New Delhi: Virat Kohli is a man for the big occasion, so it’s natural for the fans to have expectations from the Indian maestro in the final of the Indian Premier League – the biggest game in domestic T20 cricket. The IPL 2025 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) was billed as the match where Kohli would conquer the last mile and complete the arc by winning his maiden IPL title.
With PBKS sending RCB to bat first in Ahmedabad, Kohli got the perfect opportunity to write his destiny with the famed willow in his hands.
Phil Salt, returning just in time ahead of the final, gave RCB a rollicking start, but the happiness of Bengaluru fans was short-lived as the Englishman lasted just 9 balls (16 runs), and with his wicket went down, the scoring rate of Challengers.
Kohli plays labourious knock as RCB fail to reach 200-run mark
Kohli was unable to continue the momentum and laboured to a 35-ball 43-run knock with a poor strike rate of 122.85 – almost unacceptable in this day and age. Kohli’s knock was an uncomfortable sight for even the RCB fans, who watched him bat with extreme caution and with almost no intent to take the game to the opposition.
He rarely hit the ball in the air, evident from his strike rate and number of boundaries (3). As soon as Kohli was dismissed in the 15th over, fans trolled him brutally on social media.
Retired too early from test format,
My blud Kohli still got that fine touch in the format 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/dWsBEaq1gw
— TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) June 3, 2025
Horrible innings by Kohli and sorry i cant defend this innings anymore pic.twitter.com/deEi8btMKh
— Kevin (@imkevin149) June 3, 2025
kohli entry kohli out pic.twitter.com/sKXanaNveM
— Keshu (@keshuu_17) June 3, 2025
However, some late impetus provided by Jitesh Sharma (24 off 8) and Romario Shephered (17 off 9) helped RCB reach a decent total of 190/9 in 20 overs. Kyle Jamieson was the pick of the bowlers with superb figures 3 for 48 in 4 overs.
Virat Kohli played a labourious knock of 35-ball 43-run knock with a poor strike rate of 122.85 in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final between RCB and PBKS. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
