The stakes were sky-high at the Narendra Modi Stadium as Royal Challengers Bengaluru locked horns with Punjab Kings in the IPL 2025 final. Amidst the intensity of the match, Virat Kohli, known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, was involved in a heated exchange with the on-field umpire, bringing a moment of drama that ignited the Ahmedabad crowd.
The incident unfolded in the 11th over during Kyle Jamieson’s spell. Kohli, stationed at the non-striker’s end, had just taken a single to rotate the strike. Rajat Patidar, who looked in solid touch, was on strike for the remaining deliveries of the over.
After a couple of runs and a majestic six off Jamieson, came a back-of-length delivery that zipped past Patidar’s bat as he attempted a cut. Kohli immediately gestured to the umpire, insisting that the ball was too high and should’ve been called a wide.
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The umpire, however, stood firm in his decision, prompting a visible show of frustration from the RCB stalwart. Kohli animatedly argued his point, expressing that the delivery was clearly outside the batter’s reach. It was classic Kohli—intense, passionate, and deeply invested.
— crictalk (@crictalk7) June 3, 2025
Ironically, the very next ball shifted the momentum. Jamieson struck gold by trapping Patidar lbw with a dipping delivery. The in-form batter, who had scored a brisk 26 off 16, chose not to review and walked back.
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At the end of 18 overs, RCB were 173 for 6 with Romario Shepherd and Krunal Pandya at the crease. With a couple of overs remaining, and the pitch offering good value for shots, RCB will be eyeing a score around 200. But given PBKS’s successful 204-run chase in Qualifier 2, they’ll need every bit of Shepherd’s magic to stay ahead.
