IPL 2025 shatters all records as RCB-PBKS final becomes most-watched T20 game of all time

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally lifted their maiden trophy with a narrow six-run win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the Indian Premier League 2025 (IPL 2025) final clash. According to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the summit clash became the most-watched T20 match in history.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended their 18-year title drought by winning their maiden Indian Premier League trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Virat Kohli has been with the franchise since its inception in 2008. The 36-year-old cricketer achieved his dream of lifting the IPL trophy with Bengaluru.

IPL 2025 Records Over 840 Billion Minutes of Watch-Time

The IPL 2025 season shattered viewership records, with over 1 billion viewers and more than 840 billion minutes of total watch time across TV and digital platforms, according to official broadcaster JioStar.

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The final between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings became the most-watched T20 match ever, pulling in 31.7 billion minutes of viewing time. Notably, the match was viewed by 169 million people on TV and recorded 892 million video views digitally, with a peak concurrency of 55 million.

JioHotstar reported a 29% surge in digital viewership compared to the previous year, especially on large-screen devices. Meanwhile, Star Sports delivered an unprecedented 456 billion minutes of live broadcast on television, the highest in IPL history.

IPL 2025: We Focused on Offering Something for Everyone - JioStar CEO

JioStar’s CEO of Sports and Live Experiences, Sanjog Gupta, spoke about the record-breaking IPL 2025 viewership. He said that the impressive numbers demonstrate the league's immense popularity across various types of viewers.

“The incredible viewership numbers show us how much fans love the IPL," Sanjog Gupta said.

"This season, we focused on offering something for everyone — from new viewers watching casually, to hardcore fans who don’t miss a ball. Our aim was to make the experience more personalised, interactive and inclusive for all.”

The 2025 IPL season maintained excitement despite being suspended mid-season. Notably, the opening weekend alone drew 49.5 billion minutes of viewership, setting a new record for the most-watched start to an IPL season.

IPL 2025: Rajat Patidar Became the First RCB Captain to Lift IPL Trophy

Rajat Patidar became the first RCB captain to lead the franchise to an IPL title. He was appointed skipper before the season began. RCB started their campaign with a win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens and maintained consistent form throughout the tournament.

They finished second in the league stage with nine wins and 19 points from 14 matches. RCB then convincingly defeated Punjab Kings by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 to book a spot in the final. The Bengaluru side once again got the better of PBKS in the final to lift their maiden IPL trophy.

This historic triumph ended RCB’s long wait for a title, having previously lost the finals in 2009, 2011, and 2016 under the leadership of Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori, and Virat Kohli, respectively.

Also read: KL Rahul exposes strange scene in Indian dressing room after Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli's retirement