New Delhi: ICC President J Shah was one of the high-profile attendees at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, as Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faced the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the IPL 2025 finals. Shah attended the much awaited title clash by his wife, daughter and mother.Next to the blockbuster finale, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hosted a special ceremony to honor the Indian Armed Forces. The event featured a patriotic music performance by famous singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan with his sons Siddharth and Shivam. ‘Aye Watan’, ‘Vande Mataram’, and ‘still.This tribute came under the backdrop of Operation Sindoor, India’s military vengeance against terrorist camps in Pakistan was about to claim 26 lives after the deadly Pahgam attack.Connecting emotional scenes, helicopters flew with a large -scale crowd at the stadium, affecting the army, Navy and Air Force flags. The mantras of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ filled the wind as fans stood to accept the armed forces of the country.
The IPL 2025 season was stopped for a week ago due to increasing tension between India and Pakistan. Following a ceasefire agreement between the two countries, the tournament resumed with a revised schedule, furthering the final from the date of 26 May to 3 June.After the resumption, the BCCI has consistently shown solidarity with the armed forces. The national anthem has been played before every match, and the huge screen in stadiums has prominently displayed ‘thanks, armed forces’ messages.Shikhar Clash sees both RCB and PBK hunting for their first IPL Crown. Bangalore booked its place in the final with a major win over Punjab in Qualifier 1, while Shreyas Iyer -led PBK defeated five -time champions Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 to bounce back.With the trophy on the line, a team will finally finish the long -running wait for the IPL Mahima.
