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Australia women’s cricket captain Alyssa Healy has made a bold prediction ahead of the IPL 2025 final, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) will take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Both teams have reached the IPL final multiple times in their history but are yet to lift the trophy, adding a layer of emotional intensity to the contest.
Alyssa Healy reveals the winner of IPL 2025 final
Speaking on the LiSTNR Sport podcast, Healy acknowledged that RCB will be under immense pressure, not just from the occasion, but because of their past heartbreaks and the desperate hunger to finally claim the elusive title. She believes this pressure could work in PBKS’s favour, who might go on to snatch victory in a dramatic finish.
“Neither team has obviously ever won before. There’s going to be a little bit of panic at some point out there. RCB would really want to win, having come so close in the past. I feel like all the pressure is on RCB to win this title. But Punjab are just going to come along and steal it from them,” Healy said.
Healy’s assessment adds a new dimension to the final, suggesting that the mental game and pressure handling could decide the outcome, rather than just the playing XI or form on the day.
Virat Kohli under the spotlight again as RCB chase first title
Healy also spoke about Virat Kohli, RCB’s talisman and arguably the biggest name in Indian cricket. While Kohli has had a remarkable tournament, scoring 614 runs in 14 matches at an average of 55.81 and a strike rate of 146.53, Healy noted that the pressure on him to deliver in a final is immense. She sympathized with how the narrative always seems to pin responsibility on him whenever RCB falls short.
“I feel sorry for him. Every time they haven’t won, it’s like his fault. It’s not per se. But he is the face of the organisation, and it’s like ‘Oh, Virat has lost it again’. It’s not so much for RCB, but ‘Virat still hasn’t won the IPL trophy’. So the pressure is all on him. And that side is going to rely a lot on Virat Kohli to get RCB to that trophy,” Healy concluded.
The statement reflects a sentiment many cricket followers share, Kohli bears the brunt of expectations more than any other player. Despite his stellar stats and leadership over the years, RCB’s inability to win a title continues to be linked to him in public discourse.
Punjab Kings take the longer route; RCB ready for redemption
This season has seen both teams display impressive cricket. RCB finished second on the points table, while Punjab Kings topped the league stage. In the playoffs, RCB defeated Punjab in Qualifier 1, booking a direct ticket to the final. PBKS had to take the longer route and played Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2, where they secured a convincing win to earn their spot in the title clash.
For Punjab Kings, this is an opportunity to erase years of inconsistency and underperformance in crunch matches. Their balanced squad, consisting of explosive batters and smart bowlers, has shown resilience in close games. RCB, on the other hand, will bank heavily on their core group Kohli, Phil Salt and Josh Hazlewood to finally break the title drought. But with Healy tipping Punjab to pull off a heist, the stage is set for a high-pressure, emotionally charged final that promises to be one of the most memorable in IPL history.
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This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.
