There are several elements at play here. Firstly, the IPL will crown a new champion for the first time since 2013, when the Mumbai Indians (MI) clinched their inaugural title. Since that time, only previously victorious teams have added to their championship count.
In contrast, neither RCB nor PBKS has ever lifted the IPL trophy. RCB has finished as runners-up three times, losing to the Deccan Chargers (2009), Chennai Super Kings (2011), and Sunrisers Hyderabad (2016) in previous title matches.
PBKS has reached the final just once, in 2014, where they were outplayed. Since then, they haven’t qualified for the playoffs until this season.
Along with the prestigious championship, both teams stand to gain substantial monetary rewards.
The winners will receive ₹20 crore, while the runners-up will take home ₹13 crore. These amounts have remained unchanged since 2022. In fact, IPL prize money has seen remarkable growth since its inception; the inaugural champions, Rajasthan Royals (RR), took home ₹4.8 crore back in 2008, while the runners-up, CSK, received ₹2.4 crore.
Besides the team awards, multiple individual accolades will also be presented, including the Player of the Tournament and the Emerging Player of the Year titles.
A rain-affected finale is likely in Ahmedabad, especially considering the significant disruptions during Qualifier 2 between PBKS and Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday.
First Published: Jun 3, 2025 12:22 AM IST
