‘It should not rain’, says BCCI VP Rajeev Shukla as RCB, PBKS chase maiden IPL title | WATCH

New Delhi: BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has expressed his enthusiasm for the highly anticipated IPL 2025 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium, stating that the team performing better on the day will walk away with the trophy.

RCB and PBKS have both been part of the IPL since the inaugural edition in 2008. Despite coming close to the title, neither team has managed to secure a championship win. RCB will be contesting their fourth final, having previously finished as runners-up in 2009, 2011, and 2016, losing to Deccan Chargers, Chennai Super Kings, and Sunrisers Hyderabad respectively. Punjab Kings had their chance in 2014, but were unable to clinch the title.

"Everyone is expecting it to be an exciting match. Two teams, who have not won the IPL in the last 17 years, are locking horns in the final, and this time we will have a new champion," Shukla told the media.

With fan excitement peaking ahead of the showdown, anticipation is running high for a close contest. However, the possibility of rain looms over the game, adding an element of uncertainty.

"So, this is new for the people. So, people are excited. On side, we have a team of Virat Kohli and on the other hand, we have a team of Shreyas Iyer. Whoever plays better will win. It should not rain," he added.

Meanwhile, Ahmedabad received light rain hours before the start of the clash between RCB and PBKS. However, the intensity of the rain was not that heavy and lasted close to 30 minutes.

Visuals from outside the stadium show a plethora of RCB fans gathering to witness the enthralling encounter between the two best teams of the tournament.

The weather prediction for the rest of the day sighs relief for fans with a possibility of little to no rain during the match hours.

RCB and PBKS have faced off 36 times. The rivalry is currently evenly poised with both sides winning 18 matches each. In the last five encounters, however, RCB hold the edge with four wins, while PBKS have won once.

The highest score in these recent matches is 241 by RCB, while the lowest is also by them – 95 all out. In the 20 matches where teams have batted first, they’ve won 9 and lost 11. In 16 chases, the chasing side has won 9 and lost 7 – a stat that underlines the importance of momentum and match-ups on the day.

IANS