‘Temple visits and holy dips': RCB fans across India pray hard for team's victory. Watch
With Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) set to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 final on Tuesday, fans of the Bengaluru-based franchise are leaving no stone unturned, or shrine untouched, in their prayers for a long-awaited championship victory.
In viral videos circulating online, RCB supporters from across India are seen engaging in symbolic gestures. Some are taking ritual dips in holy rivers, while others are offering team jerseys at temples and performing special pujas in the name of star player Virat Kohli.
For many, this final is more than a game, it's a shot at redemption after 18 years of heartbreak.
(Also Read: Where to watch RCB vs PBKS IPL final live in Bengaluru: Top 5 screening spots)
RCB, often touted as one of the unluckiest teams in the league despite having a massive fan base and high-profile players, have made it to the IPL final three times in the past, in 2009, 2011, and 2016, only to fall short each time.
But this year feels different for many fans. RCB finished the league stage in second place with 19 points from 14 matches and became the first team to secure a spot in the final after a commanding eight-wicket win over PBKS in Qualifier 1.
Punjab Kings, on the other hand, have had their own rocky road. The team last reached the final in 2014, then called Kings XI Punjab, where they lost to Kolkata Knight Riders.
With both teams chasing their maiden IPL title, the final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium is being billed as a showdown of hope and history.
Whether it's superstition or undying loyalty, one thing is certain if RCB do finally lift the trophy on Tuesday, it won't just be a victory on the field. It will be an emotional release for millions who've stood by the team through every near-miss.
(With agency inputs)
(Also Read: 'Ee saala cup namde': Even Drake has $1.3 million riding on RCB winning IPL 2025, turns Virat Kohli fanboy on Instagram)
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Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
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Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
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India.com
an hour ago
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'We promptly amended our...', RCB says about stampede at Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru
An injured being assisted who got fainted during a stampede outside M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ahead of the IPL 2025 victory celebration of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in Bengaluru on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Photo: IANS) Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have mourned the horrific stampede outside the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday that claimed 11 lives and left 33 others injured. Thousands of RCB fans had gathered outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to participate in a felicitation function for the RCB team that won the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 title, ending the franchise's 18-year-long wait for the title. The stampede was reported outside Gate 2 of the stadium shortly after RCB players reached the Vidhana Soudha to meet Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The crowd outside the stadium had been swelling for hours amid confusion over whether the victory parade would actually take place. Many people have criticised RCB for going ahead with a felicitation function for its players while the victims were suffering in the hospitals. But the franchise said they had amended their program soon after being made aware of the tragedy. 'RCB mourns the tragic loss of lives and extends our heartfelt condolences to the affected families. Immediately upon being made aware of the situation, we promptly amended our program and followed the guidance and advice of the local administration,' the RCB said in a statement. 'We are deeply anguished by the unfortunate incidents that have come to light through media reports regarding public gatherings all over Bengaluru in anticipation of the team's arrival this afternoon. The safety and well-being of everyone is of utmost importance to us. 'We urge all our supporters to please stay safe,' RCB said in the statement released late in the evening. The tragic scenes outside the stadium unfolded rapidly. As barriers collapsed, panic spread among the crowd. Police personnel, unable to control the surge, watched as many fans were crushed in the chaos. Emergency teams rushed the injured to Bowring and Vydehi Hospitals. Survivors described heart-wrenching scenes—of people gasping for breath, unconscious bodies on the ground, and cries for help drowned in the commotion. RCB legend Virat Kohli also put out the same official statement, expressing his sorrow through an Instagram post.
