When Royal Challengers Bengaluru finally lifted their maiden IPL trophy after 18 long years, emotions ran high.
For fans and players alike, the win at the Narendra Modi Stadium against Punjab Kings was a dream come true.
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England all-rounder Liam Livingstone, who was part of the squad, opened up on how everything during the season felt destined to lead to that moment.
What did Liam Livingstone say about RCB’s historic win?
Livingstone recalled the strange sequence of events that made RCB’s triumph look written in the stars.
"All the way through the tournament, things were just happening. And you were like, hold on a minute, maybe this is the year," said Livingstone.
He said that Josh Hazlewood was their important bowler and performed well but both Hazlewood and the captain suffered injuries that could have derailed the campaign.
But then an unexpected 10-day break came in the tournament, which gave Hazlewood and Rajat Patidar a good time to recover and return.
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"We had Hazlewood as our overseas bowler, who was unbelievable for us. Our captain broke his finger. Hazlewood got injured. They were two big losses for us, and then the tournament got canceled for 10 days, which allowed Hazlewood and Rajat to get fit again," said Livingstone.
"Salty was having a baby that came two days before, which gave him time to fly home and fly back out to play the final," he added.
Livingstone felt that every twist of fate seemed to go in their favour, and by the night of the final, he thought it was destined, as if it was meant to be, that RCB would finally win the IPL.
"And everything was lining up. I remember on the night thinking it’s just meant to be, we are going to win it." he concluded.
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How did RCB beat PBKS in the IPL 2025 final?
The big night saw RCB produce a complete performance against Punjab Kings. Batting first, they posted 190/9 in 20 overs, thanks to Virat Kohli’s steady 43, Rajat Patidar’s 26, and quick cameos from Livingstone (25) and Jitesh Sharma (24 off 10). Romario Shepherd added crucial late runs before the innings closed.
Punjab got a solid start but RCB’s bowlers fought back. All the RCB bolwers bowled well and picked key wickets. Punjab faltered in the chase despite a late surge from Shashank Singh.
With 29 needed off the last over, Hazlewood held his nerve and sealed the title for RCB..
How did Livingstone perform in IPL 2025 season?
Livingstone was bought by RCB for a hefty ₹8.75 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. But his season didn’t go as expected.
Across 10 matches, he managed only 112 runs at an average of 16.00, with a strike rate much lower than his usual standards. With the ball, he picked up just two wickets.
He was even dropped midway through the tournament but returned during the knockouts after Tim David’s injury.
Despite his below-par numbers, he contributed with a handy 25 in the final that kept RCB’s innings moving at a crucial time.
Looking at the next season, RCB might think about releasing him ahead of the 2026 auction and bringing in another all-rounder who can make a bigger impact.