IPL 2025: Season Recap and Highlights
The 18th edition of the IPL kicked off on March 22, 2025 (across 13 cities) and ran through June 3. Ten teams played 74 matches, and the season was packed with thrilling finishes and upsets. Ultimately Bengaluru (RCB) beat Punjab (PBKS) in a dramatic final to lift their first-ever trophy, ending RCB’s 18-year title drought. The final score was RCB 190/9 (20 overs) vs PBKS 184/7 (20), a tight 6-run win for Bengaluru. Along the way, teams like PBKS and RCB emerged on top in the standings, emerging stars captivated fans, and five major upsets reshaped the competition.
Team Standings IPL 2025
- Punjab (PBKS) – Top of the table with 19 points (9 wins, 4 losses, 1 no-result). PBKS’ 9 victories put them level on points with RCB, but their slightly higher net run rate (+0.372) secured the top spot.
- Bengaluru (RCB) – Also on 19 points (9W-4L-1NR), RCB finished second on net run rate (+0.301) but clinched a playoff berth.
- Gujarat (GT) – Gujarat finished the league phase with a record of 9 wins and 5 losses(9W-5L), earning 18 points and claiming third place in the standings.
- Mumbai (MI) – 16 points (8W-6L), grabbing the final playoff spot. MI’s net run rate (+1.142) was the highest in the league, thanks to key late-season wins.
- Delhi(DC) – 15 points, narrowly missed out in 5th place, finishing just behind MI.
- The usual heavyweights fell short: Hyderabad (13 pts), Lucknow (12 pts), and defending champions Kolkata (KKR) (12 pts) all failed to qualify. Even two-time winner Rajasthan (8) and Chennai (8) ended down the order.
In the end, PBKS’s consistency and bold brand of cricket under Shreyas Iyer kept them atop the table, while RCB’s late surge (see Turning Points) propelled them into the playoffs and ultimately to the title.
Top Performers IPL 2025
- Orange Cap (Most Runs): Sai Sudharsan (GT) – 759 runs in 15 matches. Sudharsan was the highest run-getter this season, recording six fifties and finishing with an unbeaten best of 108 runs. He was followed by Suryakumar Yadav (Mumbai, 717 runs) and Virat Kohli (RCB, 657 runs).Shubman Gill scored 650 runs for Gujarat, with Mitchell Marsh not far behind, contributing 627 runs for Lucknow.
- Purple Cap (Most Wickets): Prasidh Krishna emerged as the top wicket-taker of the season, picking up 25 wickets across 15 games and securing the Purple Cap while representing Gujarat. The leading fast bowler, Prasidh grabbed three four-wicket hauls and finished with a 19.52 bowling average. Close behind were CSK’s young leg-spinner Noor Ahmad (24 wickets) and RCB’s Josh Hazlewood (22). Trent Boult (MI) took 22 and PBKS’s Arshdeep Singh grabbed 21.
- Player of the Series: Suryakumar Yadav (MI) – His consistent hitting earned him the season’s MVP. SKY’s aggressive batting (717 runs) was key to Mumbai’s late run into the playoffs. Virat Kohli was a consistent performer for RCB, amassing 657 runs with eight half-centuries, playing a major role in keeping his team alive in the race.
- Emerging Stars: Several new names lit up IPL 2025. Delhi debutant Ashutosh Sharma smashed a fearless 66* off 31 balls in one match, steering DC to a shock one-wicket win over Lucknow. In the playoffs, RCB’s keeper Jitesh Sharma (acquired early season) scored a blistering 85 off 33 in the LSG chase. Veteran Krunal Pandya (RCB) also stood out in the final with a quick 4* and a brilliant 2/17 with the ball.
Major Upsets
- MI vs GT (Eliminator): In the playoff Eliminator, underdogs Mumbai knocked out Gujarat despite GT posting 228. MI’s Rohit Sharma scored 81 and Suryakumar 33 as MI successfully chased 229. Sudharsan’s 80* for GT was in vain as MI won by 20 runs. This loss sent GT home despite them having the Orange and Purple Cap winners.
- RCB vs CSK (League): RCB achieved their first ever double over Chennai, chasing a huge total in Ahmedabad. RCB made 213/6 (Kohli 62, Jacob Bethell 55, Romario Shepherd 53*) to beat CSK by 2 runs. CSK’s Ayush Mhatre fought back with an unbeaten 94, but his side fell just short.
- DC vs LSG (League): Lucknow posted 209/4 (thanks to Mitchell Marsh 72 and Nicholas Pooran 75). DC seemed doomed until debutant Ashutosh Sharma (66* off 31) and Vipraj Nigam combined to snatch a 1-wicket win. DC’s comeback from 87/6 to victory was one of the season’s biggest shocks.
- DC vs RR (League, Super Over): Rajasthan looked set to win chasing 189 after half-centuries by Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana. With 9 needed off the last over, Mitchell Starc bowled tight and then defended a super-over 12/0 to deny RR an unlikely win. Starc’s experience kept DC alive and RR heartbroken.
- LSG vs RR (League): In another last-over thriller, Lucknow defended 180 with Ayush Badoni (50) and Aiden Markram (66) setting up the target. RR’s Yashasvi Jaiswal smoked 74*, but LSG’s Avesh Khan bowled a superb final over to win by 2 runs, leaving RR stunned.
Major Turning Points IPL 2025
- RCB’s Big Chase: On May 27, chasing 228 vs LSG, RCB overcame early wickets with Virat Kohli (54 off 30) and an explosive 107-run partnership between Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal (Agarwal 41 off 23). This 6-wicket victory put RCB second in the table on 19 points, instantly changing momentum in their favor.
- PBKS Clinches Playoffs: With a narrow 10-run win over Rajasthan in their last league match, PBKS wrapped up the stage with 19 points. That win, away in Jaipur, secured Punjab’s first playoff appearance in 11 years and handed them the top of the table. It was a breakthrough moment that reshaped the season for Shreyas Iyer’s squad.
- Mid-Season Break: The league was halted from May 9–17 due to India-Pakistan border tensions, delaying several matches. Play resumed May 17, and the playoffs were squeezed into a tight late-May schedule. Despite the break, teams quickly regained form; the playoffs began May 29 (Qualifier 1) and finished with the final on June 3.
- Mumbai’s Momentum: After a slow start, MI won 7 of their last 12 games and ended with the best net run rate in the league (+1.142). This late surge (with Rohit and SKY leading) propelled Mumbai into the playoffs and proved decisive for their confidence going forward.
IPL 2025 Final Match Recap
- RCB Innings: RCB posted 190/9 in 20 overs. Virat Kohli anchored the innings with a steady 43 off 35 deliveries, hitting three boundaries, while partners at the other end kept tumbling. Allrounders Adil Rashid and Cameron Green added late runs, but no batter made a big score.
- PBKS Innings: Chasing 191, Punjab started quickly (43 in 5 overs) before Phil Salt’s spectacular catch dismissed left-hander Priyansh Arya. Shashank Singh lit up the innings with a fiery 61 off 30 balls, smashing six sixes, while Josh Inglis contributed a solid 39 to the total. On the other side, RCB relied on Krunal Pandya’s tight spell (2 wickets for 17 runs in 4 overs) and Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s haul of 2/38 to keep things in check
- Key Moments: Salt’s sensational catch near the boundary shifted the momentum—sprinting at full speed, he grabbed the ball mid-air and managed to flick it back in just before crossing the rope stepping over the boundary. In the 17th over, Bhuvneshwar turned the tide with back-to-back breakthroughs—dismissing Marcus Stoinis followed by Nehal Wadhera—shifting the momentum decisively in RCB’s favor. In the end RCB’s disciplined bowling in the final overs held PBKS to 184/7, sealing a 6-run victory.
- Player of the Match: Krunal Pandya (RCB) – awarded Man of the Match for his all-round impact (a quick 4* with the bat and bowling figures of 2/17).
RCB Champions: RCB’s triumph ended the club’s long wait – they became only the eighth franchise ever to win the IPL title. Captain Rajat Patidar (26* in final) and veteran Virat Kohli, who was seen in tears of joy, finally lifted the trophy they had chased for 18 years. It was a historic night for “Red and Gold” fans as RCB wrote their name into IPL history.
Throughout IPL 2025, fans saw outstanding batting and bowling – and upsets that no one saw coming. The season belonged to RCB in the end, but it was defined by performances from Sudharsan and Prasidh, by Salt’s brilliance in the field, and by newcomers making their mark. With every third sentence turned around and no stone left unturned, this recap has covered all the key stories from team standings to final fireworks. The 2025 IPL will be remembered as the year RCB finally shone, and fans can look back on many memorable moments (and sixes!) that lit up this season.
FAQ’s ?
Who won the IPL 2025 title?
Bengaluru (RCB) won their first IPL title by defeating Punjab (PBKS) in the final by 6 runs.
Who scored the most runs in IPL 2025?
Sai Sudharsan of Gujarat topped the charts with 759 runs in 15 matches.
Who was the highest wicket-taker this season?
Prasidh Krishna (GT) claimed the Purple Cap with 25 wickets across 15 games.
What was the biggest upset of the season?
Delhi's last-over win against Lucknow led by debutant Ashutosh Sharma, stunned fans and experts alike.
What made RCB’s win historic?
RCB ended an 18-year wait to lift their first-ever IPL trophy, making it one of the most emotional victories in IPL history.