“Punjab are just going to steal it from them” - Australian captain’s massive claim on RCB vs PBKS IPL 2025 final

Australian women's team captain Alyssa Healy made a massive claim ahead of the IPL 2025 final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS). The big clash will be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Talking about the final, Alyssa Healy said that RCB will be eager to win the title having come close many times in the past. She added that the pressure will be on them, given their history, and feels that PBKS will snatch the trophy from them and win the title.

"Neither team has obviously never won before. There's going to be a little bit of panic at some point out there. RCB would really want to win, having come so close in the past. I feel like all the pressure is on RCB to win this title. Especially with the way they have shaped up all the year. But Punjab are just going to come along and steal it from them," she said on the LiSTNR Sport podcast (via Hindustan Times).

The Bengaluru-based franchise finished second on the table and beat Punjab in the Qualifier 1 to make it to the final. On the other hand, after the defeat, Punjab, who had topped the table, beat Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Qualifier 2 to set up the summit clash.

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"I feel sorry for him" - Healy on pressure being on Virat Kohli to help RCB win title

Meanwhile, Alyssa Healy also expressed feeling sorry for RCB star Virat Kohli, stating that the pressure will be on him in the final. She added that should they lose yet another final, Kohli will have to take the blame once again.

"I feel sorry for him. Every time they haven't won, it's like his fault. It's not per se. But he is the face of the organisation, and it's like 'Oh, Virat has lost it again'. It's not so much for RCB, but 'Virat still hasn't won the IPL trophy'. So the pressure is all on him. And that side is going to rely a lot on Virat Kohli to get RCB to that trophy," she said.

Virat Kohli has been in good form this season, playing a major role in their run to the final. The star batter has scored 614 runs from 14 matches at an average of 55.81 and a strike-rate of 146.53 with eight half-centuries, all of which have come in a winning cause. He will be expected to score big in the final and will have a massive role to play with the bat.