IPL to crown a new champion as RCB and PBKS meet in final today

AHMEDABAD, India, June 02 (AFP): Punjab Kings stand in the way of Virat Kohli's dream of finally winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Tuesday's final at the world's biggest cricket stadium.

No matter which team prevails at the 132,000-capacity venue in Ahmedabad it will be a first -- neither Punjab nor Kohli's Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have won the IPL since it launched in 2008.

Punjab booked their place in the decider with a five-wicket victory over five-time champions Mumbai Indians on Sunday.

Shreyas Iyer played a captain's knock with an unbeaten 87. Kohli and Bengaluru will have a psychological edge after thrashing Punjab by eight wickets at the start of the playoffs last week.

It is the fourth time that Kohli and his team have reached the final of cricket's richest tournament, but they have never been able to take that last step. The vast majority in attendance will be cheering on Kohli, the 36-year-old superstar batsman and icon to Indian cricket fans. Kohli, who last month retired from Test cricket alongside Rohit Sharma, has again been Bengaluru's go-to batsman with 614 runs, including eight half-centuries, in 14 innings this season.