Ee Saala Cup Namde had become like a curse; things worked out for RCB when it changed: Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar responded to RCB’s motto, ‘Ee sala cup namde’, after they won their first IPL title in 2025, defeating Punjab Kings by 6 runs at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The former Indian cricketer believes that the 18th edition of the league saw a more measured approach among fans to their chances of winning the crown.

The 75-year-old claimed that not everyone yelled the slogan as much as they had in the past, and that it benefited RCB significantly.

The cricketer-turned-commentator said the slogan had become more of a curse than a way to support the team and its players. He believed that toning down the phrase benefited RCB, since they won their first title.

“This was the year when the popular slogan ‘Ee sala cup namde’ was more subdued than normal. It wasn’t as in your face as it had been in the past, which may have helped. It almost felt like the slogan had become a jinx, but once it was toned down, everything worked out,” Gavaskar told India Today.

They’ve played top-level cricket throughout the IPL: Sunil Gavaskar

He then complimented the Bengaluru-based franchise on their significant success, claiming they played outstanding cricket throughout the tournament. He praised RCB’s recent efforts, including chasing 227 against LSG, defeating PBKS in a one-sided Qualifier 1 match, and winning the final despite producing a below-par score in his opinion.

“Congratulations to RCB—they’ve played excellent cricket throughout the IPL. Their past 2-3 performances were particularly impressive: chasing 230+ against LSG, smashing Punjab in Qualifier 1 in just 14 overs, and then holding their composure in the final despite being 15-20 runs shy of a par total,” Gavaskar said.

After being requested to bat first, RCB scored 190 runs, with contributions from Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar, Liam Livingstone, Mayank Agarwal, Jitesh Sharma, and Romario Shepherd. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma, and Shepherd all contributed to the Bengaluru franchise’s successful defence of the objective.