The stage is set for the ultimate showdown in the IPL 2025 final, with Punjab Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore. As the two teams face off, the spotlight is on some of cricket’s biggest names – Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Josh Hazlewood. But have you ever wondered what binds these players together, beyond their love of the game? Let’s take a look at the diverse faiths represented in this high-stakes match.
A Closer Look at the Players’ Faiths
Of the 22 players taking part in the final, 13 are Hindus. The RCB team boasts seven Hindu players, including Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The Punjab Kings also have six Hindu players, with Shreyas Iyer, Nehal Wadhera, and Yuzvendra Chahal among them. Arshdeep Singh, on the other hand, practices Sikhism.
A Lone Muslim Player
There’s only one Muslim player in the IPL 2025 final – Ajmatullah Omarzai, an Afghan all-rounder who plays for the Punjab Kings. Omarzai has had an impressive run in the tournament, taking seven wickets in eight matches. In his international T20 career, he has scored 474 runs and taken 31 wickets in 47 games.
The numbers game aside, it’s interesting to note that both Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings are yet to win an IPL trophy. RCB has lost three finals, while the Punjab Kings have lost their only final appearance so far.
Some players, like Phil Salt, Josh Hazlewood, and Kyle Jamieson, have kept their faith private. However, Romario Shepherd and Marcus Stoinis are known to practice Christianity.
Here are the playing elevens for both teams:
- RCB: Phil Salt, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (c), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood
- Punjab Kings: Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (wk), Shreyas Iyer (c), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Ajmatullah Omarzai, Kyle Jamieson, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
As the cricket world watches the IPL 2025 final with bated breath, it’s fascinating to see the diverse faiths and backgrounds that unite these players in their passion for the game.