The upcoming IPL final is not just about two teams chasing their first title -- it’s also about one man potentially scripting a unique chapter in the tournament’s history.
When Punjab Kings take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, all eyes will be on Shreyas Iyer. Not only is he leading PBKS into their first final in 11 years but he is also on the brink of achieving something no other IPL captain has ever done.
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Chasing 204 in the Qualifier 2 against Mumbai Indians, Iyer led from the front with an unbeaten 87 off 41 balls. His knock took Punjab to a memorable five-wicket win and a place in the final.
For a team that last reached the final in 2014, it was a long-awaited return.
Has any captain ever won IPL title with two different teams?
If Iyer leads PBKS to win, he will become the first captain in IPL history to win titles with two different teams. He had previously lifted the trophy with Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024.
Now just one win away, he has the chance to do what even IPL greats like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma haven’t done.
Should PBKS lift the trophy, Iyer will also join Dhoni and Rohit in an exclusive club of captains who have won back-to-back IPL titles. Dhoni achieved the feat with CSK in 2010 and 2011 while Rohit did it with MI in 2019 and 2020.
Iyer - if successful - would be the first to do it with two different franchises.
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Regardless of who wins, the IPL 2025 final will end a long wait. RCB are playing their fourth final - still chasing their maiden title after heartbreaks in 2009, 2011 and 2016.
PBKS are in their second final after losing to KKR in 2014. It’s a fresh chapter in the IPL either way. But for Iyer, it could be historic.