IPL 2025 final: How Bengaluru united & celebrated RCB’s long-awaited triumph | Bengaluru News

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IPL 2025 final: How Bengaluru united & celebrated RCB’s long-awaited triumph

Bengaluru: From bustling watering holes to open grounds to gated communities to Metro, bus and railway stations and the airport, it was code red all the way Tuesday. The striking streak of red reigned supreme with a one-line chant: “Ee sala cup namde.” And the big moment did finally come at 11.23pm Tuesday with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) registering a six-run victory over Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League 2025 title clash at Narendra Modi stadium in Ahmedabad.The city-on-the-move stopped in its tracks, rose as one and celebrated the silverware that was missing from its otherwise-decorated cupboard. The silverware had remained a chimera of sorts, despite RCB coming tantalizingly close to the podium finish on three occasions earlier. Not this time.As RCB broke the jinx and kissed the IPL trophy minutes before midnight, it was a new dawn for lakhs of Bengaluru team’s fans who waited for 18 long years to witness the big event. From Bengaluru to Bidar to Boston and beyond, RCB fans were unstoppable. Sporting RCB flags and huge banners fluttering in the air, cars and bikes hit the roads blaring horns at full volume in celebratory rides.Live screenings were hosted at countless venues, turning neighbourhoods into red-and-gold carnivals. Ashwini Ramaswamy, a resident of Indiranagar, said she has supported RCB since she was in high school. “I remember watching matches during exam nights.”Others celebrated like a festival. Adi Sharma, a student from Malleswaram, recalled: “My whole family is RCB crazy. We wore our jerseys, made snacks, and sat together like it was Ugadi. My grandmother lit a diya and offered prayers.”In many apartment complexes, private screenings brought neighbours together. Kajal Srivastav, a resident of Bellandur, hosted one such celebration: “We set up the screen at my place. By 6pm, it was packed. People were standing in the kitchen to get a view.”Balaji Natarajan, secretary of Prestige Tranquility, which has over 2,300 apartments, said: “Today is a big day for RCB. Residents requested a common screening, and we were happy to make it happen. It’s not just about cricket; it’s about coming together as a community.”Subramanyam C, president of Sobha City, home to 1,958 flats, said while clubs and restaurants are booked out, the celebration is all about family and community. “Win or lose, Bengaluru stands with RCB.”Most pubs and breweries saw crowds similar to New Year’s Eve. Vinay Chandrashekar, co-owner of Long Boat Brewing in Marathahalli, described the electric atmosphere: “It was exciting to see the match with so many energetic fans. We were fully packed — over 1,000 covers were booked, and we had to close reservations on Monday morning itself. Only standing space was left, and even that was full. We’ve never been booked like this for a Tuesday — it felt like New Year’s Eve.“Alister Braganza, senior regional business manager – south, Impressario (which owns Social), told TOI: “All our 11 outlets across Bengaluru were sold out, we couldn’t even allow walk-ins because we were jam-packed. People started coming in as early as 3pm to grab seats.”A pub owner from Koramangala said, “The entire street of Koramangala V Block was almost filled with red-and-black jerseys, many chanting the team’s popular slogan. Many were pub-hopping… One customer said he believed that changing pubs will make RCB win.”Suraj, head brewmaster at Uru Brewpark, said Tuesday was bigger than New Year’s Eve in terms of bookings. “We had 3-4 live screenings across all our zones. By Tuesday afternoon, we had to stop taking both reservations and walk-ins because we were completely full. We’ve never seen this kind of crowd for a cricket match before.”Multiplexes, too, saw unprecedented turnout. Gautam Dutta, CEO (revenue & operations) at PVR Inox, said: “With 70% occupancy and more than 25,000 tickets sold across 150+ shows nationwide, it was heartening to see fans coming together to celebrate one of India’s most electrifying sporting moments. By 6pm Tuesday, Bengaluru alone had 46 shows, with 92% occupancy — and soon, every single one was houseful.”





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