"The match went totally in Bengaluru's favor from there" - Aakash Chopra lauds Krunal Pandya's spell in IPL 2025 final

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded Krunal Pandya for bowling a match-defining spell in the IPL 2025 final between the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and the Punjab Kings (PBKS). He opined that the left-arm spinner's dismissal of Josh Inglis swayed the game in RCB's favor completely.

RCB set PBKS a 191-run target in the IPL 2025 final in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3. Krunal then registered figures of 2/17 in four overs as the Bengaluru-based franchise restricted Shreyas Iyer and company to 184/7 to bag its maiden IPL trophy.

Reviewing the IPL 2025 final in a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener noted that Krunal dispelled the pre-tournament notion that RCB's spin-bowling attack was weak with multiple match-winning performances, including in the summit clash.

"The biggest thing is that if your weakest link becomes your strongest suit, you will say 'well done,' because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Krunal Pandya and Suyash Sharma seemed to be the weakest link. However, guess what, Krunal Pandya won three Player of the Match awards," Chopra said (2:00).

"Match-changing spell. He first dismissed Prabhsimran Singh by bowling slow, and then he dismissed Josh Inglis by bowling fast. I think Josh Inglis' wicket was the game-changing moment because the match went totally in Bengaluru's favor from there. Only one guy could have won this match after Shreyas got out, and that was Josh Inglis. However, he was dismissed, and I think that was game, set, and match," he added.

Krunal Pandya first had Prabhsimran Singh (26 off 22) caught by Bhuvneshwar Kumar at point while attempting a big shot. He then had Josh Inglis (39 off 23) caught by Liam Livingstone at long-on to reduce PBKS to 98/4 after 12.1 overs.

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"Yash Dayal was phenomenal" - Aakash Chopra on the other RCB bowlers' performances in the IPL 2025 final

Yash Dayal dismissed Azmatullah Omarzai in the IPL 2025 final. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that Bhuvneshwar Kumar (2/38 in four overs) and Yash Dayal (1/18 in three overs) also deserve praise for their impressive spells in the IPL 2025 final.

"Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yash Dayal should also be spoken about. Bhuvneshwar Kumar conceded 38 runs in four overs for sure, but he picked up two wickets. He took important wickets. Yash Dayal was phenomenal, three overs, 18 runs, and a wicket," he said (8:00).

While observing that Romario Shepherd picked up the crucial wicket of Shreyas Iyer, the cricketer-turned-commentator added that Josh Hazlewood maintained his all-win record in finals.

"Romario Shepherd came and picked up a wicket at the start of his spell. Whose wicket was that? It was Shreyas Iyer's wicket. Josh Hazlewood, of course, is par excellence. He never loses a final. He has won another final," Chopra elaborated.

Romario Shepherd registered figures of 1/30 in three overs in the IPL 2025 final. Although Josh Hazlewood conceded 54 runs while accounting for Priyansh Arya's wicket, 22 of those runs came in the final over, when the match was virtually sealed in RCB's favor.