IPL 2025 Highlights: Comebacks, Controversies, Chaos!

IPL 2025 Highlights: RCB’s Glory, Comebacks & Cricketing Fireworks!

The IPL 2025 season was nothing less than a blockbuster movie—packed with action, thrill, emotions, comebacks, and a fairytale ending. From Virat Kohli’s emotional moments to Digvijay’s breakout season, from Yuzi Chahal’s magical hat-trick to Abhishek Sharma’s beast-mode knock—this season had it all. Let’s dive into the IPL 2025 Highlights and relive the most talked-about moments of the tournament.

RCB Finally Lifts the Trophy – A Dream Come True

RCB finally ended their 18-year trophy drought. After chasing 191 to beat Punjab Kings (PBKS) by 6 runs in the final, Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their first-ever IPL crown. 

That victory capped a season where Punjab Kings, under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy, and RCB both amassed 19 points in the league phase. PBKS’s nine wins (with one washout) put them top on net run-rate, just ahead of RCB. Gujarat Titans (18 points) and Mumbai Indians (16 points) rounded out the top four, while defending champs Kolkata and heavyweights like Chennai and Rajasthan flopped below the playoff line. In short, Iyer’s consistent batting and bold tactics kept Punjab at the top of the table, while RCB’s late surge propelled them into the playoffs and ultimately to the title vision11.in.

• Points Table (League Phase): PBKS (19 pts), RCB (19 pts), GT (18 pts), MI (16 pts), DC (15 pts). 
• Champions: RCB – First IPL title in 18 years 
• Final Match Score: RCB 190/9 (20 overs) defeated PBKS 184/7 (20 overs).

Mid-Season Pause and Schedule Crunch

IPL 2025 Highlights : Amid the action, the league took an unprecedented turn. IPL 2025 was paused from May 9–17 due to escalating India–Pakistan border tensions. This week-long suspension forced the BCCI to compress the schedule when play resumed on May 17. Teams had to quickly regain form as the tight timeline squeezed the playoffs into late May (Qualifier 1 on May 29 and the final on June 3). In short, the sudden break became another story of the season: even national security issues became a chapter in the IPL 2025 highlights saga.

Check this : PBKS vs DC in Dharamshala: Security Scare Halts Play

Digvesh Rathi – The Penalty Star of the Season

Among the breakout performers, Digvesh Rathi made everyone sit up and take notice. From being a relatively unknown name to becoming the bowling spearhead for Lucknow Supergiants, his consistent yorkers, death-over control, and energy made him one of the biggest IPL 2025 Highlights.

He finished the season with14 wickets and multiple match-winning performances. Social media flooded with memes, praises, and even Bollywood-style celebrations for the young sensation. He was penalised several times in this season because of his notebook celebrations.The spinner was charged for breaching Article 2.5 of the International Cricket Council Code of conduct, which prevents players “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter”.

Thrilling Matches and Turning Points

IPL 2025 Highlights : Many IPL 2025 matches went down to the wire. One classic was RCB vs LSG (May 27, Ahmedabad): Lucknow posted 227/3, and it looked like RCB was up against it. But Virat Kohli (54 off 30) and wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma (85* off 33) forged a 107-run partnership to chase down 229 in the final over for a 6-wicket win. That epic chase vaulted RCB to second place in the table and shifted momentum their way

Similarly, in the Eliminator Mumbai vs Gujarat, Mumbai Indians defied the odds. Gujarat Titans had blasted 228/6, thanks to Sai Sudharsan’s 80*, but MI’s Rohit Sharma (81) and Suryakumar Yadav (33) answered by chasing 229 with 20 balls to spare. Even after losing the orange and purple caps to GT’s players, MI pulled off the upset to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Yuzvendra Chahal struck a sensational hat-trick and returned figures of 4/32, turning the tide in PBKS’s 4-wicket win over CSK..

Key Finishes:

• RCB 6-wicket chase of 229 vs LSG (May 27): Kohli 54, Jitesh 85* as RCB reached 229/4.. 
• MI 20-run win chasing 229 vs GT (Playoff Eliminator): Rohit 81, SKY 33.. 
• PBKS 4-wicket win over CSK (Apr 30): Chahal hat-trick (4/32) and Shreyas Iyer 72* guide PBKS to 194/6 over CSK 190. 

These moments made headlines throughout the season. One stunning collapse featured in early April: PBKS was bowled out for just 111, but leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal spun a web around KKR, taking 4/28 and defending 112 for a 16-run win. And on the batting front, Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma lit up the league with an otherworldly 141* off 55 balls (14 fours, 10 sixes) in a successful chase of 246 vs PBKS indianexpress.com. (That innings set multiple records – it was the highest IPL score by an Indian batsman – and crushed PBKS’s resistance by 8 wickets.)

IPL 2025 Stats and Standouts

Stars of the Season

IPL 2025 saw several players shine. Virat Kohli, RCB’s captain and icon, ended the season as one of its most consistent batters. He top-scored for RCB in the final (43 runs) and amassed 657 runs in the league. Kohli’s hunger for runs and experience helped RCB weather many crises – and after years of heartbreak he finally celebrated a trophy as IPL 2025 Highlights.

On the bowling side, Jasprit Bumrah was MI’s workhorse. His yorkers and full-tosses continually stifled batsmen, and he finished with the best economy rate among regular bowlers (a miserly ~6.36) in the tournament. Hardik Pandya also starred for Mumbai, notably taking 5/36 in one match to become the first IPL captain to take a five-for.

At Punjab Kings, Shreyas Iyer led from the front. Under his captaincy PBKS played fearless cricket and topped the table. Shreyas himself was in fine touch – he famously smashed 72 off just 41 balls (with 5 fours, 4 sixes) in the win over CSK, and scored several other crucial knocks.

Check this too : IPL Emerging Players: Rising Stars of the 2025 Season !

The Delhi Capitals story included a fan-favorite hero of fair play: Rishabh Pant. In a high-pressure match (against Lucknow), Pant became the talk of the town for an act of sportsmanship. When LSG’s Digvesh Rathi attempted a Mankad on DC’s Jitesh Sharma, Pant withdrew the appeal, giving the batsman a reprieve. This gracious act – caught on camera – was hailed as one of the season’s finest moments of sportsmanship as IPL 2025 Highlights .

Another feel-good story came in the form of Karun Nair’s comeback. After years out of the IPL, Nair was given a second chance with Delhi Capitals. He seized it by scoring 89 off just 40 balls on debut for DC (chasing 206 vs MI). Though DC fell short, Nair’s belligerent knock showed he hasn’t lost his touch.

• Virat Kohli (RCB) – Team talisman; top-scored in the final and totaled 657 runs in IPL 2025. 
• Jasprit Bumrah (MI) – Pacer extraordinaire; led MI’s attack with miserly bowling (best economy ~6.36). 
• Shreyas Iyer (PBKS, captain) – Ran the league table; pivotal innings like 72* vs CSK helped PBKS qualify 
• Rishabh Pant (DC) – Wicketkeeper-batter with a golden heart; he famously withdrew a Mankad appeal to uphold the spirit of the game. 
• Karun Nair (DC) – After a long IPL hiatus, batted aggressively on return: 89 off 40 balls on debut for DC. 
• Yuzvendra Chahal (PBKS) – Leg-spinner who turned games around. Notably took four wickets (including a hat-trick) for 32 against CSK. 
• Abhishek Sharma (SRH) – Southpaw opener who smashed 141* off 55 vs PBKS (the highest IPL score by an Indian) in a record chase. 

Moments of Friendship and Controversy

Off the scoresheets, the season had its share of drama and camaraderie. On the friendship side, one viral image melted hearts: after RCB thrashed CSK in Chennai, Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni – arch-rivals for over a decade – walked off the field sharing a warm embrace and chat. Fans hailed the “Mahi–Rat moment” everywhere. Likewise, old Delhi teammates Virat Kohli and Ishant Sharma shared a genuine hug in the dugout before an RCB–GT game, reminding everyone of their long friendship beyond cricket.

Warm feelings off the field: Virat Kohli and fellow Delhi cricketer Ishant Sharma share a heartfelt hug before an RCB vs GT game.

However, there were also tense incidents. LSG’s Digvesh Rathi (often in the news for animated celebrations) almost sparked a brawl when he stared down SRH’s Abhishek Sharma after dismissing him. Abhishek glared back and even stepped toward Rathi in protest ipl.com. Teammates and umpires had to step in. Cameras caught the heated exchange at the fall of Abhishek’s wicket (“a heated moment” in local media). Both players later smoothed things over, but Rathi picked up yet another demerit point for on-field misconduct.

Finally, we can’t forget the sheer sportsmanship. Pant’s decision to let Jitesh Shahmar walk away (instead of accepting the Mankad) was widely praised. Similarly, after tense match moments, players often embraced or shook hands warmly – a reminder that the “spirit of cricket” lives in the IPL too.