AHMEDABAD, JUNE 01: Virat Kohli delivered another masterclass under pressure as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) clinched their second consecutive IPL title with a convincing five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final here on Sunday.
Chasing a modest target of 156, RCB rode on Kohli’s unbeaten 75 off 42 balls to reach 161/5 in 18 overs, completing a dominant campaign in style.
The foundation of the chase was laid by Kohli and opener Venkatesh Iyer, who launched a fierce assault on GT pacer Kagiso Rabada. The duo added 62 runs in just 4.3 overs, putting RCB firmly in control. Kohli was at his fluent best, striking boundaries and a six with ease as RCB raced ahead.
Although RCB suffered a brief wobble after losing Venkatesh, Devdutt Padikkal, skipper Rajat Patidar and Krunal Pandya to slip to 91/4, Kohli remained composed. The veteran batter anchored the innings and found support from Tim David, whose brisk 24 off 17 balls helped ease the pressure.
Kohli brought up his fifth half-century of the season and fittingly sealed the victory with a towering six off Arshad Khan, sparking jubilant celebrations in the RCB camp.
The win also placed Patidar alongside legendary captains MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma as one of the few skippers to successfully defend an IPL title.
Earlier, RCB’s disciplined bowling attack restricted Gujarat Titans to 155/8 on a sluggish Narendra Modi Stadium surface. The pitch made stroke-making difficult, and GT struggled to build momentum despite an unbeaten 50 from Washington Sundar.
RCB struck early through Josh Hazlewood, who removed GT captain Shubman Gill, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Sai Sudharsan to leave the Titans under pressure. Their powerplay yielded only 45 runs for the loss of two wickets.
Jos Buttler and Washington Sundar attempted to rebuild the innings, but RCB’s bowlers maintained tight control. Young pacer Rasikh Salam Dhar impressed with figures of 3/27, claiming key wickets and ensuring GT never gained the momentum required for a competitive total.
GT’s struggles were highlighted by the fact that their first six came only in the 13th over, reflecting the effectiveness of RCB’s bowling strategy on a challenging surface.
In the end, it was a night that belonged entirely to RCB and Kohli, whose unbeaten knock capped another memorable chapter in the franchise’s history.
