Rishi Sunak shows passionate support for RCB in Ahmedabad

Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Akshata Murty also watched the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final, as they were spotted in the stands of the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, cheering for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The couple, known for their Bengaluru roots and love for cricket, joined the sea of red and gold in the grand finale against the Punjab Kings. Sunak was seen celebrating the wicket of Josh Inglis while sitting next to ICC Chairman Jay Shah.During the match, Sunak took to X to share a selfie with his wife, captioned: “Let’s go @RCBTweets.” “This is unbelievable, the atmosphere is absolutely buzzing! It’s my first time at an IPL game in India, and I’ve never seen anything quite like it,” Sunak said in a brief on-ground interview after RCB wrapped up their innings.
RCB ended their 18-year title drought on Tuesday by winning their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy, defeating Punjab Kings by six runs in a thrilling final. Sunak also opened up on IPL's influence on cricket, stating that the tournament has played a massive role in improving players across the world. He also pointed out that the Women's Premier League (WPL) is also becoming a brand and helping more girls getting into the sport. "The IPL has transformed cricket. Every cricketer, everywhere, wants to play in the IPL at some point in their career now.  India's passions, India's tastes now have a global impact," Sunak added.
Reminiscing further, Sunak said, “We’ve been to RCB matches together years ago, and I even cheered for them from Downing Street. Last season’s run was especially exciting." “I’m a massive Virat Kohli fan. He’s a total legend," Sunak said fondly and also mentioned that he was gifted a signed bat by India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as a Diwali present.

(State Correspondent)