June 7, 2025
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IPL 2025 final

'The job is still half done': Preity Zinta opens up, speaks out for the first time after Punjab Kings' defeat in IPL 2025 final | Cricket News

‘The job is still half done’: Preity Zinta opens up, speaks out for the first time after Punjab Kings’ defeat in IPL 2025 final | Cricket News

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NEW DELHI: Following Punjab Kings’ heartbreaking loss in the IPL 2025 final, co-owner Preity Zinta has spoken out for the first time, offering an emotional and inspiring message to fans, players, and the cricketing community. Taking to social media platform X, Zinta praised her team’s resilience while acknowledging the pain of falling just short.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“It didn’t end the way we wanted it to, but … the journey was spectacular! It was exciting, entertaining & it was inspiring,” Zinta wrote. “I loved the fight & the grit our young team, our shers showed throughout the tournament. I loved the way our captain, our Sarpanch lead from the front & how Indian uncapped players dominated this IPL!”It was a rollercoaster season for Punjab Kings. From topping the points table for the first time in over a decade to overcoming multiple disruptions, player injuries, scheduling pauses, and even relocating home games, the team consistently showed adaptability and character. Gautam Gambhir sends stern message after Bengaluru tragedy Zinta’s message struck a chord as she highlighted how this IPL was unique in its challenges. “We smashed records even with so many hurdles. We adapted and we fought till the very end in an exciting final.”She also extended her gratitude to the fans — the Sher Squad — who stood by the team through every high and low. “Whatever we are & how far we’ve reached is because of you. I promise we will come back to finish the job, because as of now, the job is still half done.”While RCB celebrated their long-awaited first title, Zinta’s words were a reminder that Punjab Kings’ journey is far from over. With a promising core and spirited leadership, the foundation for a stronger comeback in IPL 2026 has already been laid.

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Official: Opposition playing into Pakistans hands on ceasefire

RJ Mahvash reveals Yuzvendra Chahal played through injury in IPL 2025: Had 3 fractures

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RJ Mahvash revealed in a heartwarming post that Yuzvendra Chahal played the IPL 2025 season through injury after Punjab Kings’ loss in the final to RCB. Chahal had missed a total of three matches in the tournament, including the Qualifier 1 against RCB as he was recovering from a wrist injury. However, a post from Mahvash has now revealed that the spinner had his ribs fractured after a few games in the season. She also said that Chahal’s bowling finger got fractured later and he played through the pain during the course of the season. Mahvash praised the spirit of Chahal for not giving up despite the injuries and said it showed his warrior spirit. “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 after few matches 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 giving up! I mean what warrior spirit you have man,” said Mahvash in her post. ‘PBKS kept fighting till the last ball’ Mahvash also praised the PBKS squad for their performance and for fighting till the last ball in the final. She said that it was an honour for her to be a supporter fo the side during the season. She congratulated RCB and their fans for the title win. “The team kept fighting till the last ball! It was nothing but an honour 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,” said Mahvash in her post. Chahal played a total of 14 matches during the IPL 2025 campaign and picked up 16 wickets, including a hat-trick against CSK in Chennai. In the final, Chahal registered figures of one for 37 in his four overs. Published On: Jun 6, 2025

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Namma Bengaluru! Anushka Sharma joins Virat Kohli for RCB's IPL victory celebrations; crowd goes crazy - WATCH | Cricket News

Namma Bengaluru! Anushka Sharma joins Virat Kohli for RCB’s IPL victory celebrations; crowd goes crazy – WATCH | Cricket News

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Image credit: Anushka Sharma Instagram stories NEW DELHI: After 18 seasons of unwavering dedication and countless moments of heartbreak, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally lifted the coveted Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy, defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs in a thrilling final. This long-awaited triumph marked a historic milestone not only for the franchise but also for one of its most iconic players, Virat Kohli.Emotions, hugs, tears, high fives, shouts, and roars echoed throughout the packed Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as RCB celebrated their victory.Kohli’s wife, Anushka Sharma, took to Instagram Stories to share a video of herself sitting with Virat Kohli and teammates on the team bus, the IPL trophy proudly displayed beside them.“Namma Bengaluru,” she wrote in her Stories.“These happy faces have waited for this very lovingly and patiently,” she added.A flood of emotions swept through the Narendra Modi Stadium as RCB lifted the trophy for the first time in the 18-year history of the tournament. ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win Anushka embraced her husband Kohli amid the electric atmosphere, where jitters stretched from the pitch to the last row in the stands.After breaking down on the field, Kohli ran over to his wife and hugged her, tears streaming down his face. Anushka warmly hugged and congratulated him.The stadium cameras clicked rapidly, capturing the heartfelt moment between the couple—a scene destined to become an iconic chapter in India’s pop culture history for years to come.For Kohli, this moment arrived just weeks after he announced his retirement from Test cricket. One can only imagine the profound sense of accomplishment running through his mind right now.Over the years, RCB has built a fiercely loyal fanbase that has stood by the team through every game and season. With their maiden IPL win finally coming after nearly two decades, that unwavering support has been richly rewarded.

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Drake bet $750,000 on RCB to win IPL 2025, how much did he pocket from it? | Cricket News

Drake bet $750,000 on RCB to win IPL 2025, how much did he pocket from it? | Cricket News

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Drake On a night when history was written in gold for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, it wasn’t just the team and their fans celebrating. Global rap superstar Drake had his own reason to raise a toast. The Canadian artist won a staggering $1.3 million (around 11 crore) after placing a daring $750,000 (approx. 6.4 crore) bet on RCB to win the IPL 2025 final and they delivered.RCB defeated Punjab Kings by six runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, finally ending an 18-year-long wait for the title. It was a nervy, emotional, and unforgettable night, one that may also have finally broken the infamous ‘Drake Curse’ in sport.Asked to bat first, RCB managed a fighting total of 190/9 despite never quite shifting gears. Virat Kohli led the scoring with a gritty 43 off 35 balls, while cameos from Mayank Agarwal (24), Rajat Patidar (26), and Liam Livingstone (25) ensured the innings didn’t collapse. Phil Salt’s early dismissal slowed momentum, and Punjab’s Kyle Jamieson applied further pressure with three crucial wickets.The death overs saw a mini fightback, with Jitesh Sharma’s 24 off 10 briefly threatening to tilt the game, but RCB fell short of a par total on what remained a good batting surface. Arshdeep Singh ended the innings with a clinical final over, picking up three wickets and limiting RCB’s acceleration. ‘A particularly special feeling’: Andy Flower hails Virat Kohli, RCB after historic title win What followed was a tense defence. Josh Hazlewood set the tone with the early wicket of Priyansh Arya, brilliantly supported by Phil Salt’s stunning boundary catch. Prabhsimran Singh (26) and Josh Inglis (39 off 23) kept Punjab alive, but regular wickets derailed their chase. Krunal Pandya’s miserly 4-0-17-2 and Romario Shepherd’s prized scalp of captain Shreyas Iyer swung momentum decisively in RCB’s favour.Still, Punjab fought. Shashank Singh’s valiant 61* off 30 balls brought them close, needing 29 off the final over. But Hazlewood held his nerve, delivering back-to-back dot balls to end the drama. PBKS closed on 184/7 — heartbreak once again for the perennial underachievers.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player?Drake’s bet, placed on crypto-betting platform Stake at 1.75 odds, stood out for more than its value. Known for inadvertently jinxing athletes and teams with his public support — the so-called ‘Drake Curse’ — fans feared the worst for RCB after learning of the wager. From Serena Williams to Conor McGregor, teams backed by the rapper often fell just short.But on this night, cricket proved to be the exception. RCB fans may have started uneasy, but by the end, even they were thanking Drake for his faith.

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Kanimozhi

IPL 2025: RCB’s open-top bus parade in Bengaluru cancelled due to traffic congestion

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The open bus parade planned by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to celebrate their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 triumph has been cancelled due to heavy traffic congestion in the city. RCB had earlier announced a victory parade after their six-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday night in Ahmedabad. The celebratory event was scheduled to begin at 3:30 PM IST on June 4, starting from Vidhana Soudha and concluding at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Also Read: Royal Challengers Bengaluru victory celebrations after IPL 2025 win: Full schedule As per the revised schedule, the RCB team will be felicitated at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru from 5 PM to 6 PM. Players will meet Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka, Siddaramaiah, at Vidhana Soudha and go directly to the venue from there. Entry to the venue will be restricted to those with valid passes. Attendees have been advised to use the Metro and other public transport due to limited parking availability around the stadium. Here’s the revised plan and specifications for RCB’s felicitation ceremony There will be a felicitation function for the RCB team at the Chinnaswamy Stadium from 5PM to 6PM. Entry is restricted to ticket / pass holders only. There will be no victory parade. Due to limited parking, the public are advised to use the Metro and other public transport. Public are advised to avoid the CBD area from 3 pm IST to 8 pm IST. More to follow… Published By: Rishabh Beniwal Published On: Jun 4, 2025

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Kanimozhi

IPL 2025, RCB vs PBKS: From Harry Kane to Vijay Mallya: How RCB’s title triumph brought joy to the world

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Harry Kane, Sachin Tendulkar, and Vijay Mallya congratulated Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on winning their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title. On Tuesday, Rajat Patidar’s RCB defeated the Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) by six runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Sachin Tendulkar, who has played alongside Virat Kohli for India and faced him in the IPL, lauded RCB for their remarkable achievement. Adding a touch of humour, he said it was fitting that a man wearing jersey No. 18 – Virat Kohli – lifted the trophy in the 18th edition of the T20 league. “Congratulations to RCB on their first-ever IPL title. Fitting that jersey no. 18 lifts the trophy in the 18th edition. Well played and well deserved! Well played to PBKS as well for a well-fought season,” Tendulkar wrote. Vijay Mallya, the former owner of RCB, looked back fondly at the time when Kohli was first drafted into the squad. He also reminisced about his association with legends like Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers, who played pivotal roles in shaping RCB’s identity over the years. Also Read: RCB IPL 2025 victory parade: When and where to watch team’s celebration in Bengaluru? “When I founded RCB it was my dream that the IPL trophy should come to Bengaluru. I had the privilege of picking the legendary King Kohli as a youngster and it is remarkable that he has stayed with RCB for 18 years. I also had the honour of picking Chris Gayle the Universe Boss and Mr 360 AB DeVillers who remain an indelible part of RCB history,” Mallya wrote. “Finally, the IPL trophy arrives in Bengaluru. Congratulations and thanks again to all who made my dream come true. RCB fans are the very best and they deserve the IPL trophy. Ee Sala Cup Bengaluru baruthe!,” Mallya added. Harry Kane also congratulated Virat Kohli and RCB on their title-winning campaign. The two had previously met in 2019 ahead of the ODI World Cup in England and Wales. Kane wrote, “One from the archives to say a massive congrats to @virat.kohli and @royalchallengers.bengaluru on a first IPL title!! Unreal achievement.” RCB had lost three IPL finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016 before they turned their fortunes around this time under the leadership of Rajat Patidar. Published By: sabyasachi chowdhury Published On: Jun 4, 2025

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Kanimozhi

Virat Kohli pens emotional note after RCB’s IPL 2025 win: A season I’ll never forget

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Virat Kohli penned a heartfelt note after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) ended their long and agonising wait for an Indian Premier League (IPL) title. On Tuesday, June 3, RCB clinched the IPL 2025 trophy with a six-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Kohli, who recently became the first batter to score 9000 T20 runs for a single team, expressed his gratitude to the fans for standing by the franchise through all the ups and downs. He remains the only player in IPL history to have represented a single franchise since the league’s inception in 2008. Kohli joined RCB after captaining India to the U19 World Cup title in Malaysia. “This team made the dream possible, a season I’ll never ever forget. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the ride over the last 2.5 months. This one is for the fans of RCB who never ever left our side in the worst of times. This one is for all the years of heartbreaks and disappointment,” Kohli wrote on Instagram. “This is for every inch of effort left on the field playing for this team. As far as the IPL trophy is concerned – you’ve made me wait 18 years to be able to lift you and celebrate my friend, but it’s been absolutely worth the wait,” Kohli added. Virat Kohli played a crucial role in RCB’s title-winning campaign in IPL 2025. He finished as their leading run-scorer, amassing 657 runs in 15 matches at an average of 54.75 and a strike rate of 144.71. His highest score of the season – an unbeaten 73 – came against PBKS in Mullanpur back in April. In the final, Kohli scored a composed 43 off 35 balls, laying the foundation for RCB’s six-run victory over PBKS. Having represented RCB across 18 IPL seasons, Kohli has now accumulated 8661 runs from 267 matches, including eight centuries and 63 fifties. Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don’t miss a moment! Published By: sabyasachi chowdhury Published On: Jun 4, 2025 Tune In

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IPL 2025 final RCB vs PBKS: Royal Challengers wins cup, ends long wait for maiden title 

IPL 2025 final RCB vs PBKS: Royal Challengers wins cup, ends long wait for maiden title 

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru is no longer the bridesmaid. From being a three-time runner-up, RCB finally scaled the peak to lay claim on the IPL trophy. Seventeen editions of yearning and heartbreak turned into unadulterated joy for the massive fanbase as RCB shut out Punjab Kings by six runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium here on Tuesday. Virat Kohli, the owner of a dazzling array of titles and milestones, added the one highlight missing in the list. Rajat Patidar, in his first season as RCB captain, achieved what many of his exalted predecessors — Kohli, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, to name a few — could not attain. In front of a packed house, filled predominantly by RCB supporters, the franchise choked a nervy PBKS. RCB seemed to have dropped the ball by making 190 for nine, but more than made up for it with an excellent bowling performance. Victory celebrations started early, when the in-form PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer nicked an innocuous ball outside off stump from medium-pacer Romario Shepherd. Shreyas, the mastermind behind PBKS’ successful chase against Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2, left the field for one. And with him went PBKS’ own hopes of winning a maiden IPL title. Shepherd may have picked up the big wicket of Shreyas, but it was Krunal Pandya who set it up. Coming into the attack in the seventh over, the left-arm spinner tied the batters in knots by keeping an exceptional length. The 34-year-old conceded just 17 runs in his four overs, to go with the wickets of Prabhsimran Singh and Josh Inglis. Shashank Singh (61 n.o., 30b, 3×4, 6×6) hung around in an attempt to spoil the RCB party, to no avail. Shreyas called it right at the toss, and like he did against MI, chose to field first. Spells of rain a few hours before the start of the outing made the pitch wet, which led to the RCB batters taking a circumspect approach. Save for a cameo from Phil Salt, the RCB top order stayed cautious. Kohli (43, 35b, 3×4) took up the anchor role, keeping the ball along the ground and running quick singles and twos. This did increase the pressure on his partners, who were forced to adopt aggressive tactics. With the run rate dropping below nine an over, RCB needed Jitesh Sharma to go all guns blazing. Jitesh was up for it with a 10-ball 24. PBKS would have felt it did well to restrict RCB to below 200, but there would be no stopping RCB from making history. IPL 2025 finals RCB vs PBKS LIVE SCOREBOARD ROYAL CHALLENGERS Phil Salt c Shreyas b Jamieson 16 (9b, 2×4, 1×6), Virat Kohli c & b Omarzai 43 (35b, 3×4), Mayank Agarwal c Arshdeep b Chahal 24 (18b, 2×4, 1×6), Rajat Patidar lbw b Jamieson 26 (16b, 1×4, 2×6), Liam Livingstone lbw b Jamieson 25 (15b, 2×6), Jitesh Sharma b Vyshak 24 (10b, 2×4, 2×6), Romario Shepherd lbw b Arshdeep 17 (9b, 1×4, 1×6), Krunal Pandya c Shreyas b Arshdeep 4 (5b), Bhuvneshwar Kumar c Priyansh b Arshdeep 1 (2b), Yash Dayal (not out) 1 (1b); Extras (w-9): 9; Total (for nine wkts. in 20 overs): 190. FALL OF WICKETS 1-18 (Salt, 1.4 overs), 2-56 (Mayank, 6.2), 3-96 (Patidar, 10.5), 4-131 (Kohli, 14.5), 5-167 (Livingstone, 16.5), 6-171 (Jitesh, 17.4), 7-188 (Shepherd, 19.2), 8-189 (Krunal, 19.4), 9-190 (Bhuvneshwar, 19.6). KINGS BOWLING Arshdeep 4-0-40-3, Jamieson 4-0-48-3, Omarzai 4-0-35-1, Vyshak 4-0-30-1, Chahal 4-0-37-1. PUNJAB KINGS Priyansh Arya c Salt b Hazlewood 24 (19b, 4×4), Prabhsimran Singh (Impact Player for Chahal) c Bhuvneshwar b Krunal 26 (22b, 2×6), Josh Inglis c Livingstone b Krunal 39 (23b, 1×4, 4×6), Shreyas Iyer c Jitesh b Shepherd 1 (2b), Nehal Wadhera c Krunal b Bhuvneshwar 15 (18b, 1×6), Shashank Singh (not out) 61 (30b, 3×4, 6×6), Marcus Stoinis c Dayal b Bhuvneshwar 6 (2b, 1×6), Azmatullah Omarzai c sub (Bhandage) b Dayal 1 (2b), Kyle Jamieson (not out) 0 (2b); Extras (lb-8, w-3): 11; Total (for seven wkts. in 20 overs): 184. FALL OF WICKETS 1-43 (Priyansh, 4.6), 2-72 (Prabhsimran, 8.3), 3-79 (Shreyas, 9.4), 4-98 (Inglis, 12.1), 5-136 (Wadhera, 16.2), 6-142 (Stoinis, 16.4), 7-145 (Omarzai, 17.2). RCB BOWLING Bhuvneshwar 4-0-38-2, Dayal 3-0-18-1, Hazlewood 4-0-54-1, Krunal 4-0-17-2, Suyash (Impact Player for Mayank) 2-0-19-0, Shepherd 3-0-30-1. Toss: PBKS. RCB won by six runs. Published – June 03, 2025 07:22 pm IST

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Why did Punjab Kings batters fail against Suyash Sharma? The spinner reveals | Cricket News

Why did Punjab Kings batters fail against Suyash Sharma? The spinner reveals | Cricket News

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Suyash Sharma (Image credit: BCCI/IPL) NEW DELHI: The googly proved to be Suyash Sharma’s deadly weapon as he helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru secure a commanding eight-wicket victory over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, propelling RCB into the IPL 2025 final. The leg-spinner credited some assistance from the worn pitch for his success. Punjab Kings bowling coach James Hopes on where it went wrong – after the first over In a remarkable spell of 3-17, Suyash dismantled Punjab’s lower order by taking the wickets of Shashank Singh, Musheer Khan, and Marcus Stoinis in quick succession. His efforts ensured PBKS were bundled out for a mere 101 runs in just 14.1 overs. RCB comfortably chased down the target in exactly 10 overs, marking their first IPL final appearance since 2016.“I have performed well, that’s why everyone is happy for me. My coaches gave me just one role, which was to hit the stumps, whether I bowl leg-break, googly, flipper, or any other variation. I just try to finish all my percentage balls on the stumps,” said Suyash. Poll Did the pitch conditions play a crucial role in RCB’s win? He added, “It (googly) is my stock ball, and also I got a bit of help from the wicket as well, so that’s why many weren’t able to pick it up. Not quite now (whether he will be celebrating tonight), I will celebrate on the 3rd (June) and very hard as well,” during the post-match presentation. ‘I don’t want to be a one-season wonder’: Punjab Kings’ Shashank Singh Chasing the modest total, opener Phil Salt dazzled with his stroke play, scoring a quickfire 23-ball fifty—his fastest in the IPL—and remained unbeaten on 56 off 27 balls. Reflecting on the match, Salt said that the short turnaround between their last league match and the qualifier worked in their favor.“Great feeling right now, it (the ball) did move a bit. I think that was not the worst wicket to have played on this season. (Replying to what was going on in his mind during the chase) Don’t get out to Arshdeep, we played two group games (with PBKS) and he’s found different ways to get me out, so I was just trying to react to the ball.”He concluded, “I said before the game to Andy (Flower) that it was a blessing in disguise for us. (This win) Gives us the momentum, it is a cliche but true, that’s what you want at the backend of the tournament, want to hit your straps and play a part with the bat or ball.”

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