Virat Kohli and RCB win maiden IPL title, break 18-year jinx
Ahmedabad, Jun 3 (PTI): Virat Kohli and Royal Challengers Bengaluru won their maiden title with a six-run victory over Punjab Kings in the final here on Tuesday, ending an 18-year wait for the coveted trophy.
Punjab Kings bowlers did more than a decent job to restrict Royal Challengers Bengaluru to 190 for nine.
However, their batters could not deliver under pressure as the Shreyas Iyer-led side could only manage 184/7 in 20 overs.
Krunal Pandya was the standout RCB bowler ending with two wickets for 17 runs in four overs.
RCB finally got to lift the trophy after finishing runners-up on three occasions previously. It was a heartbreaking loss for Punjab Kings who were playing only their second final and first since 2014.
RCB managed to get over the line despite not having the best time with the bat. Virat Kohli top-scored with 43 off 35 balls while skipper Rajat Patidar couldn''t build on a good start managing 26 off 16 balls. For Punjab Kings, Yuzvendra Chahal was brilliant with figures of 1/37 in 4 overs while Kyle Jamieson had the figures of 3 for 48.
The prize wicket of Kohli was taken by Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai (1/35). However, the best figures were of India''s premier T20 bowler Arshdeep Singh (3/40), who got three wickets in the final over.
Brief Scores:
RCB: 190/9 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 43, Rajat Patidar 26; Arshdeep Singh 3/40, Kyle Jamieson 3/48, Yuzvendra Chahal 1/37) vs Punjab Kings.
Punjab Kings 184/7 in 20 overs (Josh Inglis 39, Shashank Singh 61 not out; Krunal Pandya 2/17).
The tears say it all 🥹
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) June 3, 2025
An 1️⃣8️⃣-year wait comes to an end 👏
Updates ▶ https://t.co/U5zvVhcvdo#TATAIPL | #RCBvPBKS | #Final | #TheLastMile | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/X15Xdmxb0k
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐎𝐅 #𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐏𝐋 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 🏆🤩
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) June 3, 2025
The ROYAL CHALLENGERS BENGALURU have done it for the first time ❤#RCBvPBKS | #Final | #TheLastMile | @RCBTweets pic.twitter.com/x4rGdcNavS
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
