The 18th edition of the EPL 2025 is rapidly approaching its thrilling conclusion. This year's final will be contested between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings. This prestigious match will be held today, June 3rd, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Sports News: The exciting journey of IPL 2025 has reached its final stage. This year's final match between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Punjab Kings will be played at the world-renowned Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 3rd. Both teams will be aiming for their first IPL trophy, making this match even more special.
The biggest question surrounding this decisive match is the nature of the pitch. Will it favor batsmen or will the bowlers weave their magic? Let's delve into this pitch report to understand the potential scenarios of this final and the Ahmedabad weather conditions.
Narendra Modi Stadium Pitch Analysis
The Narendra Modi Stadium pitch in Ahmedabad is generally considered quite favorable for batsmen. A total of eight IPL matches have been played here this season, with scores exceeding 200 runs eleven times. This indicates that batsmen have had ample opportunities to showcase their aggressive batting. Furthermore, teams have successfully chased targets exceeding 200 runs on two occasions. This suggests that the pitch may again host a high-scoring encounter in the final.
The pitch surface appears evenly paced and balanced, potentially offering some early assistance to bowlers. Spinners might find slight help initially, while fast bowlers could also exploit any seam movement for early wickets. However, as the match progresses, the dominance is expected to shift towards the batsmen. Therefore, batsmen seem to have a significant advantage.
The Crucial Role of the Toss
Winning the toss will be crucial for strategic planning. Considering the weather and pitch conditions, teams batting first have generally enjoyed success in most matches. This has been evident in six out of the eight matches played this season. However, teams chasing have also registered victories twice, including Punjab Kings' win against Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2.
Evening dew can be a factor in Ahmedabad. Therefore, the team winning the toss might opt to bowl second, as the dew makes it difficult for bowlers to grip the ball, benefiting the batsmen. However, if the winning team chooses to bat first, substantial partnerships will be crucial to justify the decision.
Head-to-Head Record
The final clash between these two teams promises excitement for viewers, given their closely matched head-to-head record. In 36 previous encounters, both teams have won 18 matches each. This season, they met three times, with RCB winning twice and Punjab Kings once. This suggests a highly competitive and unpredictable match.
Ahmedabad Weather Forecast
According to AccuWeather, the temperature in Ahmedabad on June 3rd will be around 36°C, potentially dropping to 31°C during the match. Humidity levels will range between 52% and 63%, which is considered normal for players. The sky will be mostly cloudy, but the probability of rain is quite low, between 2% and 5%.
However, Qualifier 2 experienced a delay of approximately two hours and fifteen minutes due to rain. With a lower probability of rain this time, the expectation is that the entire match will proceed without interruption.
Probable Playing XIs for Both Teams
Royal Challengers Bangalore: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (Wicketkeeper), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood.
Impact Player - Suyash Sharma.
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (Wicketkeeper), Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Azmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Arshdeep Singh, Vijaykumar Vyshak.
Impact Player - Yuzvendra Chahal.
