Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) scripted history by winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and lifting the coveted trophy for the first time. Under Rajat Patidar’s leadership, Challengers succeeded in pulling off the title and became the seventh team to do so in the cash-rich league. During the campaign, Challengers played a fierce brand of cricket to taste success. Their star players Virat Kohli and Josh Hazlewood utilised their vast experience and emerged as the best players for the team in the season. Kohli smashed 657 runs in 15 matches and ended up as the leading run-getter for the side in the tournament while Hazlewood concluded the competition as the third-highest wicket-taker with 22 scalps in 12 games.
With this majestic success, RCB have become the second team to win both IPL and Women’s Premier League (WPL) trophies. Back in 2024, RCB also won their maiden WPL trophy under Smriti Mandhana’s captaincy after beating Meg Lanning’s Delhi Capitals (DC) in the final played at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Before Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians (MI) held the record of winning both IPL and WPL titles until 2023.
Difference between RCB’s IPL and WPL title victories
Following RCB’s IPL 2025 triumph, it’s time to compare their title success with their women’s side’s victory in WPL 2024. Talking about the IPL 2025 champions, they looked dominant throughout the long competition. From the start of the tournament, the Rajat Patidar-led pack ensured that they maintained the top two spots in the round-robin stage.
After qualifying for the playoffs with 19 points, Patidar’s team looked relentless in the playoffs and defeated Punjab Kings (PBKS) by eight wickets. Discussing RCB’s WPL team’s victory in 2024, they looked shaky in the league round but put up a disciplined show in the playoffs to hammer Mumbai Indians (MI) in Eliminator and DC in the final.
In RCB’s IPL win, Virat Kohli and Josh Hazlewood made vital contributions while in the WPL victory, star Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry played a pivotal role. As an all-rounder, she racked up 347 runs and seven wickets. The Aussie veteran also won the Orange Cap for her batting performance.
Smriti Mandhana, the captain, bolstered the side with her batting prowess then. As an opener, she struck 300 runs in 10 matches and ended up as the second-leading run-getter in the competition. Talking about Patidar’s batting numbers, he scored 312 runs in 15 matches at a fine strike rate of 143.77.
