'I will be there watching you, bring that trophy home' - AB de Villiers' heartwarming message for Virat Kohli ahead of IPL 2025 final

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) are all set to face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the eagerly-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, June 3. Ahead of the mouth-watering clash, AB de Villiers sent out a special message for his former RCB teammate and long-time friend Virat Kohli.

The former South African captain shared the RCB dressing room with Kohli for 11 years. They played the finals of the IPL in 2011 and 2016 but came up second best on both occasions. As RCB get ready for a date with destiny on Tuesday, De Villiers sent his best wishes to Kohli, urging the 36-year-old to enjoy himself out in the middle and help his team win their first IPL title.

“My message to Virat is to go out and enjoy and have fun out there. Put a smile on your face. I will be there watching you. Bring that (IPL) trophy home. Enjoy every minute of it," De Villiers said in a video message shared by Star Sports on 'X'.

De Villiers also had a special message for the passionate RCB supporters. He ensured them that the RCB players will put everything on the line till the last ball in the summit clash.

“To the fans, just buckle up. It's going to be a great final. It's going to be one to remember, and just be sure that the boys will give their absolute best till the last ball,” De Villiers added.

Star Sports@StarSportsIndia

As @RCBTweets gear up for the ultimate clash with Punjab Kings, @ABdeVilliers17 sends his love and support to @imVkohli and the incredible RCB fans #TATAIPL #IPLFinal 👉 #RCBvPBKS | TUE, 3rd June, 5 PM on Star Sports Network & JioHotstar

09:30 PM · Jun 02, 2025

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Interestingly, the head-to-head is evenly poised between PBKS and RCB, with both teams winning 18 games. However, in IPL 2025, RCB have two wins and one defeat against Shreyas Iyer's men. Rajat Patidar and Co. registered a comfortable eight-wicket victory in Qualifier 1 against PBKS, chasing a paltry 102-run target with 10 overs and eight wickets to spare.

PBKS and RCB have never won the IPL title, and this fact makes the upcoming final all the more intriguing. Fans will hope that the weather stays good, as it has been raining considerably in Ahmedabad of late. However, there is a reserve day on Wednesday for the all-important clash.