The Indian Premier League 2025 wrapped up with a bang, giving fans everything they hoped for—tight finishes, breakout stars, drama, and finally, a new champion. Here’s a breakdown of the season in simple terms.
Quick Recap
- Winners: Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) – their first-ever title
- Runners-up: Punjab Kings (PBKS)
- Season Duration: March 22 to June 3, 2025
- Total Matches: 74
- Most Valuable Player (MVP): Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai Indians)
- Most Runs: Sai Sudharsan (Gujarat Titans) – 759 runs
- Most Wickets: Prasidh Krishna (Gujarat Titans) – 25 wickets
League Standings and Playoffs
The group stage of the Indian Premier League 2025 was highly competitive, with several teams in the running for a top-four finish until the final week. Punjab Kings finished at the top of the table, just ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians rounded out the playoff spots.
In the playoffs:
- Qualifier 1: RCB defeated Punjab Kings to secure a place in the final.
- Eliminator: Mumbai Indians knocked out Gujarat Titans.
- Qualifier 2: Punjab Kings bounced back by beating Mumbai to reach the final.
- Final: RCB held their nerve in a close contest against PBKS to claim their first-ever IPL title.
Mid-Season Suspension
Dharamsala is where the game got stopped on account of a floodlight not working, apparently linked to political strains between India and Pakistan. Till then, this little bit of a tournament got put on hold for a short while. It played out within a week and stuck to its schedule.
During this little break, RCB picked up Blessing Muzarabani from Zimbabwe to take Lungi Ngidi’s spot after he went over to join the South African team in the World Test Championship.
The Final Showdown
The final between RCB and PBKS was one of the most-watched cricket matches ever, and it attracted around 169 million viewers. RCB managed to defend a modest total and finally broke their long-standing title drought.
There was a small moment of controversy when RCB coaches were seen advising Virat Kohli during a timeout. Some found it odd, given Kohli’s experience, but it didn’t affect the outcome.
Young Talent Takes the Spotlight
- Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Rajasthan Royals): At just 14 years old, he became the youngest centurion in IPL history. While he’s being compared to Sachin Tendulkar, many are urging patience with his development.
- Digvesh Rathi (Lucknow Super Giants): The young spinner pulled off an incredible feat—five wickets in five balls—and finished the season with 14 wickets.
- Shreyas Iyer (Punjab Kings): After winning five consecutive finals earlier in his career, Iyer faced back-to-back losses in major tournaments, including this IPL final.
Off-Field Headlines
IPL 2025 wasn’t without controversy:
- Pakistan’s Defence Minister claimed they were behind the floodlight failure—an accusation that stirred tension but was not backed by evidence.
- Former Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson criticized Josh Hazlewood for choosing the IPL over playing for his national team.
- The ongoing debate over players balancing national duties with IPL commitments resurfaced.
Looking Ahead
It was all there in this season: the matches were thrilling, new records were set, youngsters shone, and finally, a much-awaited championship for RCB. It also proved how external events could get impacted by even the biggest sporting event as IPL 2025 would be not just about cricket for the records but how the league would rebound from disruption and make it to a thrilling finish.
