AB de Villiers represented Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) from 2011 to 2021. The former South African star has now backed RCB to win the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 title. De Villiers was a key part of the RCB setup for over a decade, playing from IPL 2011 to IPL 2021.
Though he was one of the mainstays in the batting lineup during Virat Kohli’s captaincy, De Villiers couldn’t lift the IPL trophy during his career. He was part of the RCB squads that finished as runners-up in the 2011 and 2016 editions. Throughout his IPL career, he was regarded as one of the iconic faces of the RCB franchise.
Now, under the leadership of Rajat Patidar, RCB have reached the final of IPL 2025. They secured their place by defeating Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Qualifier 1 on May 29, winning comprehensively by eight wickets while chasing down a target of just 102 runs.
AB de Villiers: Hopefully, This Will Be RCB’s Year
In a conversation with ANI, AB de Villiers expressed his excitement about the upcoming Qualifier 2 and the final match. He also voiced his support for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to clinch the title this season.
“I’m very happy that RCB has made it to the final. With MI winning last night, it sets up a great Qualifier 2 knockout match between Punjab Kings and MI. I’m really looking forward to that. Whoever deserves it will go on to face RCB in the final. I’m excited for the final and hopefully, this will be the year RCB finally wins it,” he said.
#WATCH | Mumbai | On Royal Challengers Bengaluru progressing into the finals of IPL 2025, Former South African cricketer AB de Villiers says, "I am very happy that RCB is in the final. Mumbai Indians won last night and it is going to be a very good qualifier 2…I am very much… pic.twitter.com/3yZ6Vf7Xyx
— ANI (@ANI) May 31, 2025
Rajat Patidar and his team delivered an outstanding bowling performance against the Shreyas Iyer-led PBKS in Qualifier 1, bowling them out for just 101 runs in the first innings. They then chased down the target with ease, winning by eight wickets in just 10 overs to secure a dominant victory.
Meanwhile, the IPL 2025 final is scheduled to be held on June 3 at the Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad. Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on PBKS in Qualifier 2 on June 1, with the winner advancing to face RCB in the final. MI secured their place in Qualifier 2 by defeating Gujarat Titans (GT) by 20 runs in the Eliminator on May 30.
