"Year No. 18, a twist is coming in the story" - Aakash Chopra on RCB qualifying for IPL 2025 Qualifier 1

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) could end their 18-year-long wait for an Indian Premier League trophy in IPL 2025. The three-time runners-up beat the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the final league game of the season to book their berth in Qualifier 1.

LSG set RCB a massive 228-run target after being asked to bat first in Lucknow on Tuesday, May 27. The visitors achieved the target with six wickets and eight deliveries to spare to finish second after the league phase.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener expressed optimism about RCB's chances of lifting the trophy in IPL 2025, highlighting that they have always played the final whenever they have finished in the top two.

"Royal Challengers Bengaluru, you have reached Qualifier 1 after a long gap. You reached there in 2011, then in 2016, and now after that. It means you will play Qualifier 1 after a long wait of nine years. Interestingly, whenever they have played Qualifier 1 and finished in the top two, they have played the final," Chopra said (0:01).

"They have qualified many times after 2016, but they used to be at No. 3 or No. 4, played the Eliminator, and didn't reach the final even once. So, year No. 18, a twist is coming in the story. It might be 'Ee Saala Cup Namde.' They have booked their appointment with Punjab," he added.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that the two teams that will play Qualifier 1, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Punjab Kings (PBKS), haven't lifted a single IPL trophy to date. He added that the two sides that will play the Eliminator, the Mumbai Indians (MI) and the Gujarat Titans (GT), have six trophies between them, but the loser of their clash will return home.

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"They have won 7 consecutive away games" - Aakash Chopra on RCB's record-breaking run to IPL 2025 Qualifier 1

Jitesh Sharma and Mayank Agarwal's partnership helped RCB maintain their all-win away record in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru have had numerous match-winners and an incredible away record in IPL 2025.

"It's enjoyable talking about the history RCB have created. They have had eight different Player of the Match winners. Jitesh Sharma was the Player of the Match in this match. They have won seven consecutive away games. It's happened for the first time. No one is able to stop you," he said (3:20).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that RCB achieved their highest-ever run chase, and the third-highest in the league's history, in Tuesday's game.

"If we talk about the run chase, it was the third biggest run chase in this tournament's history. If you are doing that, then you are a superstar team. If you look at it from your point of view, you had chased a 200-plus total only twice previously, and you did it here," Chopra observed.

Virat Kohli (54 off 30) and Phil Salt (30 off 19) laid the platform for RCB's chase with a 61-run opening partnership in 5.4 overs. Jitesh Sharma (85* off 33) and Mayank Agarwal (41* off 23) completed the job with an unbroken 107-run fifth-wicket partnership in just 7.2 overs.