IPL 2025 recap: From Kohli and RCB conquering final frontier to decline of champions
Royal Challengers Bengaluru pacer Josh Hazlewood says the lack of a strong powerplay segment added to RCB's woes in the IPL match against Punjab Kings in Bengaluru on Friday.
As Arya walked back to the pavilion after scoring eight off nine balls, Digvesh, his teammate from the Delhi T20 League, mimicked writing a letter -- an act seemingly directed at Arya.
As the victorious RCB squad returned to their team hotel in Ahmedabad late Tuesday night, they were welcomed like true champions-with dhol beats, thunderous cheers, and an atmosphere electric with celebration.
Rajasthan Royals take on Punjab Kings aiming to seal their IPL play-offs berth, in their penultimate league match.
The Indian Premier League 2024 schedule.
Krunal Pandya is also the first player to win 4 IPL titles -- three with Mumbai Indians and one with RCB.
'It's not easy when you win a championship and, you know, come into the next season, defending the championship, it's not that easy. As a team, we tried our best. What I can say is, we'll come back really stronger next year.'
Pandya did admit that execution on part of MI bowlers was off the mark.
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant remains optimistic about his team's chances of making the IPL playoffs despite a 37-run defeat to Punjab Kings.
Mentored by Yuvraj Singh, the 25-year-old southpaw carries shades of his idol with the clean swing, the effortless power, the knack for changing games in a blink.
CSK batting is sorted now because Ruturaj Gaikwad will be coming back: MS Dhoni
'These (State T20 Leagues) are really good because you get an opportunity to play and these guys play with the Kookaburra ball, they (get to) play in those special situations.'
Glenn Maxwell believes his spin bowling could come in handy in the Powerplay during next year's T20 World Cup to be held in India and Sri Lanka.
Vijay Mallya, who played a crucial role in building RCB's core identity -- most notably by backing a young Virat Kohli, and later signing superstars like Chris Gayle and AB de Villiers -- shared a series of heartfelt messages after the final.
Punjab Kings suffered their first defeat of the IPL season, losing to Rajasthan Royals.
'This is incredible. Absolutely electric. It's my first time here -- the crowd is incredible. I've never experienced cricket like this.'
The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) paid tribute to the victims of the terror attack in Pahalgam before the IPL match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings at the Eden Gardens.
Virat Kohli said nothing is more satisfying than excelling in Test cricket.
CSK need to get better at talent identification, admits batting coach Hussey
Virat Kohli has been with RCB since the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008, including nine seasons as captain of a franchise that made the finals in 2009, 2011 and 2016 but lost every time.
Going into the crucial encounter, the 33-year-old needed just 6 runs to complete 500 runs this season and he achieved the feat by flicking Deepak Chahar to deep mid-wicket for a single in the second over.
The replacement players will be available for Mumbai Indians only if they qualify for the play-offs.
Patidar crossed the landmark in just 30 innings, sitting just behind Gujarat Titans' Sai Sudharsan, who achieved the feat in 25.
SKY is expected to begin rehabilitation at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru in about two weeks.
In the other semi-final, Maratha Royals hammered Eagle Thane Strikers by eight wickets with their skipper Siddhesh Lad hitting an unbeaten 74 off 52 balls with nine fours and a six.
Marcus Stoinis and Kyle Mayers put on a power-hitting masterclass as Lucknow Super Giants slayed Punjab Kings by 56 runs in a high-scoring contest in Mohali .
The BCCI press conference scheduled at 1.30pm in Mumbai is 'expected to be delayed owing to weather disruptions'.
LSG, Punjab Super Kings will be aiming to bounce back after losing their previous match.
PBKS skipper Sam Curran was a disappointed man as the team was eliminated with two games left.
The fortunes of Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals changed quite dramatically after their clash on April 13, when MI held their nerve in a tense finish to pull off a remarkable win.
Head coach Ricky Ponting hailed Punjab Kings' incredible spirit and resilience after they pulled off a sensational 16-run win over Kolkata Knight Riders.
The report also indicated that Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are unlikely to get a call-up to the T20I squad as the team management might not upset the team's core combination.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer led from the front on his debut for Punjab Kings with a scintillating knock, while Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler fought bravely for Gujarat Titans.
'Pick a guy who's done well in T20 cricket, and not just because somebody has done so well in Test cricket gets rewarded with a T20 place, especially at the cost of somebody like Shreyas Iyer.'
Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm seamer who has become a death-overs specialist for Punjab Kings in the IPL, credits constructive self-criticism and continuous improvement for his success.
Gambhir, a former BJP MP, was effusive in his praise for the Indian cricket board for inviting the three chiefs of the armed forces to attend the IPL title clash, saying, 'It's an unbelievable step.'
The LSG spinner was handed a one-match ban after he clashed with Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma on Monday.
Punjab, who are in seventh spot with 12 points from 13 games, are virtually out of the play-offs as PBKS also have a -0.043 net run rate.
PBKS skipper Shreyas Iyer said the team was getting good starts but was failing to convert them into big scores. He added that the slow home wicket too did not help the team's cause.
