Irfan Pathan calls Virat Kohli’s IPL 2025 final knock ‘disappointing’

AHMEDABAD: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressed his disappointment with Virat Kohli’s scratchy knock in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final against Punjab Kings (PBKS), underway here at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Tuesday.

The star batter, who had scored 657 runs in 15 innings at a magnificent average of 54.75 and a hefty strike rate of 144.71, struggled against a disciplined PBKS in the summit clash.

Kohli batted cautiously and could muster 43 off 35 deliveries until eventually falling victim to Azmatullah Omarzai in the 15th over.

Although he remained the top-scorer for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the 36-year-old also faced the most number of deliveries. Besides him, no other RCB batter faced more than 20 balls.

As a result, the RCB bagged an unwanted record of registering the lowest IPL 2025 score at the aforementioned venue.

Reacting to Virat Kohli’s scratchy knock, Irfan Pathan highlighted that the PBKS bowlers strategically bowled short and slower deliveries to the star batter. He further termed his 123 strike rate after playing 35 balls ‘disappointing’.

"They kept bowling short and slow balls to Virat Kohli. Strike rate of 123 after 35 balls on this pitch is disappointing," Irfan wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Chasing a 191-run target to lift their maiden IPL trophy, the table-toppers got off to a promising start, with openers Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya knitting a brisk 43-run stand, which culminated with the latter’s dismissal on the last delivery of the fifth over.

Arya’s dismissal dented the flow of runs for the Kings as when this story was filed, they had been reduced to 55/1 in seven overs.