After PSG & Spurs, RCB vs PBKS could crown a season of stunning firsts
As these two long-suffering teams clash in the IPL 2025 final, one will finally shed their reputation as perennial underachievers. For Virat Kohli, now in his 18th season with RCB, the stakes are especially personal. Despite leading from the front across eras and scoring an all-time record 973 runs in 2016, the IPL title has always eluded him. Tonight could be his long-awaited moment of redemption.But this story of breakthrough glory isn't exclusive to the IPL. Across sports, 2025 has been a year of firsts — a year where teams and players finally reversed years of heartbreak and found silverware that had always danced just out of reach.IPL: RCB or PBKS — One Will Finally RiseBoth Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings have featured in multiple playoff runs, and each has appeared in IPL finals before — RCB thrice (2009, 2011, and 2016), PBKS once (2014). Yet, neither has been able to finish the job.This time, though, one will.Whether it's Kohli finally lifting the IPL trophy, or a revamped Punjab Kings side completing a dramatic turnaround season, tonight's result will put an end to one of the longest droughts in T20 franchise cricket history.Football: First-Time Glory Across EuropeadvertisementPSG Conquer Europe at LastAfter years of heavy investment and near misses, Paris Saint-Germain finally won the UEFA Champions League in 2025. What makes the triumph even more remarkable is that it came in their first post-Mbappe season. Under Luis Enrique, the team reinvented itself, playing as a cohesive unit rather than a collection of stars. Their emphatic 5-0 win over Inter Milan in the final wasn't just historic — it was symbolic of a team breaking free from its past.Tottenham Hotspur End 17-Year WaitIt wasn't just PSG. Tottenham Hotspur, long mocked for falling short at the final hurdle, lifted the Europa League by defeating Manchester United. It was their first major trophy since 2008 with the Carling Cup and a long-overdue payoff for a team that had often threatened but never delivered. For fans who'd grown used to hope turning into heartbreak, it was finally a reason to celebrate.Kane Finally Lifts a League TitleMeanwhile, Harry Kane, having departed Spurs for Bayern Munich in pursuit of trophies, had to wait longer than expected. But this season, he finally lifted his first Bundesliga title, ending a personal drought that spanned 19 years with his boyhood club and a turbulent debut season in Germany. For one of football's modern greats, enough and considered one of the best forwards of the game, 2025 brought long-deserved validation to his name.advertisementCrystal Palace Create HistoryIn a stunning FA Cup final, Crystal Palace upset Manchester City to claim the first major trophy in their history. For a club often seen as a mid-table mainstay, the result was groundbreaking. It wasn't just about winning — it was about doing it against one of the most dominant teams in English football.Newcastle's Domestic Drought EndsAnother club that finally broke their silverware curse was Newcastle United. Eddie Howe's side lifted the Carabao Cup, defeating Manchester City in the final and ending a 70-year wait for domestic honours. The last time Newcastle had tasted domestic success was in 1955 — which was also with an FA Cup win. This triumph was a full-circle moment for one of those clubs which have defined English football over the years.BBL: Hobart Hurricanes Break ThroughIt took 12 seasons, but the Hobart Hurricanes finally won their first Big Bash League title, defeating the Sydney Thunder in the final. Mitchell Owen played the innings of a lifetime, smashing 104 off 42 balls, rewriting the BBL record books, and ensuring Hobart no longer stood among the winless. Now, only the Melbourne Stars remain without a BBL crown.advertisementA Year of Release and RewardFrom Ahmedabad to Paris, London to Hobart, 2025 has been a year where persistence has finally been rewarded. The narratives that once defined these teams and athletes — of being the ones who always fell short — have been flipped.Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!
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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
At £150 million price tag, why Alexander Isak is the hot striker available in transfer window
One evening, a teenaged striker for the Swedish club AIK received a video call from an unknown number. He casually picked it up, only for his eyes to leap out of the orbit. At the other end was Ronaldo Nazario, one of his idols. The Brazilian requested him to join Real Madrid. He stumbled for words and just kept nodding his head. But a month after the call, he ignored Madrid and signed for Borussia Dortmund, the lapidarist club where raw stones are polished to shining gems. Madrid, his parents reasoned, was a step too soon. His parents, migrants from Eritrea who fled the war and settled in the Bagartorp just outside Stockholm in the late 80s believed in steady rather than spectacular promise. Eight years later, tracing unconventional paths with stops at Dutch Club Willem II (loan spell), Real Sociedad and Newcastle United, and suffering occasional setbacks, he could become the third most expensive transfer in the world after PSG recruits Kylian Mbappe and Neymar. His services would come at an eye-popping 150 millions pounds. Add agent fees, add-ons and transfer levy, he could cost around 200 million pounds. Yet, Alexander Isak is not a name that rolls off the tongues of football audiences with as much marvel as those of Mbappe or Neymar. Eyebrows are twitched, chins are stroked, and sometimes heads are banged. It could be that he turns up for Newcastle, a club that has more cult than mainstream adulation, or that he is not a face that screams from advertisement hoarding, or that he keeps an obscenely low profile off the pitch. The first question that swims in the head is whether his price is inflated? Is he or the club living a delusional neverland? Naysayer would pour his supreme but inferior numbers (26 goals and six assists in 42 games) as compared to some of the inflows in this season of gluttonous spending spree. Arsenal, after protracted negotiations, have landed Viktor Gyokeres, for half the sum (73 millions pounds) and twice the number of goals (54 goals and 13 assists) last season. Liverpool's latest fetch Hugo Ekitiké struck 22 times and assisted 12 goals and cost 79 million pounds. Pure economics suggests Isak's price-tag is a rip-off. But footballing intelligence suggests that Newcastle are not bound by greed. Rather, it's a peep into how the transfers work. Foremost, he is among the best in the business, just behind Erling Haaland and Mbappe in finishing but more hardworking than them off the ball. Last season, he skinned the Premier League's most trustworthy centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel of Arsenal in both legs of the League Cup semi-final with his pace, intelligent pressing and precision. By the end of the second leg, Arsenal supporters were pleading with Arteta to buy him the next season. That could yet be a reality, as the Gunners, if they squeeze the account book could orchestrate the wish of the fans. But at this stage, Isak remains a glint-eyed temptation and not a concrete plan. In Newcastle, he is deservingly hailed as the best player they had on the rolls since Alan Shearer, the highest goal-scorer in the league. Like Shearer, he has the immaculate sense of the goal, to process the patterns of the game and anticipate the ball's passing sequence. The craft of poaching is oversimplified to just being at the right place at the right time. Ignored are their vision and intelligence to be at that place, to weave past his markers, to wander invisibly like a phantom. Last season, Isak was exceptional inside the box. He possessed a conversion rate of 30.26, nearly double as much as Ekitiké. Rewatching both legs of the Arsenal game would offer an affirmation of his poise when hounded by defenders or the onrushing goalkeeper growing big on him, his knack of throwing defenders (Saliba, no less) off-balance is exemplary. He is not averse to scoring from long range either. A 25-yard screamer against Liverpool was vintage EPL stuff. He is not a see-ball-hit-ball type either. The movements are balletic, he dribbles but with minimalistic precision, he drifts out and slithers in with a casual swivel that throws the frantic marker off-kilter. He was first compared to Thierry Henry because they wore the same jersey No (14); two years in the league, it doesn't seem like a silly hyperbole. Like ex-Liverpool centre forward Roberto Firmino, he drops deeper into the pockets, between the lines of defence and midfield. An acute shortage of centre forwards adds a few millions. Premier League experience adds a few more. He is Premier League proven, Ekitiké is not, Brighton did not consider Gyokeres rounded enough to feature in the league and loaned him out to Bundesliga and Championship sides. Whereas he has improved in recent years and excelled against English teams in Champions League, there are still lingering doubts of him setting the goalscoring charts on fire. Besides, he is 25, just about hitting the peak. Other factors too are at play. Like the desperation of a club to sell a player. Newcastle is not a club that grooms and sells players, it's ambitious and desperately tried to keep Isak at St James' Park. It's utterly reasonable that the club has stuck a tag that limits his acquisition to only a handful of Europe's elites. Only that his timing of his transfer request came a trifle too late. The big spenders had already exhausted a bulk of their budget. A heated bidding war is unlikely; it could be just one ambitious club making a decisive swoop. Or a legend making an impromptu video call.
India.com
11 hours ago
- India.com
IPL 2026: Nitish Kumar Reddy Breaks Silence On His Future With Sunrisers Hyderabad Amid Trade Rumours
India all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy has broken silence on his future with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) amid the trade rumours. According to a report from India Today, Nitish had expressed his desire to leave SRH over his role in the team, especially after being pushed down the batting order. However, the 22-year-old all-rounder on Sunday took to social media to issue clarification, saying that he will always stand by his current IPL team. "I tend to stay away from the noise, but some things deserve clarity. My connection with SRH is built on trust, respect, and years of shared passion. I'll always stand by this team," wrote Reddy on his 'X' account. Ahead of IPL 2025 mega auction, Visakhapatnam-based Reddy was retained by SRH at Rs six crore. It came after Reddy amassed 303 runs in 13 matches and also took three wickets in IPL 2024, which paved his way for selection into India T20I and Test teams. But Reddy failed to repeat his heroics in IPL 2025 - scoring only 182 runs in 13 games and didn't bowl a lot of overs due to his recovery from a side strain which kept him out of action after the first T20I against England earlier this year.
NDTV
12 hours ago
- NDTV
Watch: AB De Villiers Turns The Clock Back, Smashes 39-Ball Century In WCL 2025
Former South Africa star AB de Villiers is setting new age goals everyday as he is just unstoppable in the ongoing World Championship of Legends. Leading South Africa Champions, de Villiers stunned everyone with his heroics against India Champions, where he scored 63 off just 30 balls. In his next game against England Champions, he scored an unbeaten 116 as the Proteas chased down the target of 153 with 10 wickets and 7.4 overs in hand. Now, playing against Australia after missing the match against Pakistan, de Villiers smashed 123 off 46 balls, scoring back-to-back tons in the ongoing tournament. Watch de Villiers' ton vs Australia Champions - Ball by ball highlights of AB de Villiers' 123(46) vs Australia Legends today. — . (@ABDszn17) July 27, 2025 Former South Africa versatile batter AB de Villiers isn't tempted to a return to international cricket or a high-profile tournament like the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite proving his insatiable appetite for piling up runs in the World Championship of Legends. The 41-year-old pulled the curtains down on his illustrious adventures in the international circuit in 2018, and since then hasn't looked back. On Thursday, during his second appearance since his last competitive game in 2021, he turned back the clock in the World Championship of Legends while representing the South African Champions. Often recognised as 'Mr 360', de Villiers unleashed a barrage of boundaries from his heavily loaded arsenal in Leicestershire. He pummelled England Champions, clobbered every delivery that landed in his arc and returned unbeaten with 116 from a mere 51 deliveries. Despite getting the thrill of his sizzling exploits, de Villiers doesn't entertain the idea of returning to top-level cricket again and told ANI, "I am not playing international or big franchise cricket again. This is the king of leagues I will commit to."
