BJP State President of Karnataka backs RCB ahead of IPL 2025 final against Punjab Kings
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 3 (ANI): As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) gear up for their fourth appearance in an Indian Premier League (IPL) final. Vijayendra Yediyurappa, State President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka and MLA from Shikaripura, who extended his heartfelt support to the team through a post on his official X handle.
Reflecting on RCB's journey and the enduring passion of its fanbase, Yediyurappa wrote,
'It's been 18 years since the tournament began, and through it all, two things have stayed constant: Virat Kohli's electric presence and the unwavering passion of RCB fans. The trophy may have alluded us so far, but the spirit has never wavered.
We've been here three times before, on the brink of glory, but this year feels different. There's fire, belief, and an unshakable hunger to bring the cup home.
Here's to the team carrying the hopes of millions - play bold, play fearless, and make this season unforgettable. All the very best! The entire RCB family is right behind you!'
https://x.com/BYVijayendra/status/1929752005788291242
He acknowledged the heartbreak of previous finals, noting that while the coveted trophy has eluded the team thrice in 2009, 2011, and 2016, their spirit has remained unbroken.
RCB will face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Both teams have yet to lift the IPL trophy, making this clash a historic opportunity for either side to end their title drought.
PBKS have qualified for the final once in 2014 when they were known as Kings XI Punjab, losing the match to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Royal Challengers Bengaluru were the first team to qualify for the final. They finished the league stage in second spot with 19 points from 14 games before beating Punjab Kings by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 to book their berth in the final.
Punjab Kings, meanwhile, topped the league stage with 19 points from 14 games and a better net run rate than RCB.
However, PBKS lost their Qualifier 1 game against RCB, leading to them facing Mumbai Indians in the Qualifier 2 clash, which they won by five wickets to secure their spot in the summit match. (ANI)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
Genelia D'Souza praises Virat Kohli's camaraderie after RCB's emotional IPL 2025 victory after 18 years: 'He went to AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle...'
Genelia D'Souza, who is gearing up for the release of Sitaare Zameen Par alongside Aamir Khan, recently opened up about Virat Kohli 's historic IPL 2025 win and the powerful emotions surrounding it. Speaking to Filmygyan, the actress praised Virat 's gesture of acknowledging his longtime teammates AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle . 'It was very special to see Virat win after 18 years and see the camaraderie. I think teamwork is the most important,' she shared. 'The fact that Virat went to De Villiers and Chris Gayle and said, 'these people fought for 18 years'—I mean, these are moments that, as an audience, you watch and think, yeah, we should also feel this in our lives.' Bhawna Kohli Dhingra pens emotional note for brother Virat As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their first-ever IPL trophy, Virat Kohli's sister Bhawna Kohli Dhingra expressed her joy on Instagram with a heartfelt message and several pictures of Virat and Anushka Sharma . 'This night, this moment where we celebrate this dream which made us cry, which made us laugh; but the wait that you did is far too long,' she wrote. 'Each and every second of the moment needs to be experienced with stillness and a strange calmness that it's actually done.' Thanking the fans, she added, 'This win is everybody's personal win. Your tears were felt in the eyes of everyone who loves you. We cried with you because you, my little Veeru, are God's chosen one who brings so much joy and inspiration to everyone.' Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Device Made My Power Bill Drop Overnight elecTrick - Save upto 80% on Power Bill Pre-Order Undo She concluded with an emotional reference to their late father, writing, 'Someone in heaven is smiling in his usual smile, looking at his son making him proud.' Ritesh Deshmukh and Genelia Spotted at Bandra Cafe with Son Troll questions her bond with Virat; Bhawna's graceful reply wins hearts As her emotional post went viral, a troll commented, 'Why does he never mention you in any speech or like your post? Not even Anushka does, lol.' In response, Bhawna maintained her composure and replied with grace: 'May God give you the patience to understand love can exist in many ways, which is not necessarily shown to the world, but it's still there—like the love for almighty. Hope you have enough love in your life, no insecurities, only true bonds which don't need any validation. God bless you.' Anushka Sharma was by Virat's side as they celebrated RCB's victory with a grand parade in Bengaluru. She shared joyful moments from the ride through the cheering crowd.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
The concentric circles of guilt in a sports-loving city
For no fault of the players, RCB's first IPL title will always be associated with death and disaster. Rajat Patidar and his boys deserved better, as did the lakhs of fans who turned up that Wednesday morning to share in the triumph. Sport is a life-affirming activity, and to die in its support goes against the natural order of things. Eleven fans died, and no amount of buck-passing will make a difference to their families and loved ones. I have lived in Bengaluru for more years than anywhere else, starting from primary school. But you don't have to be a local to feel the terrible weight of the human disaster. Especially one which with some foresight and common sense could have been avoided. A marketing opportunity for one group, a photo-op for another saw the death of innocence in a sports-loving city. Accountability usually works in a series of concentric circles. Steadily, depending on the public reaction, it moves from the outermost circle which is the least to blame and moves towards the centre. There are, of course varying degrees of guilt, starting from the outermost circle, which was quickly brought into the picture by the Deputy Chief Minister (DCM) when he said the crowds were 'uncontrollable.' This is the politician's first line of defence — the people did it. But this is not an issue likely to disappear, especially since the politicians appeared to be more keen on posing with the players than on dealing with the situation. Does the DCM deserve the benefit of the doubt when he claimed that inside the stadium he did not know about the stampede outside? No official told him? The politicians belong to the innermost circle — is the momentum of the accountability strong enough to get to them? Lack of communication Letters emerging from top police officials warning of the dangers of the lack of preparation for controlling huge crowds suggest that ultimately decisions were taken to which they were not privy. The lack of clear communication between the organisers (there is still some confusion about who these were, the government, the Karnataka State Cricket Association or RCB, or all three at different times and venues) and the public was, in the end, fatal. Crowds respond to rumours; they contain professional trouble-makers, some fuelled by drink. Many seek a shared kinship amidst unemployment and marginalisation. There is too the culture of the IPL itself, which encourages over-the-top reactions. Irrational, overplayed and illogical, it is one of sport's techniques to put 'bums on seats', as the boxer Muhammad Ali memorably put it. Or bums on couches before the television. Rivalry, individual as well as among teams, is encouraged. Remember the famous slap in the early years, when Harbhajan Singh, an India player, slapped Sreesanth, another India player? There is no such thing as bad publicity, those officials believed, but now they have overplayed their hand. 'Celebration' and rotten behaviour If cricket fans in India have become indistinguishable from football fans in Europe, the culture of the IPL has something to do with this. 'Celebration' — whether on New Year's Eve or at festivals — seems a free pass to rotten behaviour, physical abuse of women, and perhaps an outlet for many frustrations. Anonymity in a crowd is of the kind that social media guarantees, so is the entitlement. Perhaps the refusal to listen to authority or follow instructions comes from the same mindset. That, of course, ought not to stop authority, from the politicians to the police from doing their job of keeping everybody safe. Would lakhs have turned up to greet the Karnataka team had they won the Ranji Trophy? It seems that most of India's fans are not so much cricket lovers as cricketer lovers. Social media has fed into the interminable hunger for news of personalities, building the players up in the process and putting them out of reach of the everyday. But those questions will have to await another day. For the moment, it is important to sift the essential from the incidental. Senior policemen have been suspended, an RCB official faced arrest, two office-bearers of the Karnataka State Cricket Association have resigned. But who among the inner circle knowing the possible consequences gave the go-ahead? Check the photographs.
India Today
4 hours ago
- India Today
Why is there no political accountability for Bengaluru stampede? Experts debate
The debate focusses on the lack of political accountability a week after the tragic stampede in Bengaluru. While RCB officials and event managers have been arrested, and police officers suspended, no political heads have rolled. The discussion explores the roles of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and police in granting permission for the event, despite initial denial from law enforcement. The conversation also touches on similar incidents in BJP-ruled states and questions the standards of accountability across political parties.
