IPL 2025: 5 Reasons Behind Punjab Kings' Defeat Against Royal Challengers Bengaluru In Final

The much-anticipated IPL 2025 Final on Tuesday (June 3) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad turned out to be a nail-biting contest between two hungry sides - Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings.

While RCB lifted their maiden IPL trophy with a narrow six-run win, Punjab Kings were left heartbroken after coming so close yet falling short. Despite promising phases with both bat and ball, Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS failed to capitalise on key moments. Here are the five major reasons behind the Punjab Kings' defeat in the summit clash:

1. RCB's Late Surge Powered by Jitesh Sharma in IPL 2025 Final

Until the 15th over, Punjab Kings had RCB under relative control. The wicket of Virat Kohli in the 15th over appeared to tilt the game in PBKS' favour. However, RCB vice-captain Jitesh Sharma's 24 off 10, including a 23-run assault on Kyle Jamieson in the 17th over, proved to be a game-changing cameo. His fearless striking in the death overs propelled RCB from a middling total to a competitive 190/9 - a score that ultimately proved just enough.

2. Punjab's Bowling Inconsistency in the Death Overs

While PBKS bowled well through the middle overs, their plans fell apart between overs 15 to 17, where they leaked 36 runs in just two overs - one from Azmatullah Omarzai and the other from Jamieson. The 17th over in particular was a disaster, with Jamieson conceding 23 runs. Although left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh pulled things back with a sensational final over (2/3), the damage had already been done. The lack of composure and execution in death-overs cost Punjab dearly.

3. Shreyas Iyer's departure at a crucial stage

Punjab suffered a major setback in the very next over when their in-form captain and leading run-scorer, Shreyas Iyer, was dismissed for just 1 off 2 balls. The wicket came courtesy of Romario Shepherd, brought into the attack by RCB skipper Rajat Patidar after Suyash Sharma, the Player of the Match in Qualifier 1, conceded 13 runs in his first over. Shepherd delivered a short-of-a-length ball outside off stump, which Iyer tried to guide towards third man. However, the ball nipped away off the seam, taking a faint edge off Iyer's bat-a casual shot from a batter who had scored an unbeaten 87 in Qualifier 2 just days earlier.

Although the umpire didn't raise the finger, Iyer walked, knowing he had edged it, even as wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma was ready to review. Punjab were reduced to 79/3 in 9.4 overs. It was a soft dismissal at a crucial time, and given Iyer's poor record against RCB in previous outings, his early exit once again proved costly. That moment possibly marked a psychological turning point, with Punjab never fully recovering thereafter.

4. Baffling decision to keep Stoinis waiting

One of the key reasons for Punjab Kings' defeat was head coach Ricky Ponting's puzzling decision to hold back Marcus Stoinis in the batting order. With the middle order struggling and captain Shreyas Iyer dismissed cheaply for just 1 off 2 balls, the innings lost crucial momentum. At such a juncture, a seasoned all-rounder like Stoinis should have been promoted to arrest the collapse and rebuild the innings. Instead, designated finisher Shashank Singh was sent in early.

While Shashank (61* off 30) put up a spirited fight, smashing 22 runs in the final over bowled by Josh Hazlewood, he lacked support at the other end. Stoinis finally arrived at the crease in the 17th over after Nehal Wadhera's dismissal, but by then the damage had been done. Stoinis smashed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a six on the first ball but was dismissed on the next ball.

Punjab's slow scoring between the 13th and 17th overs - just 3, 5, 13, 17, and 8 runs respectively - highlighted the missed opportunity. Had Stoinis been introduced earlier, his experience and power-hitting could have turned the tide during that sluggish late middle phase.

5. Lack of Experience in High-Stakes Moments

Punjab Kings fielded six uncapped players in their playing XI - a bold move that had worked wonders in earlier games. However, under the pressure of a grand final, their inexperience showed. From decision-making with the bat to lapses in the field and inability to close out key overs, the nerves were evident. On the other hand, RCB had seasoned campaigners like Kohli, Krunal, Hazlewood, and Salt who knew how to hold their nerve in crunch moments.

Punjab Kings had several phases where they looked like the better side. But in a final, cricket is not just about domination in patches - it's about seizing key moments. Whether it was Jamieson's expensive 17th over, RCB's rescue act through Jitesh, or Punjab's middle-order failure, the small slip-ups proved costly in a big game. For RCB, it was finally about peaking at the right time. For PBKS, the wait for a maiden IPL title continues - but this campaign showed they're building something special.