 18 years of effort finally paid off. You do something extraordinary for others — magic happens.”

Mayank Agarwal

“Life is unpredictable. Stick with it, keep grinding — and you’ll get your moment. RCB’s journey is proof.”